Left Shifter not shifting down from big ring

dubbs2009

Hi all,

I was turbo training last night - shifted from small ring to big ring for a bit of an explosive effort... then tried to switch down to smaller ring (on standard double cranks btw) but the mech did not move - the shifter also did not feel the same (Shimano Ultegra 6500 9 speed), it feel very loose and from closer inspection now I can see that it is not loosening the cable tension to the front mech (a 105 5500 silver mech), Even with the mech in the big ring position if I go to shift up the front mech will aim to move the chain up and off the big ring... but trying to shift down does nothing...

Any ideas where the problem lies? Shifter? Cable? Front Mech?

Return spring dead?

Cheers guys....

dubbs2009

Think its defo the shifter - just manually slackened the cable and the mech moved down to lower ring - tighten up - shifted up to large ring and that worked fine - but when trying to shift down - nothing - shifter feels loose and wrong and cable does not slacken and therefore front mech does not move... Do I need a new left shifter? Is it fixable? Anyone any experience of this? Shifter is pretty old I think (I've only had the bike a few weeks) but is 7 years old and running Ultegra 6500 which ended production in 2004 I believe?

dubbs2009

Guys some more detail here > viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12948918&p=18621227#p18621227

Looks like the gear cable is stuck - this is not right is it???



Should not be bent like this? Terminal? or fixable?

Monty Dog

Try cleaning and lubing the cables first. Pull the brake lever so you can see the lever internals - when you release the inner lever, does the ratchet release and the index mechanism rotate? There's nothing much internal to service if the shifter isn't working apart from dousing it with GT85 or WD40 in the hope that it flushes-out some dirt or dried grease - if you can't coax it back to life, then replacement is the likely action.

dubbs2009

Monty Dog wrote:

Try cleaning and lubing the cables first. Pull the brake lever so you can see the lever internals - when you release the inner lever, does the ratchet release and the index mechanism rotate? There's nothing much internal to service if the shifter isn't working apart from dousing it with GT85 or WD40 in the hope that it flushes-out some dirt or dried grease - if you can't coax it back to life, then replacement is the likely action.

The shifter wont rotate anymore - it feels like the barrel is stuck in its position with the gear cable not able to move... have tried to push it back in and pull hard on the cable but it is still not moving - have sprayed in loads of WD40 and still nothing... originally it would not shift down, it would shit up... now it wont do either...

Monty Dog

Check that the cable hasn't frayed behind the nipple - quite common with STIs. If its not cable, given the age and condition, would suggest its toast - you need the skills of a brain surgeon and patience of a saint to repair them

andrewc3142

If changing the cables doesn't do it, looks as though you have a dead shifter. Had the exact same about a month ago with the left shifter (105). Expensive, but not complaining though since it lasted over 6 years of hard work, plus the replacement was also an upgrade, with the cables now nicely tucked away.

dubbs2009

andrewc3142 wrote:

If changing the cables doesn't do it, looks as though you have a dead shifter. Had the exact same about a month ago with the left shifter (105). Expensive, but not complaining though since it lasted over 6 years of hard work, plus the replacement was also an upgrade, with the cables now nicely tucked away.

Thanks for the feedback - I think it is probably toast - from what I can see the cable looks fine and not frayed so cant work out why the barrel has moved into this jammed position without some sort of fatal fail somewhere inside... Looks like a replacement shifter will be on the cards - taking to the LBS on Monday for a diagnosis....

keef66

My RH 105 shifter has eaten 2 cables so far. Last one frayed so badly it broke completely. Had the same issue as you; no way to push it out, levers not moving. Managed to get some needle-nosed pliers on the nipple and pulled it and the frayed remains of the cable out. New cable and everything's fine once more.

Also had a similar issue with the LH shifter on 9 speed Tiagra. I hadn't been aware but the cable slipped through the clamp bolt on the front mech so there was slack in the system when I dropped to the small ring. This unseated the nipple in the shifter and it jammed when I went to change back up to the big ring. Again a lot of jiggling the levers and use of needle-nosed pliers was required.

dubbs2009

keef66 wrote:

My RH 105 shifter has eaten 2 cables so far. Last one frayed so badly it broke completely. Had the same issue as you; no way to push it out, levers not moving. Managed to get some needle-nosed pliers on the nipple and pulled it and the frayed remains of the cable out. New cable and everything's fine once more.

Also had a similar issue with the LH shifter on 9 speed Tiagra. I hadn't been aware but the cable slipped through the clamp bolt on the front mech so there was slack in the system when I dropped to the small ring. This unseated the nipple in the shifter and it jammed when I went to change back up to the big ring. Again a lot of jiggling the levers and use of needle-nosed pliers was required.

Thanks keef66 - Just purchased a replacement so will work out when I dismount the current one what has happened and hopefully the new one will work OK.

So when you pulled the nipple (that's the end of the cable yeh), you pulled it out of the side of the shifter (opposite to that which it enters the shifter) and then the barrel returned to original position and shifter worked OK?

keef66

"So when you pulled the nipple (that's the end of the cable yeh), you pulled it out of the side of the shifter (opposite to that which it enters the shifter) and then the barrel returned to original position and shifter worked OK?"

Exactly right. I think I was lucky that no bits of frayed cable ended up left behind in the mechanism.

dubbs2009

OK thanks keef66 - just ordered some needle nosed pliers to give it a go.... from looking at the cable inside the barrel it looks OK, so I might just get away with it...

dubbs2009

Hi all - just to confirm, I still have not managed to remove the cable from this shifter - the barrel appears to be jammed in this odd position - I have since removed it and installed a new 2nd hand shifter as a replacement which works fine - One of those things I think... Another STI shifter retires from active duty.... RIP