How can I increase the friction in this shifter. A tightening of the screw does not solve the problem. That is, if I tighten it too much, I can't move the shifter. If I loosen it so the shifter with shift, the load on the cable is enough to move the shifter up, especially while riding - caused by the riding vibrations I'm sure. The black washer under that screw has disintegrated (see black fragments on the left of the last pic).

This is a 1972 Schwinn but my '80's Tommasini/Campy NR has the same affliction.

Any help?

Thanks!

The '72 Traveler came with a Shimano "Super Shifter", here is the parts breakdown:



Looks like you may need to find or fabricate a replacement rubber washer, in addition you might try disassembling and degreasing all of the components. If that doesn't help then you may have to replace the shifters entirely.

Thanks, Meta. The CoOp might have a pair of shifters that might work but my first choice is make these work somehow. The hardware store might have a slim rubber plumbing washer that might work. Any other ideas?

A shifter that loosens over time usually means a missing or badly worn part.

Ever taken your shifters apart? They have a stack of slightly different washers. you have to be careful to put everything back together in the same order.

#2, Wow Is that is made overly complicated !

Campag Down tube friction levers are so Much simpler..




...

The shifters, and the whole bike, has veritably no use to it but has suffered from decades of storage neglect and superficial damage. It's an interesting story, a true barn find, but I digress. So, while there is no damage from use, the little black washer has deteriorated (see pic - this came from under/behind the screw head). I believe that this is the part that is causing the shifter to fail. If so, does anyone know how to replace this? Is this a rubber washer or maybe a fibrous material? I assume that this washer is designed to add friction. It is this friction component that I need help on. Does anyone have experience coming up with a solution to this problem? My tact is to keep these shifters, and all of the components original to the bike if possible.

Thanks for any help.

Best option: replace the entire shifter set. Small parts for Shimano shifters were darn near impossible to find when they were new. 45 years later... no way.

These are $10, plus shipping:
Sunrace SLR03 Friction Stem Shifter - 28.6mm

you can sand or cut down a faucet washer to the required diameter/thickness to make a rubber washer. I'd go to a real hardware or plumbing store. YOu can also try the same thing with a fiber or plastic friction washer. Hardware store, bottled gas dealers (CO2 washers) etc. Fiber washers are also common in carburetor rebuild kits. Kits cover numerous models and have leftover parts. Think Lawn & garden service shop or car racing shops. Extra parts are the kind of things mechanics have a drawer full of.

I myself would probably cut one out of rubber gasket material I have on the shelf. A .44 mag casing to punch the OD and a .22 to punch the ID.

https://www.lawsonproducts.com/Fiber...s/FS120030.lpc

T&S 001088-45 Seat Washer for Big-Flo Faucets

Great information, dedhed. I made my washer out of thin cork (see in left side of pic). Also, I tightened the big nut behind the big black and silver washer thing. That was really all it needed - I should have done that in the first place - Duh!