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One Size Fits Any LX Mountain Front Derailleur

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Eli-Ti 
#1 ·
?Got a 31.21749348mm seat tube?
Got a 19.78349mm seat tube?
Got a broken E-Stay frame? :(
Can't find a front Derailleur or any shims that seem to fit right?

I could not find a front derailleur that fit my frame in the 1990's so I scrounged around in the LBS parts bin and found this derailleur, busted it apart, drilled a hole in a hose clamp and solved my problem.
Works beautifully, stiff and light.

Limited Edition #1 of 1. (Bottom Pull Only)
Eli-Ti's Custom built one-of-a-kind LX Mountain One Size Fits All Derailleur! :cool:
 

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#4 ·
Works for Trimbles and Manitous as well

I have had to do a similar thing with the worm drive clamps before on a Trimble and a Manitou that had oversized tubing. I shaped the clamp to mimic the original band so that the appearance is more stock. Takes a little more time but isn't quite as clunky looking.
 
#5 ·
Actually...

It was fairly easy... this derailleur had a sort of steel plate clamp that fixed into the mount via the bolt on the front. A little nut is on the back of the bolt that clamps the ring onto the derailleur. The trick was to find a hose clamp that was the same width as the steel ring that it replaced then drill a hole in it. If the ring were smaller it would be sloppy and not work right, if it were too large it wouldn't fit into the recessed hole on the back. I wish they still made these things like this. Any idea how old a "mountain LX" dearailleur is?
FD-452 SHIMANO VIA JAPAN
Here is a pic of the backside of the beast....
 

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#8 ·
Eli-Ti said:
It was fairly easy... this derailleur had a sort of steel plate clamp that fixed into the mount via the bolt on the front. A little nut is on the back of the bolt that clamps the ring onto the derailleur. The trick was to find a hose clamp that was the same width as the steel ring that it replaced then drill a hole in it. If the ring were smaller it would be sloppy and not work right, if it were too large it wouldn't fit into the recessed hole on the back. I wish they still made these things like this. Any idea how old a "mountain LX" dearailleur is?
FD-452 SHIMANO VIA JAPAN
Here is a pic of the backside of the beast....
I think Mountain LX was 89-90 give or take a year or so. There should be two letters stamped somewhere on the cage. The first of the two letters will tell you what year it was made. Letter A would mean 1976. B would mean 1977 and so on. The second letter is the month. A is January.
 
#9 ·
Fillet Brazed Wins....

Nice job fillet brazed...
1989 or 1990 give or take a year....

ML
So... DEC 1989
15 year old shimano mountain specific derailleur. Sweet.

Speaking of fillet brazed.... wait till you see the 1995 Mt Tam frame I for $45 built up. :)
It's a top pull so no franken-derailleur.
Super big aluminum tubes.

I'd like to keep the shimano for sentimental reasons but does anyone need a bottom pull Suntour XC Pro? NOS except it has scuffs from being in my parts box. Not doing me any good, I have two of em. 35mm
 
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