Iride01 

Any idea what year this bike is? The Trek Archive for a 2015-2016 7.3FX shows the shift cables going into the downtube.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...-3-fx/p/16277/

Does the cable routing on yours look like someone just ran it for a quick fix and hold it on with zip ties or some clamp that isn't aesthetically correct for a factory made Trek?. Or are the cable stops and guides along it's path factory looking?

From the pic, the crank doesn't quite look correct either. Strike that, going back to earlier models of the FX I do see that crank. But all seem to have the shift cables on the downtube either internally on the later and externally on the earlier. Haven't found the first FX 7.3 yet.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bike-tech-library/

Eureka....

https://media.trekbikes.com/image/up...Trek_73_FX.pdf

RoadWearier

Yes that's the one! Thanks

Realigned the derailleur but for some reason I just can't get it to shift the that upper cog. I had the H Screw and L screw backed out all the way. I tried loosened and tightening the cable neither worked. The barrel adjuster may or may not be broken. So I will just ride it with the chain in the middle ring up front. I'm in North Florida so really don't need much else.

XxHaimBondxX

My 7.3 setup, works flowlessly.

Kontact

With the cable disconnected, can you move the derailleur the right distance with your hand?

bboy314

OP, the plate under the cable pinch bolt might be rotated 90 degrees, limiting how much the cable can pull. Also, that channel in the derailleur is for running a cable from underneath, as opposed to from above. The derailleur is designed to do either, depending on the frame.

RoadWearier

I believe so. I even tried to moved it over to the outside while holding the cable taught with pliers AND tightening the Allen Bolt which is no mean feat.

RoadWearier

Yeah. Thought the channel was a red herring. Not sure that derailleur can orient in any other direction. But thanks.

shelbyfv

Well, nobody saw that coming. Seriously, if you can't be bothered to follow instructions, you can't expect a positive outcome. You flail away screwing this and that, then give up and move to the next beater. This isn't rocket surgery and you don't even have to understand what you are doing. Just follow instructions. Example- for some reason you've backed out both limit screws. Your shifter pulls a set amount of cable with each stroke. With the L screw backed out, it's likely some of that cable pull is wasted just bringing the FD up to the proper starting position. If you had followed the Shimano or Park Tool instructions, the limit screws would have been set before you ever started futzing around with the cable. Just an example, who knows which of the steps you've skipped would resolve your issue. I think many of us would be happy for you to break this cycle of failure.

Eric F 

This was going to be my suggestion, too. If you can't get it to move the full range without a cable attached, there's something else going on that needs to be addressed first.

On a recent cable replacement for a friend's bike, I had the cable anchored on the wrong side of the anchor bolt, and it wouldn't shift into the large ring. Once I got the cable in the right place, all was good. Verifying that the cable is anchored correctly is pretty critical, but not always immediately obvious.

RoadWearier

Ok, I fixed it. Hard to know for sure if the cable goes on the left/forward side of the pinch bolt or right/aft side but it works. I basically had to manually push the derailleur ALLLL the way to the right (big ring), take vise grips and temporarily clamp the derailleur to chain guard and then loosen the pinch bolt and with full force pull the cable tight. H limit screw is unscrewed to max. Barrel adjuster knob seems useless. Are you supposed to be able to pull it back and forth? It kind of seems like it's on a spring and meant to have play. I dont want to fool with it now that I have everything working.

Just rode it 10 miles and switched gears as much as possible to confirm it's working.

Thanks for all the POSITIVE help! You guys make this board worth coming back to and donating to.

The DB who told me I wasn't "qualified" to fix my own bike can kiss my arse. He reminds me of the doctors who use jargon to confuse patients. Btw they are usually the least qualified. Wonder if that applies here? Maybe. Ride on!!

Eric F 

If it works, cool. It sounds like there are still some things that might not be totally correct, however. In the process, you hopefully learned more about your bike and can sort out similar issues in the future.

As for being "qualified", I know guys who I've been riding and racing with for decades who should not be allowed near their bike with tools in their hands. Good bike riding skills does not always equate to having the mechanical competency to adjust/repair their own bikes. For myself - someone who does all of their own work on bikes, and has for a long time - I've certainly had issues that I've made worse before I made it better. Experience is what you get just after you need it.

RoadWearier

Quote of the day! Love it!

This is a still from the video It seems to engage and turn the cable but I can pull it back and it will spring back to it's original position if that makes sense. It looks like it's supposed to do that. It does NOT look broken as the irregularities on that piece seem regular and not jagged likes it's broken off. But I don't know. I don't want to test it's effectiveness as I spent 4 hours getting the cable set up right.



That's it's position "at rest." So to speak.

If it is broken, I think I'll.let it be for this riding season. My understanding is it's more for "fine tuning" cable tension and I have learned how to "tune" without it.

shelbyfv

It has a spring. You pull back, freeing the little serrations, and adjust. Release it and it springs back, the little serrations engage preventing it from moving and losing adjustment. Hope this isn't too much "jargon."

bboy314

There is a spring contained within the parts of the barrel adjuster. It does sound like you may have an issue still, perhaps the wrong length bottom bracket spindle, but I guess if it works, it works, though it could present other problems later.

Must be fun being your doctor.

Eric F 

It sounds like it's working as it's supposed to. When I'm installing a new cable, I thread all of the barrel adjusters on that cable about halfway in before pulling out the slack and tightening the cable anchor bolt. This provides adjustment in both directions, which is the proper way to fine tune shifting performance.

shelbyfv

Or mechanic or wife or dog. Heck, back in school days his teachers probably didn't know nothin' 'bout nothin'. Now hand me those vise grips and that big hammer....

Eric F 

Don't forget duct tape. Ya gotta have duct tape handy.

RoadWearier

Well thanks again for the help. Cheers.

RoadWearier

It's completely stock. It is now fixed. Thanks for the well wishes.