Author Topic: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool  (Read 1492 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« on: 08 February, 2021, 10:42:28 pm »

I bought a derailleur hanger alignment tool. Is there a way to use it without removing the chain, and without putting the bike up on a stand?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment tool
« Reply #1 on: 08 February, 2021, 10:46:26 pm »
Why remove the chain?

Just unscrew the rear mech and let it dangle out of the way while you use the hanger tool. Take some care with rotating the wheel forwards, rather than backwards, and all will be fine.

You can’t align the hanger with the rear wheel on the ground. Lift the rear wheel and hold the bike from waving around. I prefer a proper stand to put things closer to eye level but a strong flatmate who doesn’t get bored halfway through would work too.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #2 on: 08 February, 2021, 10:51:40 pm »
You can’t align the hanger with the rear wheel on the ground.

Bike upside-down works okay.  Unless it's a recumbent.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #3 on: 08 February, 2021, 10:59:13 pm »
Why remove the chain?

Just unscrew the rear mech and let it dangle out of the way while you use the hanger tool. Take some care with rotating the wheel forwards, rather than backwards, and all will be fine.

You can’t align the hanger with the rear wheel on the ground. Lift the rear wheel and hold the bike from waving around. I prefer a proper stand to put things closer to eye level but a strong flatmate who doesn’t get bored halfway through would work too.

Due to bad planning, my work stand is locked in a building I can't access due to some plague thing... and my housemate moved out last week...

You can’t align the hanger with the rear wheel on the ground.

Bike upside-down works okay.  Unless it's a recumbent.

It's not easy to turn upside down. The buttons on the top of the aero bars cause issues...



I wonder if putting it on a really useful box would do the job...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #4 on: 08 February, 2021, 11:01:17 pm »
I wonder if putting it on a really useful box would do the job...

The clue's in the name.  :)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment tool
« Reply #5 on: 08 February, 2021, 11:01:36 pm »
Hook the saddle over a chin-up bar or something. The exact mechanism isn’t that important, just make sure the bike doesn’t fall down while you are fiddling with it.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #6 on: 09 February, 2021, 09:22:06 am »
Just lay down the bike on its side?

Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #7 on: 09 February, 2021, 09:29:38 am »
Well placed washing lines will work . one line under the brake levers and one under the saddle . I always wash my bikes outside like that even the tandem .I have loops hang from the joists inside cheap & easy to get a  Great height to work at  brilliant for adjusting the rear mech on my trike you can kneel or stand  underneath it and really see what's happening . You can also walk around it with out falling over the stand .   
Its More Fun With Three .

Davef

Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #8 on: 09 February, 2021, 10:29:29 am »
Why remove the chain?

Just unscrew the rear mech and let it dangle out of the way while you use the hanger tool. Take some care with rotating the wheel forwards, rather than backwards, and all will be fine.

You can’t align the hanger with the rear wheel on the ground. Lift the rear wheel and hold the bike from waving around. I prefer a proper stand to put things closer to eye level but a strong flatmate who doesn’t get bored halfway through would work too.

Due to bad planning, my work stand is locked in a building I can't access due to some plague thing... and my housemate moved out last week...

You can’t align the hanger with the rear wheel on the ground.

Bike upside-down works okay.  Unless it's a recumbent.

It's not easy to turn upside down. The buttons on the top of the aero bars cause issues...



I wonder if putting it on a really useful box would do the job...

J
Interesting aerobar material. Is it strong enough ?

Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #9 on: 09 February, 2021, 10:40:32 am »
Two bricks or wooden blocks (any other material will do).

Turn it upside down with one under each brake hood to keep your bar ends off the ground.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #10 on: 10 February, 2021, 07:03:08 am »
Being a cheapskate, I have always done it using a long straight edge and vernier calipers (this does assume the BB shell is in straight and the front triangle is also straight).  It requires a bare frame, though, so not much use to the OP.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Derailleur hanger adjustment ool
« Reply #11 on: 27 March, 2021, 09:47:36 pm »
Being a cheapskate, I have always done it using a long straight edge and vernier calipers (this does assume the BB shell is in straight and the front triangle is also straight).  It requires a bare frame, though, so not much use to the OP.

Again apologies to the opening poster but here is another alternative that won't help them but may be useful for future searchers, I have used another rear wheel, the QR axels I have tried are the same thread size/pitch as derailleur mounting bolt.
Screw in your spare wheel and measure from rim to rim top and bottom, and you can use the wheel as a leaver to square up the hanger.