Bicycle Mechanics - Lube to use on Shimano Index Shifter guts?

Yes, I did a search :thumb:

How about a straw poll on what you would use to lube the index shifter guts on Shimano? I was thinking Park Tools green grease myself, but I wonder about attracting grit...

After cleaning them up removing dirt .. with like Kerosene, letting it evaporate,
Phil Tenacious oil is what I'd reach for.

I use Trifol oil.

Usually this is only necessary if the pawls are sticking. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The lubricant inside may gum up over time, which does not allow the pawls to engage completely. The standard trick is to drench it in WD-40 to break up the gunk and provide a light lube. After breaking up the gunk, a light oil can be used, though probably unnecessary. I wouldn't use grease as that may just lead to future gunking.

Nope, grease is the lube of choice for a fairly open part of this sort. Oil will run out too easily. A THIN SMEAR of a good water resistant grease is the lube of choice. The emphasis being on the "THIN SMEAR" only on the internal parts to prevent acting like a dirt magnet too badly. Grease won't harden or gunk up for years unless you ride in exceedingly dusty conditions. And if you do then you should be blowing the shifters out with a degreaser like brake cleaner and replacing the internal grease whenever you find the shifters getting lazy anyway. For any sort of mostly road use or non dusty use you're easily good for 5 years.

JiveTurkey, I just recently repaired a 600 brake/shifter and I'm presently trying my luck with a STX-RC trigger shifter. I looks like it isn't so much that grease was used for lube, but the amount of grease. It seems, I'm really not positive, that with the 600 a chunk of dried grease detached from somewhere and then interfered with the pawls. I'm not far enough into the trigger shifter to see the problem yet.

I use teflon grease, but as little as possible.

Brad

Yes, I did a search :thumb:

How about a straw poll on what you would use to lube the index shifter guts on Shimano? I was thinking Park Tools green grease myself, but I wonder about attracting grit...

If I completely cleaned out the inside, I'd use Dumonde Tech Liquid Grease. If I was just doing a quick re-lube, I'd use Triflow, sparingly, hoping it slightly liquefies the existing grease. For some reason, the grease used in Shimano trigger shifters seems to turn to wax with age.

I'm more of a "find your own, cheaper solution" type of a guy. for more permanent lubrication, use medium or heavy oil. you all have something to lube your chain, usually this is medium viscosity. if it does not turn into gel-like substance, go with that. otherwise, I always use heavy oil, usually 75-90 car gearbox oil. cheaper and much bigger quantities.

because there no close tolerances, you could go with light machining oil, but it's not hydrophobic and it will eventually be contaminated by water. I also noticed that light oil penetrates too quickly and most of the time you'll have greasy hands while driving.

edit: if you really want to use grease but don't know how to put into tight spaces, stick it into a syringe, mix it with a couple of drops of acetone, squeeze and let it evaporate. don't use paint thinner, as they'll eat your plastics and they evaporate much longer.

edit: if you really want to use grease but don't know how to put into tight spaces, stick it into a syringe, mix it with a couple of drops of acetone, squeeze and let it evaporate. don't use paint thinner, as they'll eat your plastics and they evaporate much longer.

You should stick this tip in the "hints and tricks" sticky thread.

edit: if you really want to use grease but don't know how to put into tight spaces, stick it into a syringe, mix it with a couple of drops of acetone, squeeze and let it evaporate. don't use paint thinner, as they'll eat your plastics and they evaporate much longer.
Paint thinner (mineral spirits) is much less harmful to plastics than ACETONE which will desolve plastic in short order.