Mountain Biking - shifter spring dead.. now what?

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Bachelor Reform
12-31-09, 10:58 AM
My shifter died last night. I opened it up and the spring was stretched out & lost tension, so I took it out.

LBS says I need a new shifter.

What are my options? I can't seem to find springs on ebay or jenson ect..

shimano lx rapidfire

thompsonpost
12-31-09, 12:52 PM
You need a new shifter.
bigbossman
12-31-09, 01:30 PM
You could try bringing the spring to the local HW store to see if they have a match. But yeah - you need a new shifter.

bikinfool
12-31-09, 06:16 PM
A thought, may not have been the spring but rather old grease hardening? Did you try flushing out the mechanism with a solvent/WD40 sort of thing, working the lever and then relubing?
Bachelor Reform
01-01-10, 01:03 PM
Anyhow, I replaced the shifter with an identical shifter, but used. Its not very crisp. Can I do anything about that?
RIC0
01-01-10, 01:21 PM
I would replace cable and housing to get that crispness back.
craigcraigcraig
01-01-10, 01:24 PM
what you really want now since you can't shift is a SSRGD29R
bikinfool
01-01-10, 03:24 PM
Anyhow, I replaced the shifter with an identical shifter, but used. Its not very crisp. Can I do anything about that?

My previous suggestion might help, otherwise it's about the cable/housing....
Bluetrane2028
02-18-10, 03:27 PM
Old thread, I know... but I just had a very similar issue. Shifter didn't want to work, thought it was dead.

It was the old grease hardening.

My LBS fixed it, replaced a cable, trued my rear wheel and a few other nice maintenancy type things for about $25.

I honestly suggest that if anyone has a shifter they think has died, first try cleaning and relubing. My old shifters feel as new again.