Bicycle Mechanics - Can this shifter be repaired?

The cable came out on my left hand shifter (the friction one), and now it won't stay back in. There's a small black plastic collar where it enters the housing that has broken off, but I can't believe it was only being held by that little thing! Yet I've taken the shifter apart, and the cable does not appear to be designed to go all the way into the housing, because while the hole on the outside can take the circumference of the black cable housing, on the inside, this hole is only large enough for the derailleur cable to pass through - not all of it. So not sure what's the cable housing is supposed to be held by. This probably happened as a result of my raising the handlebars, and not paying attention to the extra tension this created on the shifter cable, when I used the shifter. By using it this way, the cable sliced through the housing, a few inches long.

The shifters are Suntour Wishbone friction/index shifters. I'd hate to have to replace them at this point, so I'd like to know if I can repair this by simply buying new cable housing. I am doubtful, because it seems to be non-standard. It appears the shifter cable (going to front derailleur) was inside a white plastic covering, and is surrounded by a number of steel cables, and all of this is housed in the black cable housing.

(First pic shows the black cable housing held by plastic ties, the interior white plastic housing, the derailleur cable entering the shifter box, and stranded steel cables inside the black cable housing. Third pic shows a better view of the hole in the shifter box and the stranded steel cables. Second pic shows what the thing is supposed to look like intact!).


http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/The_Cappucino_Kid/001.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/The_Cappucino_Kid/005.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/The_Cappucino_Kid/002.jpg

the black plastic collar is a housing end peice or ferrulle. youll need to fish the rest of it out of the shifter, and then replace your shift housing. thats normal shift housing sometimes referred to as SIS for indexed shifting.

the black plastic collar is a housing end peice or ferrulle. youll need to fish the rest of it out of the shifter, and then replace your shift housing. thats normal shift housing sometimes referred to as SIS for indexed shifting.

So you mean the entire shifter housing has to be replaced, because the tiny plastic end piece broke off? And do we presume this tiny piece (ferrule) was the only thing holding the cable in place, and if I don't replace the housing, the cable will not stay in place? Because replacing the housing could be a major problem. For one thing, it's not indexed, its friction, for the front derailleur. And Suntour doesn't make these wishbone shifters any more, cos they're out of business.

For one thing, it's not indexed, its friction, for the front derailleur. A

Housing doesn't make a distinction between indexed and non-indexed. They both work fine. The end cap exploded with what looks like an inch or two worth of housing. You can trim that and referrule it - if it doesn't make the resulting length too short.

Housing doesn't make a distinction between indexed and non-indexed. They both work fine. The end cap exploded with what looks like an inch or two worth of housing. You can trim that and referrule it - if it doesn't make the resulting length too short.

How would you suggest I referrule it? The original ferrule (end cap) was just a small cylinder of plastic moulded as part of the plastic housing. I guess its job was to hold the cable housing, but prevent it from going into the shifter box housing, while allowing the cable itself to pass through. I thought about fixing a new end cap on to the shifter box, but no idea what I could use for a ferrule, or more importantly, how to fix it on there solidly, where there's a good chance it won't break off the first time I try to use the shifter.

How would you suggest I referrule it? The original ferrule (end cap) was just a small cylinder of plastic moulded as part of the plastic housing. I guess its job was to hold the cable housing, but prevent it from going into the shifter box housing, while allowing the cable itself to pass through. I thought about fixing a new end cap on to the shifter box, but no idea what I could use for a ferrule, or more importantly, how to fix it on there solidly, where there's a good chance it won't break off the first time I try to use the shifter.

The ferrule is not moulded to the cable outer but is a push fit. Dismantle the cable, cut the end evenly and push on another ferrule. Adjusting the gears following this is of course another story.

The ferrule is not moulded to the cable outer but is a push fit. Dismantle the cable, cut the end evenly and push on another ferrule. Adjusting the gears following this is of course another story.

If I'm not mistaken, you're thinking of the metal ferrule typically on the end of a cable housing (see my pic below). The ferrule that broke off is a plastic ferrule (seen in the 3rd photo, just above the plastic ties, and seen intact in the 2nd photo), that was part of the shifter housing. It appears the cable housing went straight into this plastic ferrule, because I never saw a metal ferrule at the end of it (and the metal type doesn't look like it can fall off without removing the cable). If you look at the 3rd photo, you see where the plastic ferrule looks like it broke off the shifter housing. So it seems what needs to be done, is to somehow attach a new ferrule to the shifter housing, or something to get the cable to stay in place. Welcoming any ideas!

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/The_Cappucino_Kid/001-1.jpg

If I'm not mistaken, [/IMG]

You are mistaken. Ferrules come in plastic and metal versions. The one in pic #1 looks like the standard shimano SIS plastic ferrule.

If I'm not mistaken, you're thinking of the metal ferrule typically on the end of a cable housing (see my pic below). The ferrule that broke off is a plastic ferrule (seen in the 3rd photo, just above the plastic ties, and seen intact in the 2nd photo), that was part of the shifter housing. It appears the cable housing went straight into this plastic ferrule, because I never saw a metal ferrule at the end of it (and the metal type doesn't look like it can fall off without removing the cable). If you look at the 3rd photo, you see where the plastic ferrule looks like it broke off the shifter housing. So it seems what needs to be done, is to somehow attach a new ferrule to the shifter housing, or something to get the cable to stay in place. Welcoming any ideas!

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii100/The_Cappucino_Kid/001-1.jpg

No, I'm not mistaken. The ferrule is removable, and you are making what is an unremarkable maintenance job into something of gigantic proportions.