Help needed, Gt Outpost Trail front derailleur question

rustyjusty
rustyjusty Posts: 35
edited March 2021 in MTB workshop & tech
I've got a 1996 Gt Outpost trail bike and I ordered a new front derailleur which arrived today, the exact same model number which is a Shimano Altus FD CT92, it was new old stock off eBay, however...when I fitted it I realised it was top pull and the one I took off is a bottom pull (gear cable pulls it from underneath/down)

I hadn't read the description on the item properly, I'm also new to bike repairs.

Question: do I have any option's to use this new derailleur as a top pull one bearing in mind there's no housing for the cables as this bike was designed for a bottom pull derailleur like the one I removed that bolts on to a bracket ?

If it can't be used which derailleur would be suitable for my model of bike?

Any good advice for an amateur much appreciated ! :smiley:

Comments

  • rustyjusty
    rustyjusty Posts: 35
    Anyone?
  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    You can use any 3-speed front derailleur. They are not indexed so any make is fine as long as it is bottom pull.
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

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  • rustyjusty
    rustyjusty Posts: 35
    JBA said:

    You can use any 3-speed front derailleur. They are not indexed so any make is fine as long as it is bottom pull.

    Thanks for the reply. What does not indexed mean?

    My derailleur bolts to a bracket that sits round the bottom bracket. Guess I'd need to take the bracket off to fit new one?

    To be fair I've got the old derailleur working a bit better now but I think the limit screws aren't working, when I turn the high and low screws i can't see any movement with the cage? Is this a likely problem
  • mully79
    mully79 Posts: 904
    Sorry, I replied and forgot to hit post !
    As JBA says any bottom pull derraileur.
    Some derraileurs can pull from either direction. Im not familiar with the various models but some have a little pulley to swap the pull direction.
    I cant see why you would need to use that mount type. Surely your frame is standard enough to use a normal band on type and chuck that bracket in the bin. That would open up your options.
  • rustyjusty
    rustyjusty Posts: 35
    mully79 said:

    Sorry, I replied and forgot to hit post !
    As JBA says any bottom pull derraileur.
    Some derraileurs can pull from either direction. Im not familiar with the various models but some have a little pulley to swap the pull direction.
    I cant see why you would need to use that mount type. Surely your frame is standard enough to use a normal band on type and chuck that bracket in the bin. That would open up your options.

    Yes I can take off the bracket and should be able to get another one that's bottom pull.

    Question: the limit screws on the front derailleur I have on at present don't seem to move the derailleur, what would cause that? I've tried spraying the area with wd40 etc
  • mully79
    mully79 Posts: 904
    edited April 2021
    The limit screws only affect the position of the derraileur at either extreme but the cable tension sets the position.
    look at the little tab the screw hits on the smallest sprocket, then click up to the big sprocket to see that the other screw is now near the tab.
  • rustyjusty
    rustyjusty Posts: 35
    mully79 said:

    The limit screws only affect the position of the derraileur at either extreme but the cable tension sets the position.
    look at the little tab the screw hits on the smallest sprocket, then click up to the big sprocket to see that the other screw is now near the tab.

    Is the tab the metal part under the high and low limit screws?

    At present the left shifter changes on to the small and medium sprocket easily, however to shift to the large sprocket I have to press the gear shifter twice and in quick succession to get it in to 3rd from 2nd. I'm guessing limit screw adjustment would make it a smoother shift in to the large cog/3rd, bearing in mind the gear cable is new as well as the gear shifters so that's not the issue
  • mully79
    mully79 Posts: 904
    Parktool do excellent guides. Just about explains everything you will ever need to know.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNG7g83lI-s&vl=en
  • rustyjusty
    rustyjusty Posts: 35
    mully79 said:

    Sorry, I replied and forgot to hit post !
    As JBA says any bottom pull derraileur.
    Some derraileurs can pull from either direction. Im not familiar with the various models but some have a little pulley to swap the pull direction.
    I cant see why you would need to use that mount type. Surely your frame is standard enough to use a normal band on type and chuck that bracket in the bin. That would open up your options.


    Update and question:     I've bought a new band on front 3 position derailleur from Decathlon, ive connected it up with new gear cable, shifters were new too and bought last year as others were broke.

    Anyway.... I still can't get it to shift in to the big cog (position 3) I've set up limit screws as per youtube videos...what I will say is that old derailleur fitted to s bracket round the bottom bracket and perhaps this bike will only work with the type of derailleur I took off?? There's no play in the bottom bracket but there is play/movement in the cog mechanism between large cog and where it joins in middle of pedal, this could possibly make it difficult to move in to big ring as derailleur has to move further out and it exceeds its limit?

    What next?
  • mully79
    mully79 Posts: 904
    Ok. So measure the distance between the middle of the downtube and your middle chain ring.
    50mm ish ? If so then band on isnt a problem.

    How can you have set the limits on the derraileur without changing gear to the big ring ? The higher limit screw does what it says on the tin and limits the derraileur.

    Have you got to the third click and not made the big ring or cant get a 3rd click ?
  • rustyjusty
    rustyjusty Posts: 35
    mully79 said:

    Sorry, I replied and forgot to hit post !
    As JBA says any bottom pull derraileur.
    Some derraileurs can pull from either direction. Im not familiar with the various models but some have a little pulley to swap the pull direction.
    I cant see why you would need to use that mount type. Surely your frame is standard enough to use a normal band on type and chuck that bracket in the bin. That would open up your options.


    Update and question:     I've bought a new band on front 3 position derailleur from Decathlon, ive connected it up with new gear cable, shifters were new too and bought last year as others were broke.

    Anyway.... I still can't get it to shift in to the big cog (position 3) I've set up limit screws as per youtube videos...what I will say is that old derailleur fitted to s bracket round the bottom bracket and perhaps this bike will only work with the type of derailleur I took off?? There's no play in the bottom bracket but there is play/movement in the cog mechanism between large cog and where it joins in middle of pedal, this could possibly make it difficult to move in to big ring as derailleur has to move further out and it exceeds its limit?

    What next?

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