[Closed] SRAM Force 1 Rear Mech'. Jockey bearing stuck solid.

You got 1000 miles out of it? Good going.

Pop the seals off, wash it out, regrease.

Is there not a bearing code on the seal? I'm sure I figured it out at some point, but never actually got round to ordering any.

Are they really that bad then.? You sound surprised at 1000miles.
The distance is probably 70% dry gravel, 15% wet and 15% mud so they have not had a very hard life at all.

The bottom bearing is smooth as new, but the top is stuck.

I thought a CX branded mech it would be able to hack at least a season of CX racing, which is far more abuse than what I have given it.
The bearings are cartridge bearings like in a suspension joint, so I cant get them apart.

I think these are them, maybe.
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/ball-bearings/6189913/

See if you can replace them with bushes instead of bearings. Campag and Shimano both use this system and they never seize up.

Yeah, mine lasted a lot less than that before they first ceased up. I've since swapped to a Rival clutched mech, and that's ceased up in < 100 miles, albeit including some pretty unpleasant CX races.

You don't need to get the bearings apart, just pop the outer seals off with a pick and flush them out. The bearings themselves are probably fine, it's just they're now filled with dried up grit and mud. A few seconds under a tap, and you'll have them spinning freely again.

If I pop the outer metal covers off each side of the jockey wheel to expose the bearing, there is no grit at all just a normal clean looking bearing (like below). Are you saying get inside there?, I thought they were sealed up and non serviceable.?

I'm sure the bearing is shot. I can barely turn it when I have the jockey wheel out, with it secured in the mech cage (due to me having some better leverage) its really tough and 'bumpy'.

You can carefully remove the seals on sealed cartridge bearings, it can be worth inspecting new bearings, they come with varying quantities of grease depending on the original bearing application/quality control, not always ideal for bikes in a wet environment.

You can sometimes get them going again by removing the seals, flush/blow out and re grease, if the bearings/races are corroded/pitted they will always be rough.

There is normally a code on the rubber seal, if not measure Inner Diameter/Outer Diameter/Width

See if you can replace them with bushes instead of bearings. Campag and Shimano both use this system and they never seize up.

Apex/NX use bushes, mine are still ok a few (very very very) muddy CX races in.

No such thing as a CX mech though, it's just a road mech..... which is really just the same as a mtb one

Are you saying get inside there?, I thought they were sealed up and non serviceable.?

Yes. Get a pick or needle between the metal and rubber, and lever it out. They come out fairly easily. Obviously try not to damage the seal, but don't worry too much - as you've discovered, they're not very good at keeping stuff out anyway!

I've taken mine from completely seized to spinning freely multiple times.

Had to do the same with my X9 mech. Bottom jockey seized.  Washed out bearing with electrical cleaner and WD40 then repacked them with finishline grease.

Nice one! I never knew (I assumed) you could get inside the bearing housings. I'll try this tonight and see what I find inside.

Legend; yep your right there.

I still think it's best to just get shot of them and replace with some non-bearing e.g. with bushings.

I've cleaned and regreased only to have them seize again, and also popped the old bearings out and replaced with new, only to have them seize again. Seems like just a bad place to use cartridge bearings! CX seems particularly guilty, think it's the endless pedalling while the jockey wheel is caked in mud, seems to draw the much into the bearing or something.

Apex/NX as Legend says.

5626LU, based on what is on the covers of the bearings in the X01 mech I had apart last week for service.

Agree with CX being particularly bad for these bearings.

I'm not a great fan of bushings either, as I find they can be quite draggy when the chain is under tension around bigger sprockets.

I managed to get inside the bearing case this evening by using a pin to pry off the plastic cover..
They were stuck solid with gritty mud.. A few sprays with WD and a good wiggle has made them move again but I'll give them a proper flush out tmrw and pack with grease before reassembling.
Crap eh!?
Looking forward, can anyone recommend a set of ockey wheels that are a worthy upgrade.?

I swapped my XTR ones to Hope. The bearings in the XTR jockey wheels lasted fine despite plenty of grim conditions, but instead of normal plastic, they appeared to have been made from Playdoh and the teeth wore off them in no time at all. Hope ones are relatively new (4 months) but have had no problems so far and shifting / transmission noise are unchanged. They also still have teeth, which definitely marks them as an improvement from stock 🙂

No idea if they work with SRAM - I'm sure someone will have an opinion.

SRAM 11 speed jockeys have more teeth than Shimano plus a narrow/wide configuration, so 11t Shimano replacements aren’t going to be the best idea although it’s unlikely the results would be terrible- just probably not as good as hoped

Uberbike do replacements that seem well thought of, but seem to be out of stock.

I’ve seen suggestions that a lower model of 11sp SRAM mech has bushes not bearings that survive CX mud better - and that swapping the lower model jockeys in is actually a good move, but I don’t remember the model.  It was from another thread on STW fairly recently.

Edit: Apex/NX, from this thread... 😂

plus a narrow/wide configuration

I'd love to hear the performance benefits I gain from my narrow-wide jockey wheels 🙂

No idea, but bear in mind the cage geo is fundamentally different between Shimano and SRAM.   If anything I’m more puzzled that they have them at top and bottom.  Remembering that ‘think of the crosschaining!’ is the traditional 1x haters’ cry and that Work has clearly been done at the design stage to stop this being a problem, maybe NW jockeys are part of that?

Genuinely, I would be interested to know...

They don't last long do they! Replaced mine with some Mt Zoom ones.

Actually, being discussed on this thread.  TLDR, allegedly a NW *upper* jockey does help with chain deflection and thus delivers crisper shifting but lower NW unnecessary. Possibly SRAM simply didn’t see a reason to have two different jockeys.  Increased toothcount because NW needs even numbers and bigger wheels assist chainwrap.  So, clearly Shimano style 11t jockeys won’t start a fire in your back wheel, would be interesting to hear if anyone has any feedback on whether they do actually affect shift quality

http://forums.mtbr.com/drivetrain-shifters-derailleurs-cranks/nw-jockey-wheels-1003571.html