Cleaning grungy derailer

Vincent M said:

Forgive the newbie questions 🙂
I've been in the process of upgrading a bike I built at the local Bike
Collective, and I'd like to switch out my real derailer (forgive the no-
french spelling)... They have a nice looking Dura Ace that I'd like to
grab ($3) but it's kinda grimey. Lotsa(tm) black buildup. WOuld I be
right in assuming that I could give it a soaking in degreaser without
damaging the pulleys, etc ?
VIncent

Check out the instructions for cleaning and overhauling at the Park
Tool site:

<http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_deroh.shtml>

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The bearings in the pulley wheels (especially DA) should be sealed. WHat I
do (I have two bike shops locally I do a lot of biz with, which is a great
reason to use LBSes rather than online catalogs and stuff) is I go into the
back, put on the gloves, and use the parts washer, and clean the hell out of
it. I don't "soak it" as in put it in a jar of solvent, but the parts
washers are stiff bristled brushes with solvent flowing through them into
the part. About 5-10mins of really poking in there with the stuff bristled
brushes can turn a really crusty part into like new. Then dry thoroughly
with a rag, making sure to rub the pulley wheels well to get off any
lingering grit. Then, lay it out in the sun for an hour or two to really
dry out the solvent.

Then get a good heavy oil (I use Phil Wood's Tenacious Oil) and drip a
little into the pully wheel axles, and pivot points, and wipe quickly. do
that once or twice. Then spray a good light lube like GT85 in there into
the spring, swing arm etc and wipe it down.

Costs next to nothing to do (if you can get a bike shop to let you use the
washer; they should not charge too much if they won't let you use it and
they do it themselves), and you get like a brand new der out of it.

So... Look at the cosmetics of it, and see about the spring action, and
see if it is just dirty, or really old and worn. Just dirty? Clean it and
go for it. If it's pretty good, and only $3 and you don't wanna bother?
Tell me, and I'll buy it ;-)

"Vincent M" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:rOOzc.192$WI2.69@lakeread05...

Quoted message said:

Forgive the newbie questions 🙂

I've been in the process of upgrading a bike I built at the local Bike
Collective, and I'd like to switch out my real derailer (forgive the
no-french spelling)... They have a nice looking Dura Ace that I'd like
to grab ($3) but it's kinda grimey. Lotsa(tm) black buildup. WOuld I
be right in assuming that I could give it a soaking in degreaser without
damaging the pulleys, etc ?

VIncent

"Vincent M" wrote ...

Quoted message said:

I've been in the process of upgrading a bike I built at the local Bike
Collective, and I'd like to switch out my real derailer (forgive the
no-french spelling)...

On behalf of Sheldon please accept my commendation for your sensible
spelling of derailer.

They have a nice looking Dura Ace that I'd like

Quoted message said:

to grab ($3) but it's kinda grimey. Lotsa(tm) black buildup. WOuld I
be right in assuming that I could give it a soaking in degreaser without
damaging the pulleys, etc ?

Go ahead and give it a soaking. Just don't walk away and forget about it.
I soaked a set of Campy brake callipers in Simple Green for two weeks once
and they work fine, they just lost their finish.

JF

Jim Flom said:

"Vincent M" wrote ...

Quoted message said:

I've been in the process of upgrading a bike I built at the local Bike
Collective, and I'd like to switch out my real derailer (forgive the
no-french spelling)...

On behalf of Sheldon please accept my commendation for your sensible
spelling of derailer.
They have a nice looking Dura Ace that I'd like

Quoted message said:

to grab ($3) but it's kinda grimey. Lotsa(tm) black buildup. WOuld I
be right in assuming that I could give it a soaking in degreaser
without damaging the pulleys, etc ?

Go ahead and give it a soaking. Just don't walk away and forget about
it. I soaked a set of Campy brake callipers in Simple Green for two
weeks once and they work fine, they just lost their finish.
JF

Low odor paint thinner is a much better solvent than Simple Green for
cleaning lod, forgotten bicycle components. Simple Green can attack
alunminum where paint thinner (or kerosene) will not.

Its best to take the jockey wheels out of the cages, noting which goes
where. This makes cleaning very easy.

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