Originally Posted by
Skewer
Regarding flushing brifters, can someone please elaborate and give a little more detail regarding what is involved here? What kind of solvent do you recommend flushing one with? Do you need to remove the brifter from the handlebars and cables to do a good job? One guy above suggested soaking the brifter overnight in mineral spirits.
This was suggested by my LBS to free up stuck Ultegra 8 speed STI front levers.
Flush generously with White Lightening Degreaser while working the mechanism.
Allow just enough time for the degreaser to dry/evaporate, then IMMEDIATELY lube generously with Tri-Flow spray lubricant. This is important as the degreased parts begin to rust very soon after they dry because they no longer have a protective oil coat.
This worked as promised. I flipped the bike to a happy triathlon bound buyer, so I can't comment as to how long the fix remained effective.