Shimano Rear Derailleur Pulley replacement question.

Hi, I need to replace the pulleys on a 9 speed Shimano XT rear derailleur and had a few questions:

1. Is there a difference between the 9 speed and 10 speed pulleys? Can I buy pulley set for a 10 speed and use it on my 9 speed?
2. Does the pulleys have to match? i.e. can I purchase an XTR version and put it on the XT version?
3. There seems to be a lot of aftermarket pulleys, can I use these aftermarket pulleys as replacements?

Thanks!

 

Shimano and Sram are different. Jockey wheels are top and bottom specific and directional. If I may suggest, loosen both and remove one at a time then attach, repeat for the other jockey wheel then tighten up. You should be able to change them without removing the chain... Side note, metal wheels are noisier BUT last a lot longer. Go with the XT/XTR level (bearings vs bushings) as they roll with less resistance when compared to slx/deore.

happy shopping!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mobile/MobileModels.aspx?ModelID=885

 

Buying replacement parts is getting harder as companies force us to upgrade to 10 or 11 speed drivetrains. I would head over to The Path in Tustin and see what they have in the small parts bin.

 

Thanks. So true, on difficulty getting 9 speed stuff.

 

1. Is there a difference between the 9 speed and 10 speed pulleys? Can I buy pulley set for a 10 speed and use it on my 9 speed?
Shimano Isn’t Interchangeable, Sram is interchangeable between 9/10.
2. Does the pulleys have to match? i.e. can I purchase an XTR version and put it on the XT version?
Xtr work Fine.
3. There seems to be a lot of aftermarket pulleys, can I use these aftermarket pulleys as replacements?
Aftermarket pulleys are definitely a good way to go,They are usually aluminium and have ceramic bearings, both factors will contribute to less maintenance.

 

Less maintenance and more drivetrain noise... If you can deal with the noise the aftermarket wheels are phenomenal. Stay away from the el-cheapo's tho... I had Hawk Racing Jockey wheels on my road bike that were awesome and noticeably smother. The Path has a good collection of Hope's you can check out and I know Probikesupply has a good selection in stock as well. In some cases, its actually more cost effective to just replace the entire RD, dependant on cost of jockey wheels and level of Rear Derailleur.

 

Thanks, I will check out probikesupply and the path. I have an XT version and the reason I'm looking at replacing is because the lower pulley rotates very rough and there is a lot of vibrations coming from that pulley. And the upper pulley does not spin freely, when I spin it manually, it won't even rotate once around. The rear derailleur is from my sons bike so who knows what he's been doing... thanks again.

 

I'm checking out probikesupply, but what category/keyword search should I be using? Thanks

 

Did you try to remove, clean and lube them? They get gummed up with chain lube all the time. Remove the lower one and clean it up, relube it and see if that helps. I do this to mine every 6mo or so using light grease.

 

No, will try it today. hope it works! Thanks!

 

A while back, I followed this procedure on an old bike and the pulley was as good as new: http://pedaldamnit.blogspot.com/2007/07/pulley-tlc-ii.html
For grease I used Krytox but Parks Tool or Finish Line grease would probably work just as well.

 

The pulley/jockey issue has been bugging me, so I followed the instructions from the pedaldamnit blog and it had a HUGE difference. Can't feel the rough/vibrations on the jockey wheel any more. Saved me $$ from having to replace the jockey wheels!

The only difference was that the upper jockey wheel from my derailleur was sealed ceramic so I could not dis-assemble it as in the instructions, but he lower jockey instructions worked like a charm!!

Thanks skflow!!

 

Hey, Templar.
I think the most common reason for needing to replace jockey wheels is side-to-side wear. Compare an old one to a new, and you'll see the old one is thinner. As they get thinner, more derailleur movement is needed before it pushes the chain onto the next cog.

 

Thanks RustyIron, good to know, I'll check it out.

 

That's fantastic! The upperjockey wheel are different and they are set up to tolerate/allow a bit more side to side play. If it aint broke, then dont mess with it yet.

 

I just had the jockey wheels replaced by the path thanks Tani.