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Shimano STI not shifting

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Old 01-23-10 | 09:51 PM
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Shimano STI not shifting

I am trying to set up some sti shifting and when I try to shift nothing happens, any help?
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Old 01-23-10 | 09:54 PM
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Gonna have to give us some more information to work with.

Did you just recently install STI levers or what?
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Old 01-23-10 | 09:56 PM
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Yes I recently installed them tonight, I set everything right, limit screws on both front and back. The front shifter works but it looks as if the cable isnt even moving so it will shift.
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Old 01-23-10 | 10:08 PM
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Originally Posted by CamelDane
Yes I recently installed them tonight, I set everything right, limit screws on both front and back. The front shifter works but it looks as if the cable isnt even moving so it will shift.
So the problem is with just the front shifter? I am guessing these are new cables and housings so chances are low that cable is getting hungk up inside bad housing.

Two possibilities (there are others). Check that the cable end is seated properly in the shift lever. Check cable routing from BB shell to the pinch bolt to make sure you have routed to the derailleur properly.
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Old 01-23-10 | 10:15 PM
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problems with the shifting for the rear derailluer, everything looks fine, cable is routing correctly
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Old 01-23-10 | 10:21 PM
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Are you operating the brake lever or the smaller lever behind the brake lever?

Al
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Old 01-23-10 | 10:41 PM
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Yes, i have used STI shifters before, I forgot to mention that i am using campy downtube boss adapter on the drive side, I don't think that would be the problem though?
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Old 01-23-10 | 10:46 PM
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Are the shifters new or used?
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Old 01-23-10 | 10:48 PM
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They are used.
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Old 01-23-10 | 11:03 PM
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Is the cable head actually sitting inside the groove or is it just floating in the shifter...
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Old 01-23-10 | 11:36 PM
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Originally Posted by CamelDane
They are used.
Try hosing out the insides with WD40. If that doesn't work you probably need new shifters.
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Old 01-24-10 | 12:27 AM
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They are Ultegra shifters with Ultegra RD for more info
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Old 01-24-10 | 01:15 AM
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I'm just curious why i would need to replace the shifter?
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Old 01-24-10 | 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by CamelDane
I'm just curious why i would need to replace the shifter?
Just a guess, but the possibility exists because they're used, and they're not working?

As the others have said, make sure that the cable heads are properly seated. May want to browse to https://techdocs.shimano.com and grab the setup instructions. Problem with the STI's is they're pretty much non-serviceable, short of some cleaning you can't get parts for them. Once inoperable, if a ggod cleaning doesn't fix them you're pretty much replacing. Since the right shifter gets used more often it's usually the first to go.
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Old 01-24-10 | 09:40 AM
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You did test the shifter before cabling it up, right? And it made all the proper clicking sounds? If the shifter appeared to be shifting properly before you cabled it, make double, triple, and quadruple certain that the cable is properly seated in the shifter.

Pull the housing away from the shifter. Pull the cable tight into the shifter so that it's properly seated. Now shift with one hand while pulling on the cable taut with the other. Make sure the cable moves as it should.
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Old 01-24-10 | 10:31 AM
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Are you getting clicks for each shift of the shifter?
Are all your housings installed against their stops?
Did you pull all the slack out of the shift cable before attaching at the derailleur? Was the shifter in the position for the least cable tension (clicking the small lever through it's entire range) when you attached the shift cable?
If you pull the cable away from the downtube, does the RD shift?
Check through these and you should be able to isolate the problem area.
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Old 01-24-10 | 11:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Steev
Did you pull all the slack out of the shift cable before attaching at the derailleur? Was the shifter in the position for the least cable tension (clicking the small lever through it's entire range) when you attached the shift cable?
I'd bet a fair bit of money this is the problem.
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Old 01-24-10 | 02:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Al1943
Try hosing out the insides with WD40. If that doesn't work you probably need new shifters.
Lets ascertain that other simpler things are not the problem before hitting the shifter internals with a solvent, mmkay?
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Old 01-24-10 | 06:25 PM
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Originally Posted by HillRider
I'd bet a fair bit of money this is the problem.

Yeah, I didn't think of that til Steev posted, but it is a good call.
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Old 01-24-10 | 06:51 PM
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Agree with checking the installation procedures to make sure you did it right. I replaced a set of Ultegra's a couple of years ago and it was tricky just because you seldom have to do this kind of repair. I would also agree with the post that says if they are bad, you cannot service them.
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