tiger1964 

(So, after reading quite a few topics in Search with "ferrule" in the title...)

Wanting to enter finals assembly of a project, the new cables arrived from Velo Orange; great! So, I cut into the package and broke out the Dremel (I read here that is the preferred housing-cut tech and I was eager to try it). Nice housing ad very shiny straight ferrules... which did NOT fit into the bike's braze-ons, shift or brake. Knowing step-downs exist, I ordered Step-down Housing Cap, 5mm to 4mm from Velo Orange and, impatient, drove 1.5 hour's round trip to pick up from them something that would have fit in a #10 envelope.

Well, they are small enough to go in, and at least I have the bike shifting. But they flop around in the fittings and do not want to stay aligned, as setting square to the braze-on. Looks horrible. So, out comes the micrometer. Best I can tell, the inside diameter of the braze-ons are 5.30mm. The straight ferrules form VO are 5.70OD, and look like about the same size as everyone else's (??? FACT CHECK ME ON THAT). VO, step-down is 5.70OD on the fat end, 3.9mm on the thin end. Are there others that fit better -- or am I doomed to fabricating?

juvela

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IIRC ALGI of France offered an assortment of sizes

alas, do not know where one would find a listing of the selection

perhaps another reader will know

might be available from Mel Pinto Imports / MPI


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C9H13N 

Will 5mm housing with a thin stamped ferrule fit in your housing stop?

noobinsf 

Is this on a repainted bike? Is it possible the braze-ons have been filled and need to be cleaned?

jiangshi

A picture sure would help (with every post).

rccardr 

The simple answer is, yes, there are a bunch of different step down ferrules. I have a reasonable sized collection, but the only NEW ones are either 1) the newly mass produced kind (which sounds like what you have), or 2) the smaller ID ones that come with Shimano shift housing and are super difficult to get thr housing into (grease helps).

All of the other ones have come off of random used bikes or derailleurs, and it seems like every one is different in length, ID, OD, etc. Every time I build a new bike now, I juggle a handful of them around until I find one that fits properly. You may want to ask around the LBS as they’re likely to have some rattling around in their junk drawer.

droppedandlost 

I had the same issue. Bought several packs online, none fit properly. Went to LBS, explained my problem and the mechanic opened a drawer full of random ferrules. He gave me one of every different kind we could find. One, just one, was a perfect fit. Shop local if you can.

smontanaro 

As others have said, pix would help. Ferrules are things you should never discard. Who knows when one or two of the oddballs will turn out to be useful on some obscure project.

embankmentlb

You could always glue or lock tight the step down to the frame. You could also machine your own for an exact fit. Personally, I have found even loose fitting ones not to be an issue even with index shifting.

1989Pre 

You need to make sure of some measurements when choosing one, because there is a considerable variety:

The length of the cable housing part
The length of the smaller tube (cable)section
The inside diameter of the cable housing section
The outside diameters of each section

tiger1964 

I was hoping for a link to Ferrules.com or whatever.

Thanks, A Google search revealed one size available for sale, even smaller at 3.65mm. But it was worth a try.

Apparently not, this housing is 5.19mm and the supplied ferrules seem thin as it is.

This is the only bike I own that has not been repowdercoated. Factory paint (1973 Raleigh Gran Sport)

That's possible.

I seriously doubt I could provide a photo that gives more detail than the micrometer does. Yeah, during the breakdown of the bike I discarded the cables... and the ferrules went with them. Even the fat ones for the Weinmann brake levers!

juvela

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for the centrepull bridge on the seat stays the adjusting barrel which came with Simplex Prestige shift levers is often used



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Murray Missile 

How loose is "loose"? I've used shrink tubing to take up the slack on a non-bicycle but similar application.

tiger1964 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ The one "ferrule" I did not discard! Trying to figure out how to polish it... I might give up on that (soaking in Simple Green overnight did not result in gleaming brass). But if I lose it, good to know where to get a replacement.

When the cable & housing have minds of their own, 5.3mm - 3.9mm = 1.4mm of "slop" and apparently, that's a lot. But, hmm, I might have to shrink tubing laying around.

dddd

The 5.3mm ID of the stops is perhaps intended for use without ferrules, with what we today would consider brake housing (about 5mm OD).

I have wanted to use 4mm housing on some builds that had stops at the frame dt and at the Schwinn headset-mounted levers, and was able to find metal ferrules that were 4mmx5mm. I don't know where to find more however.

Snug-fitting ferrules better direct the cable path, and also prevent rocking motions of the housing that uses up lever travel and which gives the shifting or braking action a very-unwanted vague, springy or rubbery feel.

I sympathize with your struggles!

Aardwolf

I initially tried to fit new Shimano shift cables on my 1982 bike, they pulled through slowly at the stops.
Looked for ferrules, then realised that 'modern' 4mm shift cables came in about 1985.

Tried some Shimano 5mm brake cable outer and it fitted perfectly without ferrules, still works fine 18 months later.

A 1973 Raleigh Gran Sport will be expecting 5mm shift cable outers.

oneclick 

These'll be in the post to the o.p. today:

tiger1964 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! That said, it would be great if there was a resource, not just for me but for all, where a wide array of ferrules would be available. Just like having a bag of each size loose bearings in the parts stash, not having to hold up a project for a ferrule would be nice.

Mr. Spadoni 

In addition the Box O Crap, maybe we need a traveling stash of ferrules. I need one on a rebuild. I know it’s in the garage somewhere…….

tiger1964 

These arrived last night, and installed just now. You would not believe the difference, it's like they were made to fit there... oh, right.

Now the cables and housing are firmly kept lined up, parallel to chain stay, downtime and top tube. Beautiful! But, yet again, it would be great is a variety of sizes were readily available... I cannot be the only one. I think the use of modern housing especially the "compressionless" for the shifting, meant the housing had mind of its own, wanting to straighten out, regardless of where I wanted it to go.