Old derailleur newbie question

[damian]

Hi,

I just picked up an 1980s Schwinn 10 speed and I'm a novice fixer. I took off the rear wheel and the derailleur came off as well, and I can't for the life of me figure out how to get them back on. The derailleur was attached with a screw which runs through a semi-circle nut. I can't figure out where to put this--there are no holes for it.

I'm sure this would be really simple for anyone's who's touched an older bike, but like I said, I'm new.

Thanks!

ps--sorry about the quality of the picture--no lights in the garage yet

[GeorgeET]

Hmmm........... Looks like the derailleur hangs on the axle under the big nut and the half moon plate goes behind or in front of the hanger and the half moon plate rotates and as acts as a derailleur stop that you can set by
rotating it against the axle. Cant tell how long the screw is but it nests in the slot .



Here are some photos that might help. I tell everyone to take photos or video as they disassemble things. I usually listen to myself. I was working on my wifes vintage coaster brake wheel and was to greasy to grab a camera. Man took me a while to figure out how it goes back. :-)))

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1971_1980/sc_376_huret_gt510_sa_s3c.html

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1971_1980/1980_06.html

http://bikeride.com/adjust-rear-derailleur/

[Joe_W]

The plate usually goes on the outside of the rear dropout.

[trevgbb]

this is a standard set up for non alloy frames, remove rear wheel and position the hanger over the drop out slot with the half moon nut at the back, tighten screw making sure the flat is towards the open end and that the 2 slots are lined up. now refit your wheel.

[damian]

Thank you all.

George--yes, of course I always take pictures except when I should have

I think I've got it. Though it seems like the more I tighten the screw, the more the front of the pulls away from the dropout slot. It seems like a precarious way to hang a derailleur--but I'm sure this is my inexperience.

I took a couple pictures of how I've attached it for confirmation--not sure how to post them...
Thanks again!

---

okay--I've made the rear-view of what I've done my avatar. Look right?

[trevgbb]

no, from what I can make out from your pic you have not got it right, the screw runs through the end of the drop out slot with the half moon nut at the back, this has the effect of shortening the drop out slot, if you look at your first pic, the screw on the gear hanger should be almost exactly where your wheel nut is and the plate of the gear hanger under the wheel nut.

[GeorgeET]

Cannot tell anything from, the avatar. Your first picture posted. TO post photo click preview post below and scroll down till you see post photo link.

The first photo actually shows how it should hang. I think that the top screw and plate secures the dérailleur in the drop out with the plate behind and the flat part down and the derailleur notch hangs on axle , wheel axle nut locks it in place.
This is so that when you take the wheel off the dérailleur stays in place.

Its not for adjustment as I first thought.

[damian]

Thanks again; I have adjusted and think I've got it now. I'll try and get a picture of it tonight.

I had thought this was the way at some point, but as trevgbb points out--the presence of this screw shortens the dropout slot. I wondered if this would throw of the axle (since there's nothing comparable on the other side). But the wheel seems to sit well.

Now to learn how to true these old wheels...

Damian

[GeorgeET]

The wheel needs to be centered in the frame. It does not need to go to the top of the dropout.Like I said the way you are holding it in the photo is how it goes on. IMO.

As per wheel truing get the right size spoke wrench put some Liquid wrench on spoke nipples the night before turn the bike upside down and spin the wheel to see what you need to do . Pick or make a sight point in the middle .Tighten opposite the side that bows out.Thats basic.

Check this site and Sheldon Brown for more and more and more info. :-)))

Post photo and model of bike. BTW where are you. Not in your bio.

[Bill]

I will state, as a person who messed with lower end bikes, you are correct. It is a real pain in the neck to get the wheel back on and have to use eye coordination to make sure it is straight. As far as throwing it off answer is no. They took that into consideration when they came up with this cheap method of mounting deraillers. Pull the wheel back as far as it will go, snug up the drive side then align the tire with the middle brake caliper tube, then tighten the non drive side. If one of the nuts slips/walks forward pull it back in place and hold until the desired amount of tightening is achieved. These are one of those things never asked but very happy someone did. Best way to put the wheel back on is the bike being upside down. I will add this to videos I would like to do.

[trevgbb]

this is how your assembly should now look

[damian]

Thank you all again. This has been really reassuring. I've put up some pictures of the bike on flickr.

Here's how I've attached the derailleur:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29802597@N02/4685343098/in/photostream/

and here's the the view of the non-drive side (showing how the axle doesn't go all the way back)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29802597@N02/4684709369/in/photostream/

And here is the bike itself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29802597@N02/4684709987/in/photostream/

I bought it as a project. I have a 4 year old Norco Olympia (bought new) which is my everyday commuter, which I'm okay performing basic maintenance on, but I wanted something to really get me into serious work, without risking the bike I need.


Bill, a video of things like this would be great. As a newbie, I must say videos help so much.

[Bill]

Nice pic trev. .
damian you know you can post pics of your bike right here? I am sure ya know that. Just wanted to add that some put their rides in this area... http://forums.bikeride.com/forum-36.html .
Time to do the videos is really not all that long just trying to get certain projects done isn't easy. The last attempted video was on how to remove cottered cranks. Let's just say things were not in my favor that day. From knocking the cam over to cutting my finger (slight laceration). Putting everything away and decided to come back to it a different time. Seems like just yesterday I thought I knew a whole lot about bikes, until I found this site which umm showed me differently.

[trevgbb]

Yes, that looks ok, but can I suggest you shorten the spare wire so that it cannot get picked up by the chain and pulled into the changer, happens occasionally, leave it long enough to get hold of for adjustment though.

[DaveM]

You have it mounted correctly, except:
The inner (threaded) piece of the hanger clamp should be flipped over. It has a little step in it and the smaller step is supposed to go inside the dropout. It doesn't make a big difference either way, but with that piece lodged inside the dropout, it will hold the derailleur a bit more securely and the axle will have something solid to back up against.

Nice old Schwinn - definitely worth a little rehabbing

[damian]

Thanks for the tip trev; will do.

And thanks for you eagle eyes Dave! I knew there had to be some logic to that little step. I'm pretty sure it had been put on backwards when I took the wheel off. But the other way around makes a lot more sense.