Had to choose between a full rebuild or a quick fix on a vintage Campagnolo derailleur

A customer brought in a 1980s bike with a sticky rear derailleur. I could either do a full tear down and ultrasonic clean, which would take 3 hours, or just flush it with degreaser and re-lube for a 30 minute job. I went with the full clean because the old grease was like tar. It took all afternoon, but now it shifts like new. What's your cutoff for when a quick fix isn't enough?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliver2421mo agoTop Commenter

That's the exact same choice with old electronics. A quick spray of contact cleaner might work for a month, but if the corrosion is deep, you're just kicking the problem down the road. My cutoff is when the gunk has actually changed state, like your tar grease. Once it's not just dirty but chemically broken down, a surface clean is a total waste of time. You have to go all the way back to good material.

the_mia15d ago

My grandpa once tried that on an old radio and it caught fire three weeks later.

theagarcia1mo ago

My buddy tried the quick flush on a crusty old motorcycle carb. It ran for a week before the varnish clogged a jet again. That taught me the cutoff is when the old lube or fuel turns into a solid, sticky mess.