# rear derailleur not shifting to big gear or small at the same time



## Gabe3 (Mar 13, 2009)

I'm building a bike and somewhat new to this although I set up my last bike's derailleur.

anyway I have the H and L limit screws adjust correctly, the problem is the shifter wont put the chain in the small and big gears at the same time. for example I can adjust the tension correctly and have it shift into the small gear. but when I try shifting to the largest gear it won't go because it needs more tension, when I give it more tension it goes to the big gear but now it wont go to the small gear.

not sure what to do, I've been at it 3 hours.


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## theMeat (Jan 5, 2010)

Are you sure you have the right derailleur, cassette, shifter combo?


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## Gabe3 (Mar 13, 2009)

theMeat said:


> Are you sure you have the right derailleur, cassette, shifter combo?


i'm using a sram 990 cassette 9 speed, 2012 sram x9 9speed shifter, 2012 sram x9 9speed rear derail, shimano slx 9 speed crankset, sram 970 chain.

dont know the year of the cassette but bought everything new.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

Is the shifter in the correct index position when you're attempting this ?

eg. shifter index in gear #2 & derailleur on gear #1 = not full range of gears


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## Loudviking (Oct 23, 2011)

I could be wrong(as I usually am) but have you checked that your cable isn't
binding up?


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## Fungazi (Mar 31, 2005)

I can think of maybe 2 things:

1) Detatch the cable from the der, use the shifter to let out as much cable as you can (IE, go to the highest gear for a "high normal" deraileur), re-fix the cable in the der. 

2) Make sure you der hanger isn't bent. Very common cause for the described problem, though it also tends to make all shifting worse near the top / bottom of the range (depending on adjustment),


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## faceplant72 (Oct 25, 2009)

check that the cable is routed around the correct side of the pinch bolt.


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## HenryMS (Apr 16, 2012)

If all else fails take it into the shop. Sometimes in cases like this it simply isn't worth all the trouble


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## OS cuda' (Aug 10, 2005)

It sounds to me like you're just not getting the adjustments quite right. Do what fungazi said and make sure you're shifter is shifted down to the smallest cog before you reattach the cable to the derailleur. Also make sure the barrel adjuster is all the way in so if you need to add more tension you can turn it out a few clicks. Do those things and double check the limit screws and you should be good to go. Hopefully....


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## Gabe3 (Mar 13, 2009)

OS cuda' said:


> It sounds to me like you're just not getting the adjustments quite right. Do what fungazi said and make sure you're shifter is shifted down to the smallest cog before you reattach the cable to the derailleur. Also make sure the barrel adjuster is all the way in so if you need to add more tension you can turn it out a few clicks. Do those things and double check the limit screws and you should be good to go. Hopefully....


thanks for the help guys. I got it working for the most part finally last night. I disconnected the cable from the derail then turned the barrel adjuster all the way in like you just said and then back out one 360 like the instructions said after all and its shifting pretty well now. just seems to make some noise on gear 2 and 3 I think. second and third rings from the largest in the back.


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## OS cuda' (Aug 10, 2005)

If its kind of skipping in those two gears it can sometimes be solved with the barrel adjuster. Just spin it a quarter or half turn and try again. I've found that 
most problems with shifting is all tension issues especially when you have all new parts. I suppose your shifter cable could be gunked up or something but I think you just need to get the adjustments dialed in. It takes some practice but once you get it it's nice to know you won't have to take it to the lbs for adjustments like this.


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## Dsdub (Jul 16, 2011)

When you guys say turn the barrel adjuster all the way in you mean tighten it all the way correct?


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## theMeat (Jan 5, 2010)

Yep, turn the barrel adjuster all the way in, so the cable stop and all its threads are as close to/inside the derailleur all but a 1/4 to 1/2 of a turn. Make sure your shifter is in highest gear, i.e. with as much cable out of it. At this point your chain should be on the smallest gear of the cassette when you turn the pedals. If not it's being held up by the adjustment screw so turn out the screw enough to allow a comfy fit on the smallest/highest gear. Then tighten the cable onto the derailleur pinch bolt while pulling up any slack. It is then ready to be dialed in with the hi/low adjustment screw, and the barrel adjuster.
It's a good idea to adjust so that the adjustment screws, and not the barrel adjuster, controls the highest gear/smallest gear/least tension, and the lowest gear/biggest gear/most tension, and only use the barrel adjuster to get the right tension so that the chain is right in the middle of all the gears for nice quite operation and smooth shifting. So another words, the hi/low screws only for adjusting the hi/low limits so the chain doesny fall off either end. When setting the screw for both hi AND low, make sure to move the front derailleur from highest to lowest chainring also, to see if that different/extreme chain angle works with your rear derailleur hi/low adjustments.
There's a lota youtube vids and whatnot you could watch to get the gist and tips.


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## rlouder (Jun 26, 2007)

Bookmark this site....

Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Rear Derailler Adjustments (derailleur)


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## Dsdub (Jul 16, 2011)

Good info there guys ty...My shifting goes to the innermost and outermost gears ok it's just that it will skip a cog while shifting or it kind of hangs on certain cogs. I'll try tuning it with the barrel adjustment.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Dsdub said:


> Good info there guys ty...My shifting goes to the innermost and outermost gears ok it's just that it will skip a cog while shifting or it kind of hangs on certain cogs. I'll try tuning it with the barrel adjustment.


If your bike is a couple of years old, replace the cables and housings. Also have your lbs check to make sure the derailleur hanger is straight.


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## Dsdub (Jul 16, 2011)

Bike is a lightly used spesh enduro expert 2011, x0 rear derailleur. I'll just mess with tuning it a bit more. I received the bike in two boxes on easter monday, the rear tire and derailleur were off the bike for shipping. Ever since I have been trying to tune my shifting.


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## gmcttr (Oct 7, 2006)

Dsdub said:


> Bike is a lightly used spesh enduro expert 2011, x0 rear derailleur. I'll just mess with tuning it a bit more. I received the bike in two boxes on easter monday, the rear tire and derailleur were off the bike for shipping. Ever since I have been trying to tune my shifting.





gmcttr said:


> If your bike is a couple of years old, replace the cables and housings.* Also have your lbs check to make sure the derailleur hanger is straight*.


Shipping...rear tire off...nothing to protect the derailleur hanger...good chance of slightly bent hanger.


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