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Can you adjust derailleur Tension on a Schwinn Sprint/Huret Allivit?

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stationwagonguy

Look Ma, No Hands!
So, got a Varsity I'm trying to tune up, and right now I'm slightly stuck- when in the smallest set of cogs, the chain sags a bit. Nothing else terrible going on, and while I realize *no one* should be in the smaller front chainring and the highest rear gear, *someone* is likely to try, so I'd like to eliminate the slack if I can... except I can't figure out how to adjust, well for lack of better term, "B tension" on it... how the deraillieur pulls itself backwards against the dropout.

Is that something adjustible on these at all? Or am I SOL here? I keep googling and I keep coming up empty handed.

Thanks!
 
Make sure the derailleur is clean with no dried up grease making the spring and parts from moving smoothly. Well lube with oil and check. Those springs are know to weaken. Might have to replace. Good luck
 
If I am understanding your question, the Allvit does not provide any 'B tension' provision...the top knuckle is not sprung, like on some Simplex and Suntour and Shimano derailleurs are. The only tension provided is at the bottom knuckle, with the rotational spring at the cage. Of course, there are typically 3-4 detents on the cage that allow for tension adjustment. You may be able to shorten the chain a bit, as long as you can still get up to the large/large cog combination. A longer cage might give you more leeway as well...these were found on Allvits fitted to Super Sports, if I recall. Depending on the year of Varsity, maybe a Simplex TDF, which does have a sprung top bolt and sprung cage...it was used on the 8-speed Varsity models in the early 60s.
 
There's one issue that I've seen on a multitude of these old lightweights. Someone has messed with the derailleur and the pivot bolt is too tight and the derailleur does not pivot. That will cause chain sag among other things. Does the derailleur pivot nice and easy? Depending on what year the bike is, 64 and 65 have three spring tension lugs on the front of the jockey wheel cage and I believe the 66 & 67 models only have two.

My Varsity is on small small. Note the position of the derailleur and jockey cage.

1260584


My Corvette is on the small freewheel sprocket. The chain has the same number of links as my Varsity.

1260585


Position of the derailleur when chain is on the large sprocket.

1260588
 
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Manufacturer's mounting and adjustment instructions for the Huret Allvit model 1900 rear mech -

1260963


Manufacturer's parts drawing for unit -

1261050

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The step that mentions chain cutting and arrow "F" makes absolutely no sense to me. Does it make sense to any of you?
 
The step that mentions chain cutting and arrow "F" makes absolutely no sense to me. Does it make sense to any of you?

Chain cutting is making the chain shorter. The F is indicating the position that the jockey wheel cage loop should be in with relation to the chain.

I'd like to see a picture of the OP's set up and know if derailleur actually pivots properly on the hanger.
 
Chain cutting is making the chain shorter. The F is indicating the position that the jockey wheel cage loop should be in with relation to the chain.

Thanks. Ya, i got it about the chain cutting. It was the other part, the length of the chain and the resulting angle of the cage. Looks like the end of the cage points exactly to the chain.

The sheet didn't say what sprocket though. In the last step you would be on the largest sprocket, but the graphic shows one sprocket down.

The Corvette pic above looks about like the illustration in the sheet, but it is on the small sprocket. The orange or gold bike is on the large sprocket and the cage is pointing at the sky. I don't mean to be obtuse, but I must be missing something.
 
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