10 sp. Dura-Ace shifter issue

[merlinmurph]

I have 10 sp. Dura-Ace shifters that came with the bike when I bought my used IF Planet-X 3 years ago. If the specific vintage of shifter is needed, let me know and I'll take a pic. FWIW, this shifter is paired with an XT RD.

With the cold weather, shifting down a cog is an issue. When I move the small lever over, I get nothing but air. Nothing grabs. It can take 3 or 4 times before it grabs. Sometimes, shifting up first helps. Obviously a PITA.

If this were a Campy shifter, I'd know what to do. But man, I can't see anything in this DA shifter.

Cables are good and lubed. As I mentioned, the problem is worse in the colder weather. I rode yesterday with temps ~40F and the shifter was an issue.

Are there any simple things to try to fix this? I'm guessing something is gummed up inside the shifter but I have no idea how to attack this.

TIA,
Murph

[Cicli]

Funky grease in the shifter. Flush it with tri flow or WD and work it. It will come around and be fine.
I would pull the tape and the hood before the flush.

[eddief]

squirt the living daylights out of it with some lubey stuff ie WD 40? Pull the big brake lever back, expose the innards and shoot it in there. Let it drip out all over the place onto something you don't care about. Let it sit a while and then do some clicking and fiddling with both the small lever and the big one. It has brought many a Shimano back to life. You got old grease or no grease going on now. Potatoe knows best (a TV show from the fifties.)

[oldpotatoe]

I have 10 sp. Dura-Ace shifters that came with the bike when I bought my used IF Planet-X 3 years ago. If the specific vintage of shifter is needed, let me know and I'll take a pic. FWIW, this shifter is paired with an XT RD.

With the cold weather, shifting down a cog is an issue. When I move the small lever over, I get nothing but air. Nothing grabs. It can take 3 or 4 times before it grabs. Sometimes, shifting up first helps. Obviously a PITA.

If this were a Campy shifter, I'd know what to do. But man, I can't see anything in this DA shifter.

Cables are good and lubed. As I mentioned, the problem is worse in the colder weather. I rode yesterday with temps ~40F and the shifter was an issue.

Are there any simple things to try to fix this? I'm guessing something is gummed up inside the shifter but I have no idea how to attack this.

TIA,
Murph

Correct and holding the big lever outboard probably allows the small lever to work. Try the 'STI' repair kit', flush liberally with WD-40, while shifting up and down, then with some sort of thin-ish spray lube. Good chance it'll come back to life. Just did this with some 6400(8s) levers. If it doesn't, adios, new lever(s). Spray the LH one also.

[AngryScientist]

make sure the RD is moving freely too, no pivots binding up and the spring tension is good (they do wear out...). the thing is when you shift to a large cog, the force of your hand is exerting the pressure to pull cable, going the other way, it's just spring tension that is allowing the cable to release.

and yea, i've brought back a set of shimano shifters to life by the "blast with wd-40" method too.

[bargainguy]

I second the posts suggesting an STI lever flush, but I recommend a different spray - CRC PowerLube in the red can.

This stuff has PTFE so leaves some lubricant as opposed to WD40 which is a solvent only. About $3 a can at many auto parts and hardware stores.

[merlinmurph]

Wow, quick replies, especially for a Sunday AM.
Thanks guys, I'll try flushing it out right now. I'll also give the RD a bit of lube, too.
Have a great ride,
Murph

[LegendRider]

I second the posts suggesting an STI lever flush, but I recommend a different spray - CRC PowerLube in the red can.

This stuff has PTFE so leaves some lubricant as opposed to WD40 which is a solvent only. About $3 a can at many auto parts and hardware stores.

http://www.grainger.com/product/CRC-Spray-Lube-2F144

[chromopromo]

I have the same problem. If you use the WD-40 method, do you do anything to re-lube?

[Bradford]

I did this in the spring and it solved all my issues. I sprayed the crap out of it with WD40, let it dry, then sprayed in some dry lube. Everything is hunky dory now.

[cash05458]

lol...pete..."if not...adios, new lever"....very true...

[jds108]

If you've got some way to blow pressurized air through the shifter, do that while you're flushing things out, just to help clean out the nooks and crannies. If you don't have an air compressor, an office supply store will have compressed air in a little spray paint style can - it's sold to clean keyboards.

[TBDSeattle]

Correct and holding the big lever outboard probably allows the small lever to work. Try the 'STI' repair kit', flush liberally with WD-40, while shifting up and down, then with some sort of thin-ish spray lube. Good chance it'll come back to life. Just did this with some 6400(8s) levers. If it doesn't, adios, new lever(s). Spray the LH one also.

lol...pete..."if not...adios, new lever"....very true...

At one point I thought that too. But then I taught myself to overhaul the 7 and 8 speed shifters.

http://shimanostioverhaul.wordpress.com/

I made this website because I wanted to create a resource for people who had the same questions as me.

I agree with OldPotatoe, and strongly suggest that you first do a WD-40 flush. Then I follow it with a lithium grease spray. If that doesn't work, then you can either say adios, or try to overhaul. If you were just going to toss them anyway, why not try to fix them?

I have yet to try to overhaul a 10 speed set, but I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard. I think the first time I did an overhaul it took me a couple (maybe 2?) hours. After I did it a couple of times I got that time down to about 20 min.


TBD

[Dead Man]

"Solvent" is a pretty ambiguous term. Strictly speaking, WD40 is a solvent, lubricant, penetrating oil, and water displacer, all in one. Just saying WD40 is a solvent, that's all you can use it for is definitely wrong- Depends entirely on what you're using on, and for. I wouldn't use it as a drivetrain lubricant, but it's a fantastic shifter lube.

Since learning about the WD40-in-the-shifter trick, I have incorporated it into my basic cleaning routine.. I blast some zaps in there and let it drain out over night... usually do the same to my ders and chain, especially after a really wet rain ride. Then I blow everything off/out with compressed air, wipe down, and re-lube with my preferred thicker lube- except the shifters. I just leave the light residual WD40 oil for the shifters.

This has gotten me through a full turn of the seasons, here in the Pacific Northwest, with lots of cold/dirty/wet wet wet riding.

YMMV

[merlinmurph]

Hey guys, OP here.

I did the WD40-in-the-shifter trick, went for a ride yesterday in 40F temps, and the shifter worked great - no missed shifts at all.

Just want to thank you for the help.
Murph

[oldpotatoe]

Hey guys, OP here.

I did the WD40-in-the-shifter trick, went for a ride yesterday in 40F temps, and the shifter worked great - no missed shifts at all.

Just want to thank you for the help.
Murph

Huzza! Huzza!