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​​​​​​​Rear derailleur rubbing on spokes

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​​​​​​​Rear derailleur rubbing on spokes

Old 03-29-19, 09:50 PM
  #26  
smashndash
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Originally Posted by holytrousers
i did rebuild my rear wheel, so that might be a clue. Can you explain what do you mean by pulling, pushing and "yeet"ing ? I have followed instructions in Jobst Brand's Bicycle Wheel and my spokes are very tight, especially those on the derailleur side (actually, i'm afraid they might be even too tight)
“With a rear wheel, as torque loosens one and tightens the other spoke of a laced pair -- interference between spokes and the rear derailer may occur. With the trailing spoke on the outside, pedaling pulls the spoke pair to the inside. But note, if the wheel also has a hub brake, that will pull the spoke pair to the outside, and the only way to avoid problems it to provide enough clearance so interference cannot occur.”

from: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/torque-spoking.html

Which spokes did you use? If you used decent name-brand spokes, and you don’t weigh a ton, this really shouldn’t be an issue.

The general concept is that when you accelerate, you load the spokes with torque. This causes the spokes to flex towards the derailleur. The amount that it flexes by is determined by the construction of the spoke.
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Old 03-31-19, 01:21 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by _ForceD_
No, neither the derailleur hanger, nor the derailleur are bent.

Did you check it, or have it checked, with a gauge or do you just not think it's bent?

That's a very common problem.and every time that I've encountered it, the cause was a bent hanger.
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Old 03-31-19, 08:23 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
Did you check it, or have it checked, with a gauge or do you just not think it's bent?

That's a very common problem.and every time that I've encountered it, the cause was a bent hanger.
No, I didn't check it, and I'm not going to. I apologize for sounding uppity, but the derailleur and/or hanger are not damaged. Here is why I say that. Before the maintenance I did to replace the hub bearings and cones, the derailleur rubbing problem did not exist. I obtained replacement ball bearings and cone nuts. I put the bike on my work stand, took the wheel off and performed the maintenance. During the entire time I was working on the wheel, the bike remained on the work stand. Nothing happened to it while on the stand. There was no catastrophic event in my garage that bent the derailleur/hanger. Likewise, nothing happened to the wheel to impact the dishing while I performed the maintenance. Post-maintenance the wheel still tracks centered in the frame. The maintenance took me about an hour to complete. When I finished the hub maintenance and re-mounted the wheel and rode the bike is when the rubbing began.


The replacement ball bearings are the same size as those I took out, and I used the same number of them on each side. The cone nuts, however, may be ever so slightly thinner. Unfortunately I didn't think to measure the thickness of new ones against the old ones. But, assuming they're slightly thinner is why I'm going with the possibility that them being thinner causes the QR to draw the frame/dropout in closer to the wheels when clamped, and thereby making the derailleur just close enough to slightly rub on the spokes. My intent is to put a thin washer on each side of the axle inside the dropout, thereby keeping the frame/dropouts from closing in so much when the QR is clamped, to see if that eliminates the rubbing.


Dan
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Old 03-31-19, 08:52 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by _ForceD_


I thought about that. But the wheel is still centered between the seat/chainstays.

And I do want to point out that it's only very slightly rubbing when it does. I'm not in any danger of completely destroying the wheel/derailleur (I don't think I am). But I can definately hear it rubbing ever so slightly. On the stand, when I have it on the largest gear...there is about one-eighth inch clearance between the derailleur and the spokes.

Dan
Yes, you are in danger of completely destroying the wheel, the derailleur, the dropout. And injuring yourself. From description so far we do not know what is causing this. Find out before something happens. Do not ride a bike with the derailleur in the spokes. Not even a little bit.
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Old 03-31-19, 08:58 AM
  #30  
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Is the sound you hear emphatically caused by derailleur in spokes? Can you confirm this? Eyeball this? If you have to be on the bike and riding to be sure of this please do so slowly, somewhere out of traffic. If it can't be eyeballed a small noise could be all sorts of things.
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Old 03-31-19, 11:51 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by _ForceD_
My intent is to put a thin washer on each side of the axle inside the dropout, thereby keeping the frame/dropouts from closing in so much when the QR is clamped, to see if that eliminates the rubbing.


This rectified the problem. Did a test ride. It's no longer rubbing.

I guess the new replacement cones I used were just a fraction thinner than the old ones.

Dan

Last edited by _ForceD_; 03-31-19 at 12:01 PM.
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Old 03-31-19, 04:24 PM
  #32  
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@smashndash,
trailing spokes are on the inside flange, they have no contact with leading spokes ( 1~2mm clearance ) so torque shouldn't be the problem in my case.
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