# Ultegra Pulley Drag Question



## mmpotash (Apr 2, 2008)

I have the Ultegra 6500 rear derailleur. The outter pulley wheel, the one with the cartridge bearing, doesn't seem to spin freely. It is smooth and turns fine, but just doesn't spin and keep the spin. I cleaned it up and regreased the bearings, (which looked good), but it still was the same, even when not mounted to the frame. 

Is this normal for these pulley wheels?


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

some pulleys don't even have bearings


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Easy spin*



mmpotash said:


> I have the Ultegra 6500 rear derailleur. The outter pulley wheel, the one with the cartridge bearing, doesn't seem to spin freely. It is smooth and turns fine, but just doesn't spin and keep the spin. I cleaned it up and regreased the bearings, (which looked good), but it still was the same, even when not mounted to the frame.
> 
> Is this normal for these pulley wheels?


Considering the very light weight of derailleur pulleys, it's not surprising that they don't spin. The fact that there is virtually no friction in a clean derailleur pulley, it is NOT something to worry about.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

You sure he doesn't need these Kerry? 


http://www.categoryonecycles.com/pr...led=1&osCsid=9f9067addbea8094d2e79285956e4e02


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## mmpotash (Apr 2, 2008)

Too pricey!!! 
I only want to know if the pulley is OK.


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

You may have a bad pulley. Just yesteday, I noticed some squeaking in my drivetrain, and I had just re-lubed my chain, so I pulled the pulleys out of the derailluer. The one with the bearing spun very easily even before I lubed it. BTW, even though it is a sealed bearing, you can still access the bearings. If you pull off the silver washers on each side, you will see a black rubber seal over the bearings. You can use a small exacto knife to pry under the edge of this and pop it off. smear a little grease in there and push the seal back on, making sure to re-seat it under the lip, and re assemble.


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## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

I have a similar question about an Ultegra 6600 upper pulley (the ceramic bushed one). On my dura-ace RD, both pulleys spin freely. On my girlfriend's ultegra RD the upper wheel has considerable drag. 

I took it apart and everything looks fine. I can't think of a good thing to equate the drag to. Maybe the volume knob on a home stereo system where you can feel they intentionally added drag to make it feel smoother.

I'm assuming that isn't normal. Can you replace just a jockey wheel? I seen dura-ace jockey wheels for sale. I'm not sure if they'll work in an Ultegra RD. But even if they will they're 75% the cost of a new Ultegra RD.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Doc_D said:


> I have a similar question about an Ultegra 6600 upper pulley (the ceramic bushed one). On my dura-ace RD, both pulleys spin freely. On my girlfriend's ultegra RD the upper wheel has considerable drag


The Dura-Ace rear derailleur uses a ball bearing on both pulleys. The Ultegra rear derailleur uses a plain ceramic sleeve bearing on the upper pulley and a ball bearing on the lower pulley. What you're feeling is the difference in drag between a plain bearing and a ball bearing. It's all perfectly normal—unless you hear squeaks. (I'm using the word "bearing" to mean "bearing assembly," not "ball.")


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## Tonis_t (Jul 29, 2007)

wim said:


> The Dura-Ace rear derailleur uses a ball bearing on both pulleys. The Ultegra rear derailleur uses a plain ceramic sleeve bearing on the upper pulley and a ball bearing on the lower pulley. What you're feeling is the difference in drag between a plain bearing and a ball bearing. It's all perfectly normal—unless you hear squeaks. (I'm using the word "bearing" to mean "bearing assembly," not "ball.")


In my 6600 RD on the upper pulley also has a rubber sealing. The drag is both combined and the sealing imo drags more than the bearing.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Tonis_t said:


> In my 6600 RD on the upper pulley also has a rubber sealing. The drag is both combined and the sealing imo drags more than the bearing.


Correct, there are two rubber seals on the upper pulley. But I'm not sure if there's _sliding_ contact between these seals and the pulley bolt or the ceramic bushing. I'm thinking there isn't, in which case they would not cause any additional drag.


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## mmpotash (Apr 2, 2008)

*Pulley*

A lot of responses but no definite answer. 

I did pry off the cover and check/relube the bearings. They looked good. Again, it doesnt seem as if the bearing is bad, just that the pulley seems to have a bit of friction. I just want to know if others have spun their Ultegra sealed pulley, (without the chain on), and whether it spins or just turns.


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## Tonis_t (Jul 29, 2007)

Mine just turns.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

mmpotash said:


> A lot of responses but no definite answer. .


I think Kerry Irons provided one definite answer (post #3). To paraphrase: pulleys don't spin (like a wheel, for example) because there's not enough mass, hence not enough momentum.

Small fortunes in aftermarket pulleys have been made because people try to spin their pulleys, find out they won't, then pull out their wallet. I'm old enough to remember one peddler of aftermarket pulleys claiming his pulleys would save the buyer the equivalent of a 30' climb on a 100-mile ride. Even if true, entirely meaningless for almost all bicyclers.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

wim said:


> Small fortunes in aftermarket pulleys have been made because people try to spin their pulleys, find out they won't, then pull out their wallet. I'm old enough to remember one peddler of aftermarket pulleys claiming his pulleys would save the buyer the equivalent of a 30' climb on a 100-mile ride. Even if true, entirely meaningless for almost all bicyclers.



The ones in the link are just such an example of the silly nature of things. I have seen 2 diff. companies selling the same pulley for very diff. prices. One retails in the 35-40 range while the other 110-120. Both too much for a set of pulleys....


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## Thommy (Sep 23, 2003)

How tight did you turn the little bolt that holds the derailleur cage and pulleys together? Did you get ham fisted? Did you use removeable Lok-tite and snug it down? If no to these I'd probably agree with what Kerry and everyone else has had to say.


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## flyjoe (Mar 17, 2008)

they wont "spin" like a wheel or coast. most is due to seal drag which is minimal the rest of the resistance is due to the tight tolerances. in other words it is completely normal. if it feels smooth and rolls freely with your fingers its fine


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## roadboy (Apr 1, 2003)

whatever happened to just riding your bike???????


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