louky

I feel this has been answered somewhere but not sure how to search for it. The VERY first bike I got after buying the alignment tool has this inexpensiver derailleur on it. I am not sure shifting issues are caused by alignment here but wanted to check. What am I missing?

cny-bikeman

You're missing a way to separate the derailleur from the integrated hanger. Most people don't need a DAG unless they work on multiple bikes, especially those with high cog counts.

maddog34

umm, ya.. a DAG won't work for that derailleur... you'll have to use the old. EYEBALL IT method... Invert bike.. get behind rear wheel.. use a "gunsight" look up the deralleur to align it with the Front sprockets... place an adjustable "crescent wrench" on the HANGER and move the HANGER if the der. is out of alignment.. the Body and Cage of the Derailleurs are usually not bent... the roller Cage CAN be bent, but let's do the HANGER FIRST, ok?
Now.. check the Roller Cage for tweakage... you will need to EYEBALL IT to align with the Pivot that it rotates on, THEN align the lower part to the vertical plane...then to the frame's front/back centerline... TIP: just grabbing the cage and reefing on it will BEND THE HANGER. Bend One part at a time by grabbing the roller Cage in TWO places...

Now, use that same keen eye to look DOWNWARD on the derailleur cage and rollers to align the der. to the Rear Sprockets... use that crescent wrench on the HANGER again, if needed.... and i even use a Crescent wrench on the OTHER crescent wrench head when re-aiming that pesky bent HANGER...

you have now just done EXACTLY what us pro mechanics do to align that derailleur.
now go wash your hands with dish soap, but NOT over the plates and bowls in the sink or your roomies will slap you in the back of the head.

Or.. go buy a used one from a local Co-op and ask for installation.. i sell those for $5-$10, and then help install them.

PS.. Big THANK YOU! for LUBING YOUR CHAIN.... most people never lube their chains... they're also the ones that never need a bell or horn on their bikes.. the squeaking and popping lets others know they're coming..

FBinNY 

Odds are your derailleur alignment tool needs you to remover the RD from the hanger, which seems not to be an option with yours.

So, put the tool away, and become a real mechanic. The key is to have the cages plane of rotation parallel with the wheel's. You can eyeball this by laying a yardstick across the wheel as a reference. Don't forget that you need to do this both vertically and horizontally.

There are other ways so, instead of ruling the lack of the right tool, focus on the end goal, and focus on getting there with what you have on hand.

cyccommute 

The only alignment “tool” for that derailer is your eye. Make sure that the jockey wheels are aligned with the gears on the freewheel by sighting from behind the bike. The wheels should align like this.



It’s easier if the bike is in the large cog on the front and about the middle of the freewheel so that the derailer is stretched. If it needs alignment, use a crescent at the red arrow and gently bend it to where it needs to be.

Andrew R Stewart 

For these plate hanger ders the usual alignment tool is a medium sized channel lock pliers. Grab the upper body's pivot shaft at both ends with the tool's jaws. Twist and bend as needed so the cage, when the chain is on the middle cogs and ring, hangs vertically and is coplanar with the cog it's under. Andy

KerryIrons

This says it all. As Yogi Berra famously said "You can observe a lot by watching." Visual derailleur alignment works if you try it.