Proflex 4000 - problem with cable routing

[themadboy]

Hello everybody!

I'm in a kind of trouble right now with my good old proflex 4000. Over christmas I redid most of it (almost every part is new) and today I wanted to finish with the whole story. But something got messed up with the cable routing in the swingarm.

As you know, the cable for the rear derailleur goes through the right part of the carbon arm. My problem is that once this thing that goes right into the hole at the front (the circled one on the picture) fell out and, I guess so, the cable routing inside the arm fell apart (I know "apart" is maybe the wrong word but i can't find the right one at the moment   ).

So when I stick the cable now into one side it doesn't come out at the other  one and instead it ends somewhere inside the swingarm....

Any ideas how to fix this problem?

[Simon]

I've had this problem in the past and repaired it,but I think the best solution is to remove the other ferrule at the wheel end and run a full outer cable though the s/arm,you may find it easier to run a straight thin piece of wire through the s/arm first then use that to guide though the new outer cable,then cut to the desired length and then feed though the inner wire.
Simon.

[themadboy]

great idea, thanks! i thought of mounting the outer cable outside the arm with some zip ties, but now i'll try your version.



you saved my day  [smiley=beer.gif]

[will]

Madboy,

Simon's idea works well. I use a wire coat hanger to fish the outer cable through the swingarm.

It may take a little patience as well.

[Colin]

Hi,
As far as I'm aware there is nothing within the swing arm to "fall apart".
There is merely a brass ferrule at each end which terminates the outer sheath of the cable and thus allows the inner cable (wire) to be tensioned down the length of the swing arm.
I agree that the solution of merely passing a continuous length of cable outer through the swing arm will work. This has been done on my XP-X (856) by a bike shop that got bored trying to fiddle the inner cable through.......(and lost my damn Ferrules!)
I've noticed a couple of drawbacks of this option:
-The outer cable appears to introduce slightly more friction on the gear change.
-The outer cable is not secured and so is free to move forwards or backwards within the swingarm.
-If the entry and exit holes to the Swingarm are not smooth, this can chafe the outer cable.
-At worst if the cable moves forward, the gentle bend at the derrailleur may become tight and interfere with changing, or too much can be dragged backwards and the outer cable can become tight around the seatpost.(Or the front derrailleur on an x56 type, which can be worse)

Maybe a small cable tie around the cable outer at entry and exit points would stop it moving?

In preference I'd always go for the "fiddle" and re-use the ferrules.

Col.

[Simon]

I've had one of these apart,the 2 ferruls are joined/linked together via a slightly oversized plastic tube,if 1 end becomes detached (or in my case broken near the front ferrul) once the inner cable is removed it drops down in an arc,with no end of fiddling would it re-aline,I took the lot out and made up a new tube but in hindsight I wish I'd fitted a complete outer cable straight through,as for shafeing a blob around the cable entry and exit of clear or black silicone mastic should alleviate any concerns,maybe fitting a Goretex cable would alleviate any extra friction,thats how I'd do it if I had this problem again.
just an opinion though I've not done this.
Simon

[themadboy]

@ colin:
Cable ties sound nice but maybe there are some sort of rubber capsules which fit tight around the cable and also fit into the holes of the swingarm. so the cable can't move forwards or backwards within the swingarm. I think, they'd look very nice and decent.

@ simon:
I also just thought of the silicon method, funny. Oh, I broke my rear ferrul, got the rest of it out with the electric drill. Usually I don't prefere such drastic measures but I saw no other chance of getting it out  


btw: I don't like fiddling  [smiley=laughing.gif]

[kiwi]

good points made,heres what to do.Make sure the cable can slide freely in and out of the swingarm,and that you use a low friction cable system and that you make the cable just long enough to get a good curve at the rear derailleur.The advantages are,less chance of ghost shifting,less friction,and a more sealed system.......,as long as you use gore ride on cables or similar.The shifting will be easier ANd better.This is a fix for ghost shifting on the w/c cup frame.The cable must be able to slide through the swingarm.

[themadboy]

...Make sure the cable can slide freely in and out of the swingarm,and that you use a low friction cable system and that you make the cable just long enough to get a good curve at the rear derailleur...

good to know that the cable must be able to move, I would have done the opposite...
One question though: I got a Sram X.7 rear derailleur and the cable intake is different from the previous installed Shimano XT one. With the XT attached the cable goes right from the rear ferrul in a downward curve into the derailleur - optimal. With the Sram I have to make the cable into an ugly spiral to fit the end into the derailleur - not so good, I have to use more cable, friction is higher due to the spiral. I attached a pic to show the situation with the X.7 installed. Anyone got a better solution?

[GaryF52]

My setup is nearly the same as yours: carbon swingarm with the cable running straight through, and a Sram derailleur.

Works fine, really, no problems, and I'm just using a cheapo regular cable.