How do you free up a seized front derailleur?

I suggest removing it and soaking it in a paraffin bath for a few days. Then scrub it with an old toothbrush, dry off, re-lube and re-install. The pivots have seized probably due to road salt and general muck.

How do you fix a stuck front derailleur?

3 Answers

1. use a hose with a decent amount of pressure to remove the gunk, wait for it to dry. (be careful not to spray around the bottom bracket)
2. apply WD-40 to any moving parts on the derailleur but focus on the pivot points to remove old lube.
3. once the WD-40 has evaporated apply some decent chain lube to the pivots.

Why won’t my front derailleur shift up?

Common Front Derailleur Problems. Front derailleurs may cause sluggish or inaccurate shifting because (A) the derailleur body is not positioned properly, (B) the derailleur limit screws are not adjusted correctly, (C) the mechanism is dirty or (D) the cable is damaged or improperly tensioned.

How long should a derailleur last?

Derailleurs will last almost indefinitely. The jockey wheels will wear out in time (tens of thousands of km) but the rest of the mechanism shouldn’t see significant wear.

Why does my chain get stuck?

Why a chain gets stuck between chainrings and frame? A chain gets stuck between the crankset and frame for lots of reasons. However, the most common ones are the derailleur being poorly adjusted, small sprocket being bent, teeth being bent, the chain having a stuck link, or the chain being bent.

What should I do if my front derailleur is not working?

Inspect the bike for housing and housing stops. If there is bare exposed cable, look at the housing stop for a split or opening. On these bikes you can get a closer look at the cable by putting the bike in the lowest gear, then without pedaling, shift the derailleur to slacken the cable.

Can you adjust the height of a front derailleur?

Most front derailleurs can be adjusted for height and rotation. If the cage is set too high over the largest ring, it may not perform well. Too high a cage can cause a slow shift, and can allow the chain to shift over the largest ring.

What happens to the chain on a front derailleur?

The chainrings will eventually wear and the chain will not engage well on a worn ring. Additionally, the shifting ramp and pin built into ring will become dull and worn out, reducing shifting performance. A chainring tooth can also become bent as a result of impact. A bent tooth will make a noise and sometimes catch the chain.

Where does friction occur on a front derailleur?

An often overlook place for friction is the bottom bracket cable guides. Bare cables may pass under the shell and this contact is not easily seen. If the guides get dirty it will act to slow the cable passage.