AXS Missing Links Installation Guide

Clean the derailleur.

Back the 2 limit screws and B screw out all the way (but don't remove them).

Remove the 3 retaining rings.

If it is installed, remove the small M3 screw from link pivot on the bottom of the derailleur.

Press the 2 pins on the outer link out with vice and press tools.

You can watch a video showing the techniques here.

Stick the press tools to the vice jaws and align them with the derailleur pin.

Place the large press spacer over the head of the pin.

Press the pin with the M4 press tool.

You might need to pull the pins out with pliers. Do not grip the bushing surfaces.

For the pin under the cage lock, press it out on with a pick on the benchtop.

You can watch a video showing the technique here.

Place the large press spacer on the bench top.

Wearing leather gloves for safety, press the pin out with a pick.

Check the 3 pins for bends by rolling them on the benchtop.

Each pin has a different length and the medium and long pin are very close in length.

Install the battery and move the servo arm to the inner most position (the position of the largest cassette cog).

Using a tire lever or flat screwdriver, pry the inner link off the M3 peg.

Slide the tire lever under the link first, ensuring it contacts the M3 peg.

Twist the tire lever to pry the link to the top of the M3 peg.

Now slide the link off the M3 peg completely.

Using hex key, remove the 3 tiny screws that hold the aluminum mounting brackets that capture the servo.

Tip: Do not lose them. There is 1 short one and 2 slightly longer ones. If you lose them, you can replace them all with M2.5 x 6mm long socket head screws.

Remove the 2 aluminum mounting brackets from the servo.

Tip: If they have grit on them, they will be harder to remove, but they will come off if you wiggle them.

Remove the small plastic bezel from the servo button (it is marked “AXS”).

Clean the servo and parts with a brush.

Tip: Do not get grit or liquid into the battery contacts.

Snap the bezel for the servo button on the servo.

Install a 5mm bushing (it has a 5mm ID) in the inner top link in the hole with the chamfer on the outside of the link.

Slide the link over the 5mm peg on the top aluminum mounting bracket.

Install the servo to top mounting bracket.

Install the lower mounting bracket.

Tip: Make sure the link is in the correct orientation.

Apply a small amount of threadlocking compound to the three M2.5 screws.

Using a ball end hex key, install the short screw in the hole near the battery contacts. Use very gently torque.

Tip: Make sure the holes are aligned so you do not cross thread the screw. The ball end hex key helps with this.

Install the 2 remaining M2.5 screws. Use very gentle torque.

Place the torsion spring in the AXS spring clamp tool as shown.

Install the short pin in the 4mm hole of the AXS spring clamp tool to hold it clamped on the spring.

Place a 4mm bushing (it has a 4mm ID) in the inner bottom link. It only fits in one of the 2 holes.

Place the inner bottom link in the AXS spring clamp tool, and then slide the M3 x 35mm long screw through the hole as shown.

Place the SRAM torsion spring bushing inside the torsion spring.

Make sure all parts are seated and positioned properly.

Wearing leather gloves for safety, preload the spring by placing it over the small protrusion on the inner bottom link.

Grip the end of the long spring leg very tightly with needle nose pliers. Do not allow the grip to weaken or the spring will snap back.

Hold the AXS spring clamp and pliers in a way that will be easy to manipulate the tools and parts at the end of the rotation (which might be less intuitive at the beginning of the rotation).

The spring arm should rest securely on the small protrusion when you are done. Visually inspect this and the stability of each part.

Place a 5mm bushing under the head of the medium length pin.

Slide the AXS spring clamp tool into the inner hole of the clutch housing as shown.

Make sure the holes are fully aligned by looking through them (you should see light and the holes should clearly be aligned).

Slide the medium length pin (with 5mm bushing under the head) into the clutch housing from the top.

Press the pin all the way through the assembly by placing the pin head on a bench top and pushing the clutch housing down.

The pin should go all the way through, and the retaining ring groove should be visible near the cage lock button.

Remove the short pin from the AXS spring clamp and open the clamp.

Using large pliers, remove the M3 x 35mm long screw from the AXS spring clamp tool, then remove tool from the clutch housing assembly

Make sure the spring leg is still seated well on the small protrusion on the link.

Make sure the link rotates freely and the spring does not struggle to return it.

Install the short pin in the AXS spring clamp tool again.

Use the AXS spring clamp tool to hold the inner bottom link away from the clutch housing.

Stick the short M3 screw thread into the open link hole in the clutch housing.

Seat the curved protrusion in the curved shape on the inner bottom link.

The link should be held roughly 45 degrees away from the clutch housing.

Place a 5mm bushing on the M3 peg on the bottom of the mounting bracket assembly (with the servo in it).

Apply a small amount of thread locking compound to a M3x 6mm long screw.

Install the M3 x 6mm long screw in the M3 peg to hold the bushing in place.

Do not use a washer here.

Make sure the bushing rotates freely.

Make sure no thread locking compound gets into the bushings. If it does, remove the parts and repeat the previous steps.

Use very gently torque. The thread locking compound will hold the screw. If over-torqued, the peg will break loose and spin in the aluminum part. This will hold but will prevent you from servicing it in the future.

Attach the 2 assemblies together on the 2 open bushings.

Align them so the 2 open 5mm bushings will enter the 2 open holes (one on the inner top link, and one on the inner bottom link).

Align the tip of the servo arm so it will enter the rectangular hole in the middle of the inner bottom link.

Press the assemblies down so the bushings go into the holes on the links, and the tip of the servo arm goes into the hole in the inner bottom link.

Remove the AXS spring tool and short pin.

Gently wiggle the assembly to make sure the pivots rotate freely, but do not force the servo to move.

Grip the tip of the spring arm very tightly with a needle nose pliers, and place it in the groove on the servo arm.

Tip: Grip the pliers/spring very tightly.

Apply a small amount of thread locking compound to the M3 hole in the inner top link from the inside/bottom of the hole.

Install the M3 x 35mm long screw with the long black aluminum spacer through both links.

Install the battery and move the link to a middle position to help with the outer link installation.

Install bushings in the outer link.

Two 5mm bushings in the upper holes.

Two 4mm bushings in the lower holes.

Place the outer link on the derailleur so the holes are lined up.

Slide the short pin into the forward hole from the top.

Slide the long link into the rear hole from the top.

Press the pins in with the vice using the press tools.

You can watch a video showing the techniques here.

Use the small press spacer and M4 press tool.

Go slowly, do not force the parts together.

Periodically back off the pressure so the press tools can re-align.

Before the head of the pin enters the bushing, hold it in alignment with the ID of the bushing so it enters without damage.

Stop when you feel the pin has gone all the way.

Make sure the servo can move the linkage through its full range

Double click the AXS button to move the linkage one direction, and single click to move it the other direction

The servo should not struggle to move the linkage. If it does, there is a tight bushing.

If you notice any hesitation or struggling of the servo, you can remedy the issue with the tips here.

The clutch cover should not catch on the outer link. If it does, you can stick it down better, tighten its screw, or trim it.

Note: The retaining rings in your kit might not look like the ones in the images here. There is no need to worry, the ones in your kit will work great, and you can follow the same installation steps using the same tools. More on retaining rings here.

Place washers over the bushings of the 2 pins on the outer link.

Press the washer and bushing down using a pick so the retaining ring groove is visible.

Rest the derailleur upside down on the bench top with the pin head contacting the bench.

Rest the retaining ring on the end of the pin (not mis-aligned).

Snap the retaining ring down into its groove with the small press spacer.

Use a pick to make sure it is seated properly and there is no deformation to the snap ring. The is critical for a reliable installation.

Note: The retaining rings in your kit might not look like the ones in the images here. There is no need to worry, the ones in your kit will work great, and you can follow the same installation steps using the same tools. More on retaining rings here.

Install the retaining ring for the pin under the cage lock.

It does not get a washer.

Wear gloves for safety.

Use a small flat screwdriver and/or a pick, to press each finger of the snap ring into the pin groove, one at a time.

To get the first finger into the groove, you can hold one side of the retaining ring with your thumb and then press an opposite finger into the groove with the small flat screwdriver.

Use a pick to make sure it is seated properly and there is no deformation to the snap ring. The is critical for a reliable installation.

Apply thread locking compound to the limit screws threads, B screw threads, and mounting bolt.

Done!