I had a stick get caught in my derailleur and since then I can’t get it shifting to the smallest two cogs. I checked the hanger and it’s straight. I think the cage is also straight, but it’s hard to tell. It’s doing this weird thing where it shifts from the biggest cog through to the third smallest and then it stops, despite there being slack in the cable. So I’m getting a shift on every click until the last two clicks where it stops. It’s like the spring stops pulling there. I can move the derailleur with my hand into the smallest cog no problem, so it’s not a limit screw issue. What am I missing? What did that stick do?!
GX eagle derailleur not shifting to smallest cogs despite slack in cable
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check the hanger again, or check the high limit screw.
If the derailleur won't shift all the way, it's at the stop or the hanger is tweaked enough inward.
With that said -no issues with shifting to low gears and it doesn't want to shift into the spokes? If limit screw is working properly, even with a bad hanger it may not throw the chain to the spokes.
Last check would be to remove the cable so you can manually shift up and down. If it won't relax at the highest gear, something is bent.
If the derailleur won't shift all the way, it's at the stop or the hanger is tweaked enough inward.
With that said -no issues with shifting to low gears and it doesn't want to shift into the spokes? If limit screw is working properly, even with a bad hanger it may not throw the chain to the spokes.
Last check would be to remove the cable so you can manually shift up and down. If it won't relax at the highest gear, something is bent.
The hanger is definitely straight, and the high limit screw isn't stopping it. It's not shifting into the spokes. I did shift it through the gears when it was detached so I could check the hanger, and I think it seemed a little sticky getting to the last couple high gears. So maybe that means something in the derailleur is bent? If that's the case, do I just need to get a new derailleur? Or is there a way to find the bent part and bend it back? Sounds like a frustrating task.
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The high limit screw is what prevents the chain from going off the end of the cassette and into the frame, not up and over the back of it and into the spokes. I think you're confusing the low limit screw with the high limit screw. If your derailleur won't shift all the way, the low limit is preventing it. Loosen the screw holding the cable so that the cable isn't able to pull on it at all and adjust the high limit until it just barely shifts into the smallest cog. Then reattach the cable and adjust the barrel adjuster until it shifts normally. If the hanger and other things are straight as you say, it'll be perfect after that.
Yeah, I did all that. When I said "It's not shifting into the spokes" I didn't mean because of the high limit screw. But if I'm trying to shift to the smallest cogs (highest gears) how does the low limit screw affect that?
I'll fiddle with it a bit more, but I've dealt with a lot of derailleur problems before and never had one behave like this. So I'm wondering if there's a screw or some small part that bent or broke that I need to replace or bend back. Or maybe I just need a whole new derailleur.
So if the hanger and cage are straight, I should just treat it like a fresh install. If it still doesn't shift, there's something wrong with the derailleur. Right?
I'll fiddle with it a bit more, but I've dealt with a lot of derailleur problems before and never had one behave like this. So I'm wondering if there's a screw or some small part that bent or broke that I need to replace or bend back. Or maybe I just need a whole new derailleur.
So if the hanger and cage are straight, I should just treat it like a fresh install. If it still doesn't shift, there's something wrong with the derailleur. Right?
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I believe crustin was answering me about not shifting into spokes.
Read my earlier post and it will make sense.
In my limited knowledge, there is no additional screw to adjust. If you've have used your derailleur alignment tool and confirmed hanger is in good shape and your high and low limit screws are adjusted properly the things I know of would be bent derailleur body or cage or a cable holding up the shift.
It does sound like you should start over as if it were a fresh installation.
Have you confirmed your shifter is clicking as many times as it should. Just to eliminate that as a potential problem.
Disconnect the cable from derailleur. Is the cable moving smoothly within the housing? Housing could have been damaged when you took on the stick.
Move derailleur back and forth with your hand to manually shift from end to end. If it has full travel then you know it's the cable holding up the derailleur. If it will not shift when there is no cable and the high limit screw is backed out, something is bent. I guess that question then becomes what is "something" that is bent.
Read my earlier post and it will make sense.
In my limited knowledge, there is no additional screw to adjust. If you've have used your derailleur alignment tool and confirmed hanger is in good shape and your high and low limit screws are adjusted properly the things I know of would be bent derailleur body or cage or a cable holding up the shift.
It does sound like you should start over as if it were a fresh installation.
Have you confirmed your shifter is clicking as many times as it should. Just to eliminate that as a potential problem.
Disconnect the cable from derailleur. Is the cable moving smoothly within the housing? Housing could have been damaged when you took on the stick.
Move derailleur back and forth with your hand to manually shift from end to end. If it has full travel then you know it's the cable holding up the derailleur. If it will not shift when there is no cable and the high limit screw is backed out, something is bent. I guess that question then becomes what is "something" that is bent.
Ok, I think I found the problem! The four pivot screws are held in place by clips. One of them (upper left in pic, which is weirdly rotated after uploading) is missing and it seems that screw has loosened a bit, and now there's some rub between that part and the cable guide when it shifts to the highest couple gears. So I'm hoping I just need to find one of those clips and pop it on to tighten it up and get it out of the way of the cable guide.
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It's the high limit screw that keeps the chain from falling off the smallest cog on the cassette, so the low limit screw would not have anything to do with your problem.
sounds like the rd is bent/damaged. I'd just bring to trusted lbs and have them confirm. They can check the alignment of hanger with tool but I'd prepare yourself for having to buy a new rd. sry chief. these things happen.
sounds like the rd is bent/damaged. I'd just bring to trusted lbs and have them confirm. They can check the alignment of hanger with tool but I'd prepare yourself for having to buy a new rd. sry chief. these things happen.
yep. good luck. maybe it can be saved
How did this go in the end? I've had this happen with 2 GX Eagle derailleurs. I managed to get 11 speeds out of the last one and called it good until it ate a shrubbery, but the new one started this within a couple weeks of installation. I'm inclined to turn this thing into a single speed and just ride my gravel bike when I want to ride a long way in the woods, but I'll keep plugging. Looking at this photo, I can't help but think that your frayed cable was the culprit, and that's the obvious next step for me before taking more drastic measures.
It turned out that the posts that the parallelogram pivot around were bent. At least one of them. It was a while ago, but I think I took the straight post out of another derailleur and replaced the bent one and that fixed it.
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