Bicycle Mechanics - Shimano 105 lever (little tip of hood is loose; how to fix?)

My Cannondale has Shimano 105 Flight Deck levers on it, and the little tip of the left one has become very loose. It's rattling around as if it'll fall off, and I can't figure out how to get the little thing tight again. The rest of the brake lever/shifter seems fine; just this little trim piece w/ the decal is really loose. How is this thing attached, and how can I tighten it back up again? (the one on the right shifter is perfectly tight. Not sure what happened to his brother on the left.)

Any advice is appreciated.

Burke

I've replaced the 5510 series nameplates before but never the 5500, on the 5510 there's a little screw you can expose by engaging the brake.

You can get replacement 5500 nameplates:

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SL406C03-Shimano+105+5500Cac+Cover++Nameplate.aspx

There is a small plastic tab in the front which fits in a slot, probably snapped off, then the other end is secured with a screw. Either get a new faceplate or easiest would be just a dab of superglue.

I've replaced the 5510 series nameplates before but never the 5500, on the 5510 there's a little screw you can expose by engaging the brake.

You can get replacement 5500 nameplates:

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/SL406C03-Shimano+105+5500Cac+Cover++Nameplate.aspx

Thanks for the link. That was interesting to see the black plastic piece that's within. However, there is no screw (visible), like I noticed on some of the other models. Those seemed pretty self-explanatory (regarding the visible screw upon engaging the brake). But mine has me totally perplexed. How I wish I could find some type of instruction about gaining access to the thing. Even if I bought a new faceplate at that link, I have no idea how to get into this thing to install it (unless instructions come with the faceplate).


There is a small plastic tab in the front which fits in a slot, probably snapped off, then the other end is secured with a screw. Either get a new faceplate or easiest would be just a dab of superglue.

While I admit that it does sound like the easier option, at the moment, I'm not real comfortable dabbing superglue into this component. Especially since I can't quite determine the exact spot it would need to go. After looking at the image of a new one at that Jenson link given above, I believe that the black plastic piece is still in full contact with the faceplate itself. Because when I wiggle the very loose faceplate, the black piece moves with it, as if they're one piece. Yet despite how loose the thing is, it's hanging on like a loose tooth that doesn't wanna let go.

There's gotta be a way to get into this thing and gain access to where the faceplate is removed or installed. Surely I'm not the only one that's encountered this before. Can anybody tell me how I go about gaining access to what I need to get to? I can't stand this thing the way it is, and I'd really love to gain the knowledge to fix it myself.

(Thanks for all the info so far.)

Burke

Found this illustration while digging around on the Shimano site... I can see how the screw (3) holds the black plastic tab piece in place, but I don't understand what holds the nameplate itself to the black plastic tab piece. Surely that thing isn't glued on, is it?

bubble gum.

Problem now solved perfectly (and believe it or not, without bubble gum or super glue).

Printed the exploded view illustration I previously posted, and showed it to a mechanic at my LBS. I explained what was loose, he said it was surely just a loose screw, and he told me exactly what to do...

1. Carefully insert a screwdriver in between the top of the name plate and plastic piece, which un-snaps the name plate from the plastic piece behind it (name plate is held on by two small tabs, one on top & one on bottom).
2. Tighten loose screw.
3. Snap name plate back on (inserting top tab first, then snapping in bottom tab).

Nothing was broke. No need to buy a new one. No need for super glue, and certainly no need for bubble gum.

Thanks for this. I was having a really hard time figuring it out.