Tandem Cycling - Brifter repair

I have need to disassemble the Shimano Ultegra Brifter (left side for the triple chainring) on our 2007 Santana Beyond and could use a little insight as to what I am getting into. Are there instructions or diagrams on line to view? The levers are not sitting straight in the housing and not working correctly. This is more than a simple flush with lubricant repair. I started to disassemble it but I did not want to force anything that should not be forced.

Thanks in advance

I have been told by a couple of different mechanics that Shimano shifters are not repairable. When they break, you replace them. If you find out differently, please share.

There are a number of threads on this. Apparently, parts are not available for these components, but there have been reports of some folks that do repairs by scavenging parts from other assemblies. Frankly, it does not appear to be a promising avenue to pursue.

And with the idea that replacement is the only option, that should free up any worries about tearing into it and "wrecking it." I'd say have fun and see what you can do. And if you get the bugger fixed, as mentioned, let us know how!

http://techdocs.shimano.com/techdocs/blevel.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302051928&bmUID=iS193Zw

In general:
- Campy brifters are rebuildable.
- Shimano brifters are disposable.
- SRAM - I have no info.

That said, here are a couple links I've saved from past discussions on Shimano:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shimano-STI-Shifter-Repair/137062087082

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?610670-8spd-Ultegra-STI-shifter-%28original-style%29-rebuild-guide

I bought two new sets of the ultegra triple brifters on sale. If need one of them, send me a pm.

Had a pair of Dura Ace brifters go kaput after 10,000 miles.
No fixin' . . . and went to Barcons!

You might want to reconsider. I looked at your photos and thought they looked similar to the low time not broken brifters taken off our Co-Motion. Our bike is one year earlier than yours but the brifters seem the same except for color of a couple parts.

The brifters I have are still mounted on the drop bars.

If it matters, both of the levers are NOT aligned with the bar. Both levers cant outboard at the bottom. They look to be positioned exactly as yours are.

Clean and flush them. If the hoods have twisted realign them.

I don't think they are injured.

PK

Thank you to all who have replied so far. The levers are definitely cocked. They do not sit in the body correctly and they do not shift at all so something has slipped out of place inside or is broken. But armed with the links that curbtender and shimagnolo provided I have a better idea of how they come apart and will at least attempt that. Unfortunately we are leaving for a month (but taking our second tandem in the motorhome) so will not be getting to this until we return. I will report back when I get into it. Thanks to all.

Thank you to all who have replied so far. The levers are definitely cocked. They do not sit in the body correctly and they do not shift at all so something has slipped out of place inside or is broken. But armed with the links that curbtender and shimagnolo provided I have a better idea of how they come apart and will at least attempt that. Unfortunately we are leaving for a month (but taking our second tandem in the motorhome) so will not be getting to this until we return. I will report back when I get into it. Thanks to all.

There may be a bit of cable caught in the mechanism and keeping the lever from returning to the normal position. If so it may be fixable since it is not worn out just jammed.

Our Ultegra 10-speed brifters lasted about 11,000 miles and died. For some I guess that is the lifetime of bike use but for us (and many in this forum) just a couple years.

All cable ends are accounted for so not that. What happened was we had the tandem in one of the compartments under the motorhome and things shifted in the compartment. Then when I went to remove the tandem something caught on the brifter lever and it got tweaked pretty good. I bent the release lever back to at least be in line with the brake lever but both were still out of line within the housing or hood. Hope that does not happen with our second tandem on this next trip.