[MultiRider]

I have had TREMENDOUS problems with chain suck on my Ibis Mojo. I keep my drivetrain clean and lubed but not over-lubed, I've swapped the BB spacers to try to improve chainline, I installed zip ties underneath to prevent the chain from following the chainring around, currently using a Wipperman chain, have sanded the chainring teeth with 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper to polish the surfaces, all suggestions have been tried.

While talking to a fellow Mojo owner on the starting line of the Breckenridge 68 this past Saturday, the conversation turned to chainsuck. He said he put Shimano XT rings on and it cured his chainsuck. He believes the steel middle ring fixed the problem.

So I set off in search of acquiring a steel XT middle ring. During my search, I found out that Shimano makes a steel granny in their SLX line. So I'm absolutely going to buy the steel XT middle ring, but am considering purchasing the steel SLX granny to go with it.

Would a Shimano SLX FC-M660 steel 22t granny have any problems working with a Shimano XT FC-M770 steel/carbon 32t middle ring?

 

[.40AET]

How old are the rings? If they are worn and starting to hook, the teeth will not let go of the chain as the rings spin and you'll get chain suck. The steel rings take longer to wear and will not cause problems as fast. Otherwise, new aluminum rings will work.

Good luck

 

[mtnbiker72]

You don't mention which crankset you currently have, I don't believe the M770 middle chainring will fit on other Shimano cranksets (including older XT's) but I don't know about other brands.

Also, what kind of chain lube are you using...there is lubing the chain, but lubing with lousy chain lube doesn't do you any good. I used to suffer chain suck with some other VERY popular brands of chain lube. Since I have switch to my current lube (a wet lube) I have yet to suffer chain suck in even the worst muddy conditions.

Something to think about.

 

[MikeDee]

Aluminum granny rings wear fast and then cause chain suck. Get a steel inner ring. I put a Truvative steel inner ring on an XT crank and it shifts just fine.

 

[Pisgah]

Stainless steel rings are the best. Smalls are availble. I wish someone would make stainless steel (ramped) middles.

 

[MultiRider]

Current rings were new with FSA Afterburner crankset the first week of May. They don't look bad, but they aren't new. So I'm replacing them both because of the suggestion to go to the steel middle ring and because they have May, June, July miles on them.

I'm confused by the compatibility info on the Shimano web site:
http://bike.shimano.com/media/techd.../FC/EV-FC-M770-2693_v1_m56577569830621041.pdf

Is that the right doc to understand compatibility? What is that supposed to say about the whether the new XT chainring would work on a crankset that is typically XT compatible (FSA Afterburner)?

 

[MultiRider]

This Shimano chart makes it look like the XT granny gear isn't compatible with any of the craniksets?!? I would like to put a steel granny and a steel middle on my FSA Afterburner crankset. Sure would like to buy rings that will work!

I'm racing Winter Park events and training for the Leadville 100 on Aug 14. I really need my bike to shift reliably. A quick visit to the Ibis forum will reveal that I'm not the only one having this trouble with the Ibis Mojo.

 

[shiggy]

Any 4-bolt 64mmBCD ring will fit your crank.

And you can use a cheaper steel Shimano middle ring, too.

Or a straight cut tooth steel middle. You do not NEED ramps to shift and it may reduce chain hangup.

And use a good wet lube.

 

[MultiRider]

Recommendations about chain lube are welcome. I was using Ice Wax but hate the build up. Now using Pedros Wet Lube. Its okay, but still quite a bit of build up.

I plan to order these from the QBP catalog:

CR6184 Shimano SLX 22t 64mm BCD steel chainring
CR2767 Shimano XT 32t 104mm BCD steel/cbn chainring
CR2768 Shimano XT 44t 104mm BCD al-7075 chainring

Feedback welcome. Two weeks to the next Winter Park race, 4 weeks to Leadville. Need to have confidence in my drivetrain!

 

[shiggy]

Recommendations about chain lube are welcome. I was using Ice Wax but hate the build up. Now using Pedros Wet Lube. Its okay, but still quite a bit of build up.

I plan to order these from the QBP catalog:

CR6184 Shimano SLX 22t 64mm BCD steel chainring
CR2767 Shimano XT 32t 104mm BCD steel/cbn chainring
CR2768 Shimano XT 44t 104mm BCD al-7075 chainring

Feedback welcome. Two weeks to the next Winter Park race, 4 weeks to Leadville. Need to have confidence in my drivetrain!

I would not waste money on the steel/carbon middle ring. It is one that may not fit. Shimano likes to do funky tab lengths on their rings. Look closely at the pic

Deore XT Series
Chainrings from Shimano HollowtechII & Octalink MTB cranksets have different length tabs & are not interchangable

http://aebike.com/product/xt-fc-m770-32-tooth-9-speed-chainring-sku-cr2767-qc30.htm

The Deore middle would do the job.

I would use a Surly middle ring

 

[AndrwSwitch]

I would not waste money on the steel/carbon middle ring. It is one that may not fit. Shimano likes to do funky tab lengths on their rings. Look closely at the pic

I have an SLX crankset with the steel/carbon middle ring. I think it's pretty cool, but I agree with shiggy's concern. The ring is quite thick, much more so than an aluminum ring, and it could be a really big problem if the spider on the crank you want to put it on is wider or has longer tabs than what Shimano had in mind. The picture doesn't really do justice to how funky a chain ring it really is.

 

[gticlay]

The XT cranks along with the XT rings (and an SLX drilled steel granny...) are THE best things to have come along in a while for MTB'ing in the mud. I can't believe how long drivetrains last now-a-days. I'd say if you have to buy XT or SLX cranks in order to run those rings, do it.

 

[shiggy]

The XT cranks along with the XT rings (and an SLX drilled steel granny...) are THE best things to have come along in a while for MTB'ing in the mud. I can't believe how long drivetrains last now-a-days. I'd say if you have to buy XT or SLX cranks in order to run those rings, do it.

I have also seen reports of the 770 XT cranks/rings being very prone to chainsuck (probably more properly called chain jamming) when used on some suspension frames. Brand new setups, no mud.
Switch to another brand/model and it goes away. No idea what the trouble is.

 

[MultiRider]

Wow, so the new Shimano cranks and rings are going the proprietary route?

Would the Truvativ Trushift rings work for my FSA Afterburner crank? From the QBP catalog:

CR2408 Truvativ 22t 64mm BCD steel chainring
CR2420 Truvativ 32t 104mm BCD steel chainring
CR2423 Truvativ 44t 104mm BCD al-7075 chainring 4mm thick

Is 4mm thick for the big ring okay? I'm not sure why they specify that in the catalog unless it is non-standard.

I hit about a dozen web sites, including Truvativ, trying to find the weight of the steel rings with no luck. If anyone can help with that, I am interested in knowing what the weight penalty of going with steel is.

I can't find stainless steel rings anywhere. Brand name would be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[.40AET]

RaceFace Turbine rings will fit the new M770 crank. The old team rings will not.
Just another option.

 

[shiggy]

Wow, so the new Shimano cranks and rings are going the proprietary route?

Would the Truvativ Trushift rings work for my FSA Afterburner crank? From the QBP catalog:

CR2408 Truvativ 22t 64mm BCD steel chainring
CR2420 Truvativ 32t 104mm BCD steel chainring
CR2423 Truvativ 44t 104mm BCD al-7075 chainring 4mm thick

Is 4mm thick for the big ring okay? I'm not sure why they specify that in the catalog unless it is non-standard.

I hit about a dozen web sites, including Truvativ, trying to find the weight of the steel rings with no luck. If anyone can help with that, I am interested in knowing what the weight penalty of going with steel is.

I can't find stainless steel rings anywhere. Brand name would be helpful.

Thanks!

I think the Deore rings will fit your crank. The "fancy" XT rings are a bit different, even though they have the same BCD.
The inner rings are basically all the same.

Weight? Does it really matter if the lighter rings contribute to the bike not working?

Stainless: SURLY. You do not need ramps and pins to shift. Did I mention Surly before? Yes, I did talk about Surly.

 

[derby]

The SLX rings DON'T fit FSA Afterburner cranks without much custom work. I cut the tabs on the granny steel and the middle steel/'carbon' (plastic) to make them fit. The are very light for steel.

It feels to me that my SRAM rear der cage tensions the chain more than my XTR's tensioned befoon my prior bike. Maybe that's why I have very rare chain suck problems on my 4 year old Mojo C. I liked the lighter effort shifting a Shimano rear der, but the durability and low maintenace keeps me using SRAM.

 

[mtnbiker72]

On Truvativ and Race Face, I have had to do some custom dremel work to fit Shimano middle rings on the tabs (I dremeled the chainring, not the cranks).

I would recommend Race Face Turbine rings, I've never had problems with chain suck with RF rings...I have with Truvativ rings. In fact, when I purchased my Truvativ cranks (24/26/Bash) I sold the rings and bash and got RF 22/34 with a BBG bash.

Going back to your lube...yes, Ice Wax builds up and can cause suck issues. If your using wet now and getting build up, your using TOO MUCH. You need to clean the chain throughly, rise it, and completely dry it. Then use one drop per roller and let it soak in (best to have chain stretched out flat, rollers up) and let it soak in good for a while. Then wipe chain with a clean, dry rag and install. Wipe chain after rides with clean, dry rag but do not lube again until your chain "asks" for it. I can easily go months in dry weather and at least one month in the wet before needing to lube.

 

[MultiRider]

The SLX rings DON'T fit FSA Afterburner cranks without much custom work. I cut the tabs on the granny steel and the middle steel/'carbon' (plastic) to make them fit. The are very light for steel.

It feels to me that my SRAM rear der cage tensions the chain more than my XTR's tensioned befoon my prior bike. Maybe that's why I have very rare chain suck problems on my 4 year old Mojo C. I liked the lighter effort shifting a Shimano rear der, but the durability and low maintenace keeps me using SRAM.

I'm not clear on this - according to the QBP catalog, the steel/carbon ring is XT. The SLX middle ring is aluminum. Did you get a steel SLX middle ring?

Yes, Shiggy, you mentioned Surley. Sorry. I missed that. But QBP doesn't list a 22t for Surley stainless, just middle rings:
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/ec27acee#/ec27acee/306

I don't live anywhere near a bike shop, so I depend on the QBP catalog a lot. And mtbr.com members! My phone/internet order experience has been frustrating when trying to determine compatibility, so I try to do research to ensure I get the right thing.

I'm currently planning on ordering the Truvative rings. Steel should deform less and last longer. I am a bit of a weight weenie due to racing, but my top priority in this case is to ensure my drivetrain works. Unfortunately, mtnbiker72 is reporting a disappointing experience with Truvative. <heavy sigh> Apparently Truvativ isn't a silver bullet, but it sounds like it is worth trying on my FSA Afterburner cranks.

My bike is SRAM x.9. It shifts very well. Except when the chain sucks up and gets jammed between the big ring and the chainstay. Which it did on Saturday during the Breckenridge 68. I tried to un-jam it using my fingers, but it wouldn't budge. I got frustrated and kicked the pedal backwards rather hard. That worked, but I realized I could have broken the chain in the middle of nowhere. That would have been a bummer!

I'm hopeful that steel rings will solve the issue and keep it solved for a while. Along with less lube.

More feedback is welcome!

 

[shiggy]

I'm not clear on this - according to the QBP catalog, the steel/carbon ring is XT. The SLX middle ring is aluminum. Did you get a steel SLX middle ring?

Yes, Shiggy, you mentioned Surley. Sorry. I missed that. But QBP doesn't list a 22t for Surley stainless, just middle rings:
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/ec27acee#/ec27acee/306

I don't live anywhere near a bike shop, so I depend on the QBP catalog a lot. And mtbr.com members! My phone/internet order experience has been frustrating when trying to determine compatibility, so I try to do research to ensure I get the right thing.

I'm currently planning on ordering the Truvative rings. Steel should deform less and last longer. I am a bit of a weight weenie due to racing, but my top priority in this case is to ensure my drivetrain works. Unfortunately, mtnbiker72 is reporting a disappointing experience with Truvative. <heavy sigh> Apparently Truvativ isn't a silver bullet, but it sounds like it is worth trying on my FSA Afterburner cranks.

My bike is SRAM x.9. It shifts very well. Except when the chain sucks up and gets jammed between the big ring and the chainstay. Which it did on Saturday during the Breckenridge 68. I tried to un-jam it using my fingers, but it wouldn't budge. I got frustrated and kicked the pedal backwards rather hard. That worked, but I realized I could have broken the chain in the middle of nowhere. That would have been a bummer!

I'm hopeful that steel rings will solve the issue and keep it solved for a while. Along with less lube.

More feedback is welcome!

No Surly inner rings. I was talking about a Surly 32T in the middle.

The available steel inner rings probably are a stainless alloy even if it is not stated.