barrel adjuster for front derailleur cable not working anymore

[cyclingnolycra]

I was adjusting it as my shifting into the big ring wasn't great (and also playing around with derailleur height and angle) and now it doesn't work at all. I assume it's come off the thread or something, but even when I unclamp the cable to make it super-slack I can't seem to screw it back in. Any ideas?

Should the plastic bits that sit on the ends of the barrel adjuster move when you turn the barrel adjuster, or should they remain still? One of them does, but the other doesn't, so I assume one of them must be the issue...

Thanks for any advice. If I can't get it fixed this week will have to take it to the bike shop.

[find_bruce]

Any luck in sorting out which one works ?

[ValleyForge]

There are a few different styles of adjusters. The more common style works with a knurled base that spins and a cable ferule that doesn't. Jagwire use a different internal mechanism.

Always helps to take the tension off the cable first if they are stuck.

[cyclingnolycra]

A friend got it working for me. The metal bit on the inside that the screw enters got stuck against the plastic barrel adjuster. He was able to pop it out with a screwdriver and used some oil to lube it up. What happened was that I had screwed it in too much and it got stuck, rather than having screwed it out all the way.