Need help with shimano cantilevers
 

I took a trip down to a local bike co-op today and found some old XT cantilevers I'm hoping will help solve some reach issues. The shop didn't keep the springs and other small parts with the arms, so I grabbed a bunch of stuff that looked like it may work together and some extras. But now I have a bag of parts and springs and arms and I can't quite figure out the design, so I'm wondering if anyone has pictures of how the springs go into the arms, and how the plastic washers fit over them on either side, or if anyone could just tell me what the parts are and how they fit together.

Oh, these are BR-M734 and 650, which look identical to me in every regard.

Thanks.

I don't have pictures, and I am only going on my set of older XT BR-MC70s, but I think they're essentially the same, so I'll do my best.
Okay, firstly, the springs are reversible front to back (as in the spring itself, not front to back of the bike), but not side to side. In other words, one is left and one is right, irregardless of front or rear of bike.
Now, for a rear right side brake or a front left side brake, the spring (when looking at it from the front or back) coils to the right. For a rear left side or front right side brake, the spring coils to the left. Got it?

Once you've sorted out the sides, assemble as following:
1) Turn brake over so you're looking at the back side.
2) Insert correct spring, with end placed into small hole (orientation doesn't matter, just as long as you've got the correct side)
3) Insert plastic dome over spring, with the other end of the spring poking through the hole in this piece
4) Hold all together and slide over canti boss, with emphasis on holding it all together (i.e. - don't let the pieces come apart)
5) Screw in bolt with washer

Also, make sure the canti posts and bolts are greased lightly first.

Good luck!

The 650 is actually Deore DX. The forging is exactly the same as an XT. Look closely at the mounting hardware. The XT is aluminum and I believe the DX is steel. OTT, they're the same. IMO run the XT out front and DX in the back. Everyone will think you have a complete set of XT's. Good luck

Thanks, Antipodes!

I'm wondering if I grabbed the right plastic bits that go over the spring (and if these are even necessary)-- I grabbed two that have a little slider that goes betweem "SLR" and "Normal," and I'm guessing these go in the two arms that have the two positions for the spring, and two that were flat and had no print, just a hole for the spring to exit. Sound right?

Thanks again, and thanks for the info about DX vs. XT.

couple little details: some of those springs do have a "short" end and a "long" end, if yours are like that then the short end goes into the canti body, and the long end thru the plastic cap. The springs should have a "color code": they have cadmium plating and the silver color plating indicates RIGHT side, the gold color plating indicates LEFT side, this is pretty consistent with ALL Shimano cantis that use those springs. You'd use the SLR hole if you have a SLR lever (with a "helper spring" in the lever) and the NORMAL hole for use with any other lever.