Adjustment of gears

[lectureral]

After a bit of riding on my Raleigh (Kalkhoff equivalent) the 8th gear has started playing up - it will work fine for a while and then it slips and sometimes even goes to freewheel. I can get it back by dropping to 7th and then back up to 8th but it usually goes again. Is this something I can fix by adjusting something or do I need to take it back under warrenty?

 

[Terrytraveller]

How to Do it !

I found these links very useful to help me make the adjustments ;-

Derailer Adjustment-How To

YouTube - 9 - Front Derailleur Adjustment

YouTube - 6 - Advanced Rear Derailleur Adjustment

Regards Terry

 

[rock_hopper]

lectureral, if your set-up is the same as my Pro Connect then it would appear to be the same issue I had. Put the gears into 4th, you should see 2 yellow marks on the rear gear assembly, if they are not aligned then there is a barrel adjuster on the gear shifter on the handlebars, turning that should align the yellow marks.

 

[lectureral]

Thanks rock hopper - I will have a look - yes - the same as proconnect, not derailleur but thanks Terrytraveller - can you be any more specific as to how the barrel adjuster works - is it part of the gear shifter assembly?

 

[rock_hopper]

It is just where the gear cable comes out of the 'shifter', just turn it with your fingers no tools required.

 

[Tim]

this, on Sheldon Brown's site, looks essential

 

[lectureral]

Thanks rock hopper - I had a look at lunch time and couldn't turn what I thought you meant by hand - I have since found this which is useful

Shimano Nexus 7-speed and 8-speed Internal Gear Hubs-Technical data

The lines seemed pretty much aligned as it was but I will have another go later. If I can't turn it by hand is it safe to take a pair of pliers to do you think? There seems to be a plastic collar which pulls out and twists freely, locking when you let go (like a childproof medicine bottle).

 

[HarryB]

Thanks rock hopper - I had a look at lunch time and couldn't turn what I thought you meant by hand - I have since found this which is useful

Shimano Nexus 7-speed and 8-speed Internal Gear Hubs-Technical data

The lines seemed pretty much aligned as it was but I will have another go later. If I can't turn it by hand is it safe to take a pair of pliers to do you think? There seems to be a plastic collar which pulls out and twists freely, locking when you let go (like a childproof medicine bottle).

If it is freewheeling in gear it does sound like a fault especially if the marks are all lining up. I think you may have been asked this before but have you checked the tensioner? A few of us have found it needs a little oil. If you lift the tensioner up and it appears to stick or is slow to return then it needs a little oil or grease on the pivot. Has been known to affect the gear change with apparent slippage.

 

[lectureral]

Thanks HarryB - I did have that problem and fixed it OK. I had a sudden thought last night - it actually started at about the same time as when I put a front basket on the bike. Maybe the basket is pressing against the cable. I will remove it and report back.

 

[lectureral]

I removed the basket and that seems to have solved the problem - the cable for the gear shift must be quite sensitive to being pushed around.

 

[rustyrocker]

lectureral, if your set-up is the same as my Pro Connect then it would appear to be the same issue I had. Put the gears into 4th, you should see 2 yellow marks on the rear gear assembly, if they are not aligned then there is a barrel adjuster on the gear shifter on the handlebars, turning that should align the yellow marks.

rock_hopper, you say put it into 4th gear, but the yellow lines on my pro connect only line up in 5th

Have I done something wrong, or maybe Im missing a gear. Any clarification would be appreciated.


Mick

 

[stokepa31_mk2]

rock_hopper, you say put it into 4th gear, but the yellow lines on my pro connect only line up in 5th

Have I done something wrong, or maybe Im missing a gear. Any clarification would be appreciated.


Mick

there will be a small dot next to the gear number which indicates this is the correct one to do the adjustment in. as far as im aware this is always 4th on shimano hubs. if they dont line up in 4th its probably because they require adjustment .

 

[rustyrocker]

Hi paul.
Do you mean a dot on the shifter at the handlebar end? I cant see one. I have tried putting it in 4th and adjusting the cable to force it back one gear, but not succeded yet. Cant really tell if Im missing a gear by riding and shifting thru all the gears in order, but there is a gear at every shift.

Mick

 

[rock_hopper]

Rustyrocker, all the guidance I have is for it to be set in 4th - see the link posted by lectureral on the 19th, red marks for 7sp and yellow marks for 8sp.

I only noted slippage in 8th gear, all others I tried (got no lower than 4th) were fine.

 

[rustyrocker]

I cant seem to make the yellow marks line up in 4th, but by fiddling with the cable I can make it line up in 6th, and then back to 5th, but there isnt enough adjustment in the cable to get it to line up in 4th.

Dont know if that means missing gears or not, I didnt think top gear felt very high, but Ill keep fiddling, maybe try to rethread the cable.

thanks for all your help
Mick