SRAM X.9 Trigger Shifter Trouble

[ridethewomble]

I just replaced my drive train with a new set of SRAM components. I have a new SRAM PC-951 9 speed chain, a SRAM PG-970 11-34 9 speed cassette, new chain rings, new '06 X.9 trigger shifters, and a new '06 X.9 rear derailleur. I just restrung my shifter cables and housings, too.

The trouble is, it seems like the right shifter pod doesn't have the right amount of "throw." Here are the facts:


I carefully set the upper and lower limits for the rear d.
I carefully set the "b" screw. I measured the gap from biggest cog to jockey pulley per SRAM specs.
I pulled the rear-d cable taut with the chain on the lowest cog, and the biggest chainwheel.
I set chain length with the "pull it tight with the derailleur out of the picture, and add two links" method.
If I "thumb" the derailleur through its range of motion, the H and L limits, and "b" screw gap look right on.
From smallest cog to granny, the shifter works great for the first 3-4 shifts. After that, it takes 2 clicks of the shifter to make the next jump.
From that point on, I have to "overshift" to get the chain to climb, and then let the pod settle into its resting spot.
I can't hit my granny gear using the shifter
I can push the derailleur on to the granny gear, so the limit is OK.
My cables and housings are new. All the ferrules seem to go into the cable guides straight. All housing runs look relaxed, but not too long.
I checked the derailleur hanger by taking it off the bike and checking it on a straight edge.
If I tension the shifter cable so it can climb up to the granny gear, it pulls the rear d off the limit on the smallest cog. I have been unable to find a sweet spot that allows the shifter to pull the rear-d from limit to limit.


I know SRAM makes shifter pods with a 2:1 pull for Shimano derailleurs. I think those trigger shifter pods are called "Attack" and "Rocket." From looking at the SRAM spare parts manual, it looks like X7, X9, and X.0 are 1:1 pull. My derailleur says 1:1 on it, but my pods don't. From what I understand, "ESP" is the brand name for the 1:1 pull. My pods don't have that, either.

The $65,000 question is - could my pods have the wrong pull ratio for my derailleur? The pods and derailleur came as a frickin' set, but the shift problems seem to me to have all the hallmarks of a shifter pod with the wrong pull ratio.

Oh, yeah - I'm not in the mood for the easy pot shot, single-speeders! :D

[eloach]

Any chance the cable is not into the shifter properly or the shifter is defective? It sounds like the rdr is okay if you can pull it to all the gears with your fingers and hand pulling the cable.

It sounds like your thinking that the shifter and rdr don't match, but I can't imagine someplace selling unmatched items as a "set". Maybe they pulled the wrong stock.

I am sure one on the member bike mechs will post up a reply.

[liltommy]

Not an expert but, are you doing all these adjustment in the large chain ring?

I usually do all mine in the center ring.
I still have problems when trying to cross gears (large chain ring to granny cog).

Goodluck.

Tommy

[ridethewomble]

Not an expert but, are you doing all these adjustment in the large chain ring?
The only work I'm doing on the big chain ring is setting the little cog limit and setting the chain length. Besides things that require the smallest ring, I'm doing everything in the middle ring.

[Brizn]

If I tension the shifter cable so it can climb up to the granny gear, it pulls the rear d off the limit on the smallest cog. Is it as simple as setting it such that it shifts into the largest/inner-most cog in the rear, then adjusting H limit so it doesn't "pull the rear d off the limit"? Guess it couldn't be :cool: that simple or you'dve solved your own prob by now. :eek:


I know SRAM makes shifter pods with a 2:1 pull for Shimano derailleurs. I think those trigger shifter pods are called "Attack" and "Rocket." From looking at the SRAM spare parts manual, it looks like X7, X9, and X.0 are 1:1 pull. My derailleur says 1:1 on it, but my pods don't. From what I understand, "ESP" is the brand name for the 1:1 pull. My pods don't have that, either.

The $65,000 question is - could my pods have the wrong pull ratio for my derailleur? I can give you info on what these pods look like/say on them. I run X9 on my mtb and the Attack shifters on my townster. If it's an X9 pod (ie 1:1), it should say "X9" right on it. If it's :p an Attack shifter (ie 2:1), it will say "Attack" on :) the pod. Not being smart here.. just giving you some facts to go on. Also, BOTH TYPES of shifters will say "Impulse Technology".

Many folks have claimed Sram shift-components are harder in the initial set-up than Shimano. My bet is on cable tension, like maybe you need a little more yet. Try starting over; run the barrel adjuster allllll the way in-- then OUT 2 full turns to give you some :mad: :) wiggle room for adjustment; make sure your cable is properly seated in :o the pod, as eloach says; in the small cog/mid ring, pinch it such that the cable's nice 'n taut; then, if it's not going to the larger cogs properly, adjust via rolling the barrel adjuster OUT to get the right tension.

... and now, since there's just entirely :D too much text in this post, I will go back and put random emoticons in wherever i so desire.. :confused:

[gohanbwoy]

I know i resigned from posting on this forum, however i still troll around a bit. Check to make sure that your hanger is straight... sounds like it could be bent inward and rotated towards the front a bit... good luck!

[redclayrambler]

I installed the same set up (except I have a Shimano cassette) and had no problems at all. I followed the Sram instructions step by step because I'm certainly not an accomplished bike mechanic.
One thing, you say the housings look "relaxed" I'm sure you know this but just in case, Sram rear derailleur cables are set up with pretty much a straight shot going into the derailleur (coming out of the last cable fitting) as opposed to Shimano which uses a loop.
I concur the X-9 shifter pod says X-9.
Hope you get it worked out.

[BikerMiker]

Housing is hanging up the cable, most likely. Wrong sized ferrules or something like that. Look for the black stuff on the outside of your housing getting pushed back from the liner-wound silver stuff underneath. If your limits are fine, your cable is getting hung up somewhere.

Check under the bottom bracket. Post some pics of the rear cable/housing from front to back and that should help.

mike

[werace424]

It sounds like you are actually using shimano components. ;)

[QUOTE=gohanbwoy]I know i resigned from posting on this forum, ...QUOTE]

Why?

[cbottcher]

Maybe I'm crazy but I seem to remember something about needing to calculate the length of the housing from the last stop to the RD. Maybe this has little or no affect but I thought it strange it was in the instructions.

Also I found the SRAM to be much easier to set up initially then Shimano, and then it stayed set up after one small twist after the cables stretched a little.

[ridethewomble]

OK - I punted. I checked and rechecked my cable runs, and they looked good. The incident that precipitated the wholesale replacement of the drivetrain was the destruction of an XTR derailleur on some good old GWNF rocks. I was just LOOKING for an excuse! :D I think the force that took my poor rear d probably did more damage than was readily apparent.

I think, even though my derailleur hanger LOOKS straight, I probably have a bend and a twist, like gowhanboy said. I decided to let a professional mechanic check the hangar for me with a proper tool. It's not that hard looking at the side-to-side alignment with the naked eye and a straight edge, but the fore-and-aft alignment takes a tool. I value BikerMiker's opinion, so I asked them to check my cable runs, too.

Here are some of the pieces of the puzzle that make me think I have a compound bend in the ol' hangar:


I had to back the "L" limit screw out a freakish amount
I had to back out the "b" limit screw a freakish amount
There's no "sweet spot" for cable tension that works for high and low
The higher I go on the cassette, the more and more the "autoshift-turn-turn-autoshift-turn-turn" thing happens.


I have the bike in the hands of a well-regarded local professional. I'll post his verdict when the bike comes back.

[ridethewomble]

BikerMiker wins, and gowhanboy wins, too. I got one of the cable housings wrong. ...and the d hangar was bent.

The actual professionals at Conte's got her shifting like a dream.

[darren]

I saw your bike yesterday when Jon was looking at it. Was the hanger funny small world.

[ridethewomble]

That's the one.

[BikerMiker]

what do i win?

mike

[ridethewomble]

...err, status as the bestest long-distance drivetrain problem diagnoser ever, and a green dot? :rolleyes:

[BikerMiker]

Ok. That'll do...

mike