Cleaning inner face of rear mech

The good doctor
The good doctor Posts: 307
edited January 2008 in Workshop
Does anyone have any tips on how best to clean the inner face of my rear mech, which I have not been cleaning reguarly enough.
Thanks

Comments

  • 3leggeddog
    3leggeddog Posts: 150
    squirt with degreaser, scrub with wifes toothbrush, rinse with water and re lube
  • dave5n
    dave5n Posts: 3,307
    Undo the two bolts holding the jockey wheels in place. Clean Mech and plate properly, Remove caps and bushes from jockey wheels and clean all thoroughly. Light grease on bushes and caps and reassemble. Takes just two or three minutes.

    I assume you haven't got fancy bearings in there.
  • The good doctor
    The good doctor Posts: 307
    Thanks for that, I think removal and liberal application of degreaser for a while. Does the inner surface attract more filth because it's not polished like the external face ?

    Ta.
  • stevebendall
    stevebendall Posts: 136
    Just beware to take note of which jockey wheels are top and bottom, and the direction of rotation

    Not sure about Shimano, but on Campag they are specific to top or bottom, as well as being directional, but seem to remember they are marked as such to avoid confusion, but just in case remember their location to avoid them being fitted incorrectly afterwards
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Yes, Shimano are specific, top and bottom. The top one (the guide pulley) has lateral play to ensure good meshing with the cassette, the bottom one (tension pulley) doesn't have play. If undoing the jockey wheel bolts, I would reccomend using threadlock on reassembley (they are threadlocked from new).
  • dave5n
    dave5n Posts: 3,307
    That's probably very good advice (although I must admit I don't and I have never lost one - there's always a first time).

    I keep the top one at the top of the bench and the bottom one at thebottom when cleaning to avoid mistakes, although it's easy enough to tell as the guide pulley has a bigger bush :shock: and I don't think the tension one has seals (arf, arf) - I am happy to be corrected on this.

    Anyway I knows which is which when they is in me 'ands, like.

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