FD 3304 replacement

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grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

Hi,
My Sora Front mech (FD3304) broke (spring retainer broke) and I'm looking for a replacement.

I've a triple 7-speed set up and the band size is 28.6mm

I can find 9 speed equivalents and I can find the Tourney FD-A073 which is a 7speed triple but I'd prefer a silver one and the Tourney only seems to be in black.

Having look over the 'net for the last few days there are options.
1) get a 9-speed mech. I find that this "May be OK" and you may have to fit a 9-speed chain.
As I understand 6-7-8 speed all use the same chain width and so the cage size is the same but the 9-speed is narrower.
So what is the compatibility between the 9 speed front mech and a 7-speed system, am I going to run into rubbing issues if I keep the chain? Are there any issues fitting a 9-speed chain to a 7-speed set up?

2) get a 31.8mm band on and use a shim.

3) get a second hand mech. These don't seem very common at the moment.

So I'm between 1) and 2). I have heard that the spring lug breaking is a common fault so maybe 2) is going to cause issues again.

So 1) would be the best given that I would be buying an newer product but is compatibility going to be and issue?

Sorry lots of questions but you guys and gals usually have had some experience of replacing old parts.

Any help will be useful
Many many thanks in advance.

Andy
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by Brucey »

a 9s mech will work but there will usually be slightly reduced clearance (not always, but usually) so you might get more rubbing than you would prefer. This may bother you depending on how strong you are and how true your chainrings run.

Lots of people buy FDs that don't fit their bikes and these can be had for pennies on e-bay eg

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Sora-Front-Derailleur-NEW-Never-Used/263989958261?hash=item3d77071675

and there are NOS 31.8mm mechs like this one too

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-SORA-FD-3304-FRONT-DERAILLEUR-ROAD-BIKE-GEAR-MECH-DOWN-PULL-31-8mm-NEW/392108851782

It isn't difficult to obtain/make a shim to convert to 31.8mm.

One way of looking at it is that if you can get something that work (even imperfectly) for a few quid that will tide you by until you get the exact right mech, that is good enough and will allow you to ride whilst coming up with a better plan for the long term.

Your choices are likely to be limited by what shifters you are using. Also the chainring sizes/interval you have. A Claris triple mech might work; this is 8s and comes with band adaptors for several different tube sizes or in braze-on format (which you can use with a cheap band adaptor).

Finally if the 'pip' that restrains one end of the return spring has broken off, it is usually possible to repair the mech. Just drill an angled 2mm dia hole and fit (using epoxy resin or Loctite) a short length of 14g spoke in the hole. Then hook the spring behind that. I have repaired several similar mechs in this way.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NetworkMan
Posts: 727
Joined: 25 Aug 2014, 11:13am
Location: South Devon

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by NetworkMan »

A Claris 8 speed one might well do.
https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/shimano ... le-546363/
I have one on my 8 speed tourer. It comes with shims to suit 31.8 and 28.6 mm.
7 and 8 speed chain is the same width (or as near as make no difference).
This is intended for 50/39/30. Do you have STI? If so what rings is your FD intended for?
If not STI then things are easier. I have 48/38/28 on the tourer using bar-end shifting.
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

Hi,

NetworkMan: Didn't see this one. Looks promising. I have Sora STi but I need to check the rings.

Brucey: So using a 9 speed is not ideal given the others that are available.
Didn't see the first ebay item, would need to ask if it's band on, but the second was the one I mentioned regarding shimming.
Repairing also looks promising. It is the pip that's broken off. What angle would it have been. Where it's broken off it's left a 45deg flat. Is this the sort of angle?

Many thanks.

Andy
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by Brucey »

the pip needs to be set at a slightly acute angle so that the spring doesn't want to pop off.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

Thanks, looks like job for later this morning.

Andy
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

HI,
So I went into the garage, drilled a 2mm hole and epoxied in a bit of a nail (about 1.8mm dia) as a spring stop.
Now works like a good'n. Tad difficult getting the spring back over the stop, hurts the fingers if it slips off the pliers.

FYI. The chain set is a Campag record( bought cheap in sale £84) 53/42/30 10 speed. Top rings a bit big but I needed (getting old) a triple and it seems a good bargain, the changing was good.

Cheers

Andy
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by Brucey »

good work fella!

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
nigelnightmare
Posts: 709
Joined: 19 Sep 2016, 10:33pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by nigelnightmare »

Nicely done. :D
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

FYI
It has broken again and I don't think I can repair it this time.
Time a new one but I got more that 2 years use out of it.

Cheers
Andy
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by Brucey »

I've done this 'broken pip' repair a couple of times and someone asked me for a photo of the result a while back. I was pretty sure that I had one I'd repaired, stashed in a bits box somewhere, but I have yet to find it; did you by any chance take a photo of what you did?

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

Hi Brucey,

I still have it so I'll photograph it as well as I can and post it here. Possibly later today.

I've ordered a FD-R3030 which seems by popular opinion a suitable replacement.

Cheers
Andy
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

Hi,
Some pics of the mod I did on the FD3304 where the spigot that holds the spring broke off. All picture include necessary dirt.
Note this is after a 2 and a half years of use and the hole opened up and the pin became loose.
The pin was a 1.8mm nail. I think it was a panel pin. I drilled the casting with a 2mm drill and epoxied the nail/pin in.
Note the right hand of the spring has to be moved to the left hand side of the pin. Not so easy but doable with a pair of pliers.


Pin inserted
Pin inserted

New hole in casting
New hole in casting

Pin/ piece of nail
Pin/ piece of nail

Cautious drilling
Cautious drilling


Hope this help someone.
In my case the hole had opened up and I re drilled it. The amount of material left was so small that I decided to buy a Sora R3030.
I'll let you people know how the R3030 works.

Cheers
Andy
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by Brucey »

Thanks for posting your photos; that looks very similar to the repairs I have done. The only difference being that I used a short length of spoke, rather than a panel pin.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
grognut
Posts: 242
Joined: 18 May 2009, 12:05pm

Re: FD 3304 replacement

Post by grognut »

Hi,
So I've fitted an R3030 and it seems OK. I've not road tested it (too much ice at the moment) but set it up on a bike repair stand, which my lovely wife bought me for Christmas.

The only think to note is that the lower cage bolt on the R3030 it a rivet whereas on the FD3304 it was a bolt. So I had to split the chain to fit it.

Having a Bike stand is great. I managed to get over a long standing rear mech change problem at the same time. Turns out it was one notch out and the top gear held by chance. Re-set it all up and great changing up and down now, first time for maybe 20 years. You get used to things.

Cheers
Andy
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