Got a new front mech for Mrs Atlaz’s bike (SRAM 3.0 jobby). Problem is I don’t seem to be able to get the chain onto the big ring at all except with my bare hands. I’ve gone through the Park Tools site, the SRAM guide and my Zinn book and nothing is helping.

Should say that the lower limit screw doesn’t seem to be able to get tight enough to get the chain close to the inner plate of the mech. Might that be a clue?

Any suggestions?

the lower limit screw is not for that – its to keep the mech from moving too far over.
set the limit screws BEFORE attaching the cable

I did, that’s the point. Even with “full” use of the limit screw, the mech can’t get near the plate.

Is the axle length right, or maybe too many spacers on a HT11 setup pushing the chainline out?

I usually set the limit screw for the granny ring without the cable attached, but for large ring with the cable attached as you can pull on the cable to move the mech out.

I think the axle is fine. It’s an old square taper BB that was on my bike when I bought it and I refitted it pretty much as I took it off. The bottom pull mech I had on it briefly worked better in terms of fit but was awful for changing gear as it’s not a bottom pull frame 🙂

Possible numpty question, you are adjusting the correct screws, are you? Bottom swing work the opposite way to top swing types.(i’m presuming that you may be confusing swing with pull).