Illuminado

I was building up a new bike w/ older brifters, had just run the shift cable, and was going to adjust the FD when I shifted it and it just stuck there. Now, no manner of huffing, puffing, banging, or tinkering can un-stick it. Any ideas?



Haven't been able to find much online, so I figured I'd ask before I huck this thing in the dumpster. I disassembled it down to the lever and body and was able to rebuild it, but I'm scared that if I go any further than that that I'll never be able to get it back in one piece again. I'm looking to get a new shifting lever mechanism on ebay, but I was hoping someone would have some sage advice before I pony up the money and have to wait.

Burton

Did you succeed on removing the cable? That would at least confirm that the problem is mechanical and not just that the cable is jammed in the mechanism. I'm asking because its unusual that the lever didn't at least return to its default position.

HillRider

That was my first thought too. I expect the OP didn't seat the cable end fully before trying to shift.

Mondo734

just a thought from a noob. Is it possible that you hooked the brake cable into the shiftering system? I have heard that it doesnt work if you do that.

Illuminado

The cable was seated properly prior to shifting. There is no shifter cable in the brifter, nor anything else that I can see. I tore down the brifter and removed the body from the lever and the covers to see if I couldn't at least see if something was siezed in some way. After poking around for a bit, realizing I couldn't find anything out of place, I rebuilt it as you see in the picture above.

drewfio

Did you ever figure this out? I have shifter that is stuck, exactly like yours appeared to be. It came to me this way, so not sure how it happened.

Camilo

The only advice I've heard about jammed Shimano STI shifters is to flood the beejeezers out of it with a spray lube like WD40, work it, flood it, etc.

drewfio

I tried flooding with WD40. No effect. It seems almost certainly something like being mechanically jammed, not dirty and gunked up. It's super clean and in great shape otherwise. It feels like there is something physically blocking it from moving/returning. I though maybe a broken cable. I can't see anything of that sort, but maybe it is somehow hidden out of sight. Here are a couple pictures of how it is stuck:

Dave Mayer

I had a Dura-Ace 7800 right-hand shifter with exactly these same symptoms. Turns out that a cable end had snapped off and hidden/lodged itself inside of the shifter mechanism. Took 5 years of on and off of pondering on how to fix this. Then I got a tiny new flashlight for Xmas, and shined it on the shifter innards, and discovered some cable strands where they should not have been. A few minutes later with a set of needle-nose pliers, and the shifter was good as new.

drewfio

Started poking around with a flashlight and lamp for a while now. Can’t see anything. Glad you were able to fix yours. If mine is the same issue it is exceedingly well hidden.

sweeks

"Luke... I am your father!"
(Sorry... couldn't resist. )