Erik_A

this is a follow-up to: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ineral-spirits

Recipe:
Buy:
1.) White Lightening - Clean Streak, $16.00
2.) WD-40 (gallon size metal can), $16.00
3.) Tri-Flow, $8.00
4.) canned air, $2.00
5.) translucent 1 quart container/ lid, $3.00

I had a pair of Shimano 105 Brifters with the right / rear frozen after sitting in the garage all winter. This has happened a few time before.

Step 1: Remove rubber hoods and saturate the internal shifter gears with WL Clean Streak.

Step 2: soak the brifters for 24 hours completely submerged in WD-40 in the translucent 1 quart container with lid (sold where they sell the mineral spirits at Home Depot), and agitate vigorously as many times as possible.

Step 3: Inject a lot of canned air (like you use to clean computers) to purge the now softened old grease out of the gears.

Step 4: Dry them in the sun for a few hours.

Step 5: Re-lubricate the gears with a ton of Tri-Flow. Dry and replace hoods.
Done!

They now are shifting like new - amazing. I have gotten rid of 3-4 pairs of brifters over the years that I thought were shot, that I know would have been fine if I had done this method. Oh well, hindsight is always 20/20.
From now on all brifters will get this treatment when they start shifting poorly.
Side note; before I filtered the WD-40 back into the can, I soaked about 8 of my extra chains that I had previously cleaned these with gasoline (bad idea, because of the horrible smell - that seems to last permanently). I was amazed at how much gunk and dirt came off this time around. And, I actually like the smell of WD-40.

I let the quart container sit for a day after, and the gunk/ old grease sank the the bottom. I was able to pour almost all of the WD-40 back into the can.
Whatever WD-40 made from, ( https://www.wired.com/science/discove...st_whatsinside ) the gallon size works perfectly for this "repair"! I realize that I put my stable of brifter equipped bikes through torture in storing them year-round in an unconditioned, separated garage/ shed (with high heat and cold that Maryland brings).

dsbrantjr

" I had previously cleaned these with gasoline (bad idea, because of the horrible smell"

Bad idea to clean anything with gasoline; it is toxic by skin contact and inhalation, it is highly flammable and it generates explosive vapors which can travel a surprising distance to an ignition source.

PLEASE only use it to fuel internal combustion engines, never, ever as a cleaning agent!

Burton

Not to be a party pooper - but I think recovering and lubing brifters and other shifters is a normal part of a tune up in most shops. The only time I've had to use a lot of WD40 myself was when a client dropped her road bike on the beach and that was just to flush out the sand. That was a littke unusual so there was an extra charge but it was only $15.

Ronno6

Erik_A, You didn't specify what 105 levers you are salvaging: 8,9,or 10 speed.
I have heard of the WD40 flush being used on Shimano 8 speed units, which
are regarded by some to be the sturdiest of the lot.
I have not seen that treatment being useful on later models.

Erik_A

I have heard the same thing, I have also heard of people spraying WD-40 into the shifters from the aerosol can (which I tried, without success). I have also read here about how horrible Shimano brifters are , and "thats why there are so many used left/ front shifters on eBay".

I have used this on 5-1/2 pairs of Shimano shifters so far, 3 sets are 105 9 speed; 1 is 105 10 speed and 1 is Tiagra 10-speed (and 1/2 is Ultegra 9 speed left). The worst was an ugly 9 speed 10 right/rear that was toatally frozen (shifter clicked but didn't move the cable) - which came back to 100% after the WD-40 bath.

Guys don't hate when the number of "broken" road shift-levers on Craigslist goes down and my stock in WD-40's parent company goes up.

Erik_A

For the canned air, I pull them out of the WD-40 bath; move the shift lever to the side so the gears are exposed - and purge out all of the yellowish/ white sludge that is the old hardened grease. Then put them back in the bath for more agitation.


I don't work in a shop, and am not a mechanic - but a compressed air gun would work better. I am doing this on my back porch.


I like the translucent container (clear would be better) because - I want to see when the sludge separated from the clean WD-40 afterwards. I just pour the clear liquid back into the gallon can with a funnel. This takes a few tries since the pouring agitates the sludge; so I let it sit for another day and repeat. But, opaque would work too.

jsharr

I have poured the mineral spirits I use to clean parts through a coffee filter held in an old wire strainer to clean it. Wonder if you could filter the WD 40 like this?

anixi

Great idea!! I should see if my wife has an old one I can grab. I imagine the large commercial coffee filters would work best...

himespau 

Have to remember this.

furballi

Put the part in a glass jar. Work in the yard at least 30 feet from open flame. Gasoline-resistant gloves are dirt cheap. Widely available gasoline is one of the best solvent from a price/performance perspective. Cheap 5W-30 motor oil lasts much longer than many fancy bicycle lube. Use 85W-140 gear oil to lubricate high-wear/high load components like a chain.

triathloner

I've dont this a few times, not quite to your extent. Usually just soak in WD overnight, blow out with compressed air. and hit with tri flow. But remember to put more tri flow in every 500 miles or so as the tri flow isn't think like the original grease, so it thins and dissapears from the small gears inside and then they will get sluggish again.

CACycling

I'm wondering, as WD-40 is basically mineral spirits and mineral oil, if using straight mineral spirits to soak would be any less effective (and would definately be less expensive).

jsharr

I use a wire strainer and a couple of glass Pace picante sause jars. I use the same filter our 12 cup coffee maker takes. I just set the jar down, put the strainer in the mouth of the open jar, insert a filter and slowly pour the mineral spirits through it. Removes the big stuff at least. I also work in really well ventilated area!

Erik_A

I thought the same, and went looking for a gallon of mineral spirits; but at my Home Depot (large store in Baltimore, MD) a gallon of WD-40 was about $16.00 and a gallon of mineral spirits was $15.00.


There was a similar spirited discussion here: wd 40 vs mineral spirits - Page 2


This Wired article is great:


What's Inside WD-40? Superlube's Secret Sauce
By Patrick Di Justo 04.20.09


The recipe for this superlube has long been a closely guarded trade secret—until now. Wired sent a can to the lab and got the ingredients.


Mineral Oil
Seriously. WD-40 is mostly a mix of baby oil, Vaseline, and the goop inside homemade lava lamps.


Decane
WD-40 contains an abundance of alkanes—hydrocarbons that match the formula CxH2x+2, usually in a long, zigzagging chain. This one, C10H22, which is also a common ingredient of gasoline, helps WD-40 remain a liquid at cold temperatures. Decane doesn't freeze until around -21 degrees Fahrenheit.


Nonane
Another alkane. One reason these molecules are so handy here: Their hydrogen atoms don't hold a charge, so they can't connect to the hydrogen or oxygen in water, which makes alkanes water-repellent. WD-40, after all, stands for "water displacement, 40th attempt."

Tridecane and Undecane
Freeze-resistant? Check. Water- repellent? Check. Contains an alkane that is the major product of the red-banded stinkbug's scent gland? Check! Many alkanes are naturally produced by living creatures. Undecane, part of the pheromone trail left by cockroaches and ants, is present.


Tetradecane
Another alkane! Zzzzzz.


Dimethyl Naphthalene
Here's the thing: This stuff (C12H12) comes in 10 forms, called isomers. One of them is a harmless hormone given off by potatoes. Another is used in high-performance engineering plastics. Our analysis can't determine which ones are present here, but if you're using it as a solvent, as is likely the case with WD-40, they all work just fine.


Cyclohexane
That cyclo prefix means that unlike standard alkanes, which come in chains, this one's a ring. The shape gives cycloalkanes a higher melting point. And huffing them will knock you out cold. (Or so we're told.)


Carbon Dioxide
The WD-40 company claims that by using this gas as a propellant, it avoids using smaller gaseous alkanes (possibly butane and propane), which can be hazardous to the environment. As if CO2 isn't.

RubeRad

Yeah, this writeup made me wonder, why not a $16.00 repair recipe, involving only WD40, and assuming you already have some chain lube and a suitable container?

Also, if triflow is too thin, and apparently OEM Shimano grease is too thick (eventually), how about something in-between -- Chain-L? Or some other heavier oil? (Although if you switched to Chain-L, chances are you got some regular chain lube sitting around looking for a purpose...)

anixi

^I'll bet that Chain-L is too thick.

Kimmo

You can avoid removing the hoods if you can undo the 2mm grub screw that retains the pivot pin.

And there's a method for exposing the internals once you've removed the lever that's quite easy. It's in two threads currently on the first page, but for posterity's sake you can find them linked in the OP of the STI overhaul thread linked in my tag.

As for Chain-L, I think it's perfect for STIs. Even when performing a complete rebuild and using grease, I use Chain-L as well. Plenty of it hangs around where it's supposed to.

Chain-L makes things made out of sliding bits of plate happy.

anixi

Good to know, a local bike shop here sells Chain-L (probably for full retail plus!) and I'll get some. I've got a Shimano brifter that needs some love...

Erik_A

Cool, thanks for that info! I would likely remove the hoods anyway, because the solvents would damage the rubber.

Great recommendation on the Chain-L; they even give a free sample at your LBS apparently https://chain-l.com/

RubeRad

Note that retail for Chain-L is not that much more than other chain lubes -- especially boutique ones -- so when you account for the infrequency of application, the long term cost of chain lubrication is considerably lower with Chain-L. Not to mention the savings from longer chain life.

anixi

I like that! The motor oil I use now seems to last no more than a couple of rides.

Erik_A

I emailed Chain-L about using it inside STI levers to replace the OEM grease:

Francis B. emailed me back:


"Yes, but you want to use very little. I use Chain-L for many things like this, but I thin it considerably with naphtha or mineral spirits (petroleum, not "green". This carries it in faster, and because it runs off and is easy to wipe excess leaves very little inside.

My thin Chain-L is my general purpose light lube for all the small stuff like derailleur pivots brake pivots, etc. Just be sure to wipe off excess, and where it's exposed a quick wipe dry with a rag dampened with solvent."

RubeRad

Well I don't think even Chain-L can compete with the cost of motor oil; 1qt for a few bucks is basically a lifetime supply for bicycle chains, or used motor oil is free!

But Chain-L is good stuff. You'll find many fans here on BF, as well as its creator, FBinNY. It's not for everybody though, read the FAQs, and you can decide for yourself if you want to accept the tradeoff between lubrication performance vs looks.

ThermionicScott 

That statement may be true, but used motor oil contains soot, acidic combustion byproducts, emulsified water, and all kinds of other things I wouldn't apply to something I was trying to lubricate.

Zermatt7

I use 5w30 Mobil One for bike/chain oi, Also wrorks great on as a light gunoil in restoring old revolvers & Muzzle loaders.