In refitting my Shimano SL-6400-FCAI ("light action" seven speed) downtube shifters the right side one works perfectly with and without SIS selected. However on fitting the left side the lever will not pull towards the seat but will move against spring load towards the front wheel! I just cannot figure out how to "unlock" this lever. The parts can only be assembled one way. Even with the lever off the bike and holding the flatted core piece with pliers the lever will only move anti-clockwise. It was working perfectly before I removed it. It is not possible that the right and left side parts were mistakenly reversed as the mechanisms are different and anyhow the wires are different lengths and have never been removed.

Help!

Ian

You have to rotate the shifter in the opposite direction of the shifting motion until it reaches the stop before doing the final tightening. It has a internal spring.

I did as you suggested. Works okay but I was surprised that it does not lie flat parallel to the down tube but instead the tip lies about 15 degrees/1" higher. Is this normal?

Ian

Yes. I had the same question when I first put in 7700 dt shifters. Apparently somewhere mid to late 80s shimano decided that they wanted a 30 degree ride from the downtube on the front shifter to allow "ease of use". They even mentioned it in the tech docs.

Thanks, I'm happier now as I had lost the instructions from 1987 and the bike has been lying for a few years. All is now wired up and adjusts just fine.

Ian

Good to hear! I did see that you'd asked about this in the other thread.