Lubricating shifters?

Mancunianfightingcat

Does any body lubricate their shifters, if so how and what with. Mine are a lovely set of XTR and I'd like them to last as long as possible!

stumpyjon

Every now and again I strip mine (take the cases off) and thoroughly clean with degreaser and then dry. I then usually relude with normal grease (Finishline white).

jayson

I wasn't never brave enough to completely strip my shifters down but i did flush them out with a healthy dose of GT85 once a week.

Its a simple job if u unscrew the little cable entry bolt then poke the straw in and give it a good soaking, i had sealed cable so dint need to worry about them.

passout

As above but don't know if it's right.

Big Red S

There are worse things to do to them than regularly flush them with gt85, but a better idea is to preserve the grease that's in there, and when you do clean them, strip them, clean them, and regrease them.

Realistically, all you need to do for the strip is remove the covers. I don't know with the new XTRs, but generally this involves a couple of screws and not a lot else. I'd guess the m970s require the removal of the triggers, but I'm not sure.

stumpyjon

None of my shifters (STX-RC, LX or XT) have required more than removal of the covers (can be a bit fiddily get them over the shift levers sometimes).

I wouldn't dream of trying to take the inner workings apart (not that you need to), there's way too many springs in there, they'd never go back together properly.

To get the mechanism really clean and free of old grease I use a toothbrush and degreaser followed by a really good flush to get any degreaser out, dry and then as I said grease.

Mancunianfightingcat

My old XTs seem to have rubber bungs on them, I assume these are for pumping grease or lube in. I've just washed my bike after a muddy ride and sprayed some WD40 through any gaps I could see, hope I haven't washed the grease out!!!!!

artillerydave

I use the GT85 method (always have done for years) and it seems to do the trick. I don't think they need much else, I personally wouldn't strip them down unless there was a problem.

Mancunianfightingcat

I suppose if Shimano lube them at the factory with the same green stuff thats still on my rear mech despite repeated washing with fs1, it'll still be in my shifters too!

realnumber 1

GT85 method has worked fine for my 6 year old LX shifters.

-liam-

GT85 in mine too...can't be wrong if so many do it

dunker

Gt85 mine too.


step away from the WD40 :shock: :!: :shock: