Shimano 105 11 Speed Rear Derailleur Not Shifting

dork_knight
dork_knight Posts: 405
edited April 2017 in Workshop
Hello,

On my way home this evening the rear derailleur would not shift into the lower/smaller 4 cogs, when I got home I released the derailleur cable, tightened the barrel adjuster and ensured I pressed the shifter several times.

I tightened the cable and then attempted to index the gears, however, I only seem to get six clicks out of the shifter even when I repeat the steps above.

I was wondering if someone may have a suggestion on what might be causing this.

Thank You
The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd.

Comments

  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Release the cable from the rear mech.
    Reset the shifter by using the inner paddle.
    Click thru, ear close to shifter .. do you hear 11 clicks?
  • Dave_P1
    Dave_P1 Posts: 565
    It 'may' need a new cable, hard to tell without seeing it.
    Is the mech hanger / mech straight?
  • dork_knight
    dork_knight Posts: 405
    I'll try releasing the cable and listen for how many clicks there are, might not get chance tonight but I'll report back tomorrow.

    The hanger seems Ok, it starts to index fine and then stops due to the limited shifting.

    Thanks
    The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd.
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    Had something similar on a 10sp Tiagra - turned out to be the steel braiding in the gear cable pushed into the shifter... replaced the cable and all was well (after the usual amount of swearing about indexing)
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    When my 10 speed 105 starts doing weird sh1t like that it is invariably the inner cable fraying inside the shifter, just before the nipple. Mine is 5600 and external cable routing so it's easy to inspect that end of the cable without undoing anything.
  • dork_knight
    dork_knight Posts: 405
    I think I'll order a cable as they are only £2.99 and check it out when I get home, hopefully it will be just the cable.

    Thanks
    The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    On my way home this evening the rear derailleur would not shift into the lower/smaller 4 cogs, when I got home I released the derailleur cable, tightened the barrel adjuster and ensured I pressed the shifter several times.
    Very confusing, the lower gears are the bigger cogs, I presume you mean the higher gears as you say smaller cogs?
    Why did you tighten the barrel adjuster with the cable released?

    I have had an issue with upshifts (to the smallest cogs) due to some crud in the pivots on the mech stopping it moving, the cable was slack and still it wouldn't shift. Sorted that by spraying GT85 on the pivots and working the mech back and forth by hand, once it's free lubricating with a drop of 3 in 1.

    Without some cable tension you won't always get a click when you shift up a gear.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • dork_knight
    dork_knight Posts: 405
    Yes, higher gears sorry.

    I tightened the barrel adjuster so it was completely closed, I re-attached the cable so I could then open up the barrel adjuster to index the gears.

    I think it will be a full clean as well then over the weekend to eliminate these things.
    The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd.
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Another vote for checking that the cable isn't frayed at the shifter
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • Being 11 speed, if it's still got the original cables then they could be the polymer coated ones. It could be that the coating on the cable has gotten to the point where it's started to clog up the outers a little. I had a similar issue and that was the cause ... paricularly bad where the cable entered / exited the frame and at the barrel adjuster.

    Had to replace the cable, but I used the existing one to floss through the outer to get most of the crap out first, been fine since.

    Also check that your pivot points on the rear derailleur aren't sticky as this will result in excess chain slack as it fails to take up the tension properly and can cause slow/poor shifting.

    My best is on polymer coated cables though - or it starting to get freyed in the shifter as others have said.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Well tightening the adjuster is usually 'screwing it out' so the cable tightens.

    Never screw it all the way in, you can't index it then if it needs screwing in a little, always back it out a couple of turns!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • dork_knight
    dork_knight Posts: 405
    Thanks for the info and help everyone, in the end it was a frayed cable which was a bit of a pain to change out on the newer 105 shifters.
    The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd.