New front mech needed

[justinmg]

I am trying to refurbish an old bike.
The front mech trim screws are completely seized (even after a night under WD40) and I think it needs replacing.
Its for a 2x9 Sora setup and is marked FD5600. This part does not seem to be sold now. Can anyone suggest how to work out a replacement. It seems it was used as a past 105 item from an internet search, but this would be when they were 10sp??? Will any 9sp / 10sp 2x front work if the mount is OK?

Thanks
Justin

[hamster]

If it's 5600 series then it's 105.

Personally I'd have a look on ebay. There are usually plenty of new old stock front mechs available.

[Brucey]

for a 9s transmission you may be better off with a 9s mech than a 10s one; in many (but not all) cases the 10s mechs are slightly narrower and this leads to increased rubbing tendencies with 9s chain running through them.

FD-3400, FD-5500, FD-6500 are all very similar in appearance to FD-5600 and (I think, do check) have similar capacities etc. FD-3500 is available in a dark finish if you prefer that. All use the same shift ratio, so ought to work fine with the shifter.

FDs (of this sort) don't wear out that often so are usually a reasonable used buy. Of current-ish/recent stuff that you might most easily buy new, FD-3500 or FD-2400 (8s) ought to be a reasonable bet.

cheers

[Chris Jeggo]

Have you tried PlusGas penetrating oil on the seized screws?

[Graham]

Fuzzy memory time, but don't those limit screws have an unusual head-type. . . . one that is dead-easy to mangle using the usual type of screwdriver ?

I have vague recollections of knowledgeable persons recommending the purchase of this PROPER screwdriver, for just such an event . . . .

. . . or maybe it was just all imagined ( along with most of my waking consciousness ) . . .

[531colin]

Yeah, its a JIS (Japanese industry standard) cross-head screw which isn't quite either Posidrive or Phillips, but somewhere in between.
If the mech. is knackered anyway, I would take it off and warm it up a bit. More than a bit really; with a blowtorch, but nowhere near red heat.
The adjustment screws are set in a bit of plastic to stop them rattling loose and you will set fire to that plastic bit, but you just might be able to free off the screws with heat and penetrating oil.

[bgnukem]

Just small Philip screw heads, sometimes with a full-width slot permitting the use of a cross-head screwdriver.

[pwa]

I generally find the screwdriver slips less on those screws if it is a well fitting slot screwdriver rather than a cross-pattern phillips /pozi.