Is sourcing a longer B screw a potential solution. If someone with a bit less “humour” could kindly let me know ?

Yes, as it moves the top jockey wheel further back so meaning that it clears the (new) 40T cog. Just use any set-screw/bolt of the same thread that is longer.

Cheers br. The two ZEE mechs have the same length cage. It’s the capacity that varies.

Warpcow, it a Commy Supernormal. The chain is just about long enough on the biggest cog as it is. It is an unconventional shape frame+drop outs

I’d just bite the bullet and get another mech. Bird won’t fit a Zee when you request an expander cog on a Zero so if pro’s don’t fancy fitting them, that tells you something. Too hit and miss and just not meant for that range. XT or SLX.

FWIW I’ve run a Zee before on a cube 1×10 and it ran lovely, so good I’ve specced a 1×10 and a Zee on the Bird.

Nick

Just looking at a photo of my bike vs yours and the angle that the top linkage is (between the two pivots on the mech) is very different.

Whereas yours looks like 60 degrees off the horizontal, mine is nearer 30 degrees – ie ‘flatter’. Therefore ‘pushing’ the mech backwards and consequently meaning that the jockey wheel doesn’t touch the 40T.

There is one cage length on Zee mechs. The only bit that changes between the DH and FR versions is the black bit that bolts to the mech hanger.

As per br’s post, you might want to check if you have the little tab on the mech mount behind the hanger stop, rather than in front…

This link may be handy:

http://faqload.com/faqs/bicycle-components/drivetrain/shimano-zee-rear-derailleur

Looking at the picture the mech is way too far forward, so I am guessing an issue with the hanger or tab position.

I answer to some of the other points raised – the mech is only 1 cage, its the B link that varies in size between the two, pushing the mech backwards to clear the bigger cogs. This is a bit of a hack though as it doesn’t add any chain capacity, only clearance for a wider cassette.

On Motozulus point as to why we wont do an 11-40 with a zee. The above answers half the question – the Zee was designed (chain capacity wise) for a small range cassette. The fact it works in 11-36 is more of a convenient side effect than by design we feel. When you run 11-40 the chain capacity is such that you have little or no slack in the chain, which means that you either:

1) run the risk of ripping it in half
2) run a longer chain. Unfortunately this is not a great solution as the 11T is just bouncy and horrible even with the clutch on as the clutch is not tensioning the chain in a useful direction.

So… we run either a GS or SGS on an 11-40 (depending on spec level). That means you can run a same length chain, but with the hanger more vertical in the 11T giving the chance for the clutch to actually do something useful in the smaller range, and still with some slack when you get to the 40T.

When you run 11-40 the chain capacity is such that you have little or no slack in the chain, which means that you either:

Agree, as when in the 11T my chain ‘hangs’ a bit.

I have a Zee FR mech on my Krampus and it’s been fine thus far with a 30T N/W ring and a normal 36T max cassette.

I set the chain length as I would for any other mech (used 2x set ups with longer cage mechs up until now) and it turned out it did need another link taking out as it was a bit flappy in the smallest cog, so they do seem sensitive to chain length.

If you are attempting tyo use on on a Full susser with a lot of chain growth I would imagine you’d be better off with a longer cage SLX mech or something.