[iviguy]

I have a Shimano LX 7 speed shifter on my bike that I have recently had the cabling replaced on. It just started having an issue where, on the right side pod for the rear cogs, the lower lever , the one that shifts to a larger gear will not always enguage. I have to depress it several times sometimes to get it to catch and shift the gear. Sometimes it will be normal though.

Is this something that is adjustable inside the pod and if so how?

Thanks

 

[Shayne]

I Wouldn't Advise Taking It Apart

...unless you have a watchmaker background. They aren't meant to be services although if you are patient and ahve a steady hand it can be done.

I'm guessing the teeth on one of the plactic ratchets/gears are worn and not engaging properly in which case you will need a new shifter. I have had this happen with several sets of rapid-fire shifters after many years f use

 

[iviguy]

I was hoping that wasn't the answer but I somehow figured it was. Don't they have to take one side off, exposing the gears, to attach the cable? Do you know if the gears are easily found for replacement on these older pods?

 

[Shayne]

No Idea

They weren't meant to be serviced so there were no spare parts available. I'm sure they are a standard size so would be available somewhere but I couldn't tell you where to look.

 

[iviguy]

Hey, do you know if I am unable to find the LX or XT pod shifters, which I am not having much luck with, will I be able to use an 8 speed shifter on a 7 speed cassette? One gear wouldn't be there but the spacing is probably the same, right? There are 8 speed pods available but the only 7 speed pods I have found are XT which don't have the nice window viewer on them.

 

[Jm.]

I fix that problem almost daily at my shop.

What has happened is that your shifters are getting old, and possibly your bike sat in one place for a significant amount of time.

What has happened is that the little pawls and ratchets inside of your shifter have become gummed up. The grease that one lubricated them has turned into a gummy composition. This is why they don't engage anymore.

What I do to fix this is remove the housing of the shifter. Spray a generous amount of carburettor cleaner in there (center around the pawls), then let that evaporate and add Bike Aid. Bike Aid is a moly-dry lubricant that works magic on shifters and cables. It's also refered to as "Dry Slide". I work this into the pivots of the pawls and then manually work the pawls with a tweezer, small metal rod, or small screwdriver. Once the palws are moving freely again the shifter will work fine.

The best way to keep it from happening again is to ride your bike and occasionally apply the dry slide if you have it.

This isn't terribly hard to do when you get used to it as I have, but this is something you may want a shop to do, as they'll know how far to take down the shifter (Take off the housing) and how to actuate the pawls correctly...or hopefully.

95% of the time the customer does not need new shifters when this is the problem.

 

[iviguy]

Thanks! That is great advise. I also have another bike that has been sitting unused for about 6 years and the shifter won't enguage at all. I bet that is the problem.

On the bottom of the shifter pod there is a bolt, this is Shimano Alivio 7 speed shifters. So all I need to do is remove that bolt, which must be a locking type because it never gets to a point where it unscrews easily, right? Then do as you say to clean it out.

I have some dry lubricant that is a spray teflon based lube. This should work, right? I bet you are absolutely correct. Now I am anxious to give it a shot.

Thanks again.

 

[Jm.]

Thanks! That is great advise. I also have another bike that has been sitting unused for about 6 years and the shifter won't enguage at all. I bet that is the problem.

On the bottom of the shifter pod there is a bolt, this is Shimano Alivio 7 speed shifters. So all I need to do is remove that bolt, which must be a locking type because it never gets to a point where it unscrews easily, right? Then do as you say to clean it out.

I have some dry lubricant that is a spray teflon based lube. This should work, right? I bet you are absolutely correct. Now I am anxious to give it a shot.

Thanks again.

The dry-spray lube might work, doesn't sound bad. Remember you need to remove the housing of the shifter (bike upside down), that bolt on the bottom comes out, and often times to remove certain shimano housings, you need to unscrew the barrell adjusters and take the cable out, this is sometimes difficult when the shifter won't shift because it's hard to get the cable out with the shifter in an odd gear.

The key is to work the pawls and get them to move freely, remember to clean them with carb cleaner (spray them) first, then apply the lube and "work" the pawls with something small like a small screwdriver, tweezers, spoke, etc. When they work freely the shifters should be back to normal, BUT sometimes they are just too gummed up, or the amout of work it takes to get them working again doesn't seem worth it. At the bike shop we get paid x amount of dollars per hour, so if we want to make the best use of the time and not charge the customer and outrageous amount we have to "give up" and just put new shifters on, but usually this problem can be worked out.

 

[iviguy]

The dry-spray lube might work, doesn't sound bad. Remember you need to remove the housing of the shifter (bike upside down), that bolt on the bottom comes out, and often times to remove certain shimano housings, you need to unscrew the barrell adjusters and take the cable out, this is sometimes difficult when the shifter won't shift because it's hard to get the cable out with the shifter in an odd gear.

The key is to work the pawls and get them to move freely, remember to clean them with carb cleaner (spray them) first, then apply the lube and "work" the pawls with something small like a small screwdriver, tweezers, spoke, etc. When they work freely the shifters should be back to normal, BUT sometimes they are just too gummed up, or the amout of work it takes to get them working again doesn't seem worth it. At the bike shop we get paid x amount of dollars per hour, so if we want to make the best use of the time and not charge the customer and outrageous amount we have to "give up" and just put new shifters on, but usually this problem can be worked out.

I tried to take the pod apart last night but it will not come apart. The bolt is unscrewed but will not come out. I removed the cable as well but it still won't release. I even removed every screw on the pod but it will still only seperate about 2mm and no further. Is this normal? Is there some secret to removing it? I am not really concerned about messing anything up because at this point its already messed up. But I don't want break anything needlessly either. Any tips would be appreciated. If need be, I can take some pics and post them so you can see what I am talking about.

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[skywaybuzz]

Is your shifter in the smallest, hardest gear

 

[Wombat]

I have a similar problem with 9 speed LX shifters that also sat around for a long time. It is worse in winter. I just spray teflon spray into the pods with the cable out and that seems to do the job.

Wombat

 

[iviguy]

Is your shifter in the smallest, hardest gear

Yes, I believe it is.

 

[Jm.]

Yes, I believe it is.

There's 2 things that keep the housings from being removed.

1 is the bottom screw.

2 is the barrell adjuster that the cable runs through. To remove the barrell adjuster obviously you need to remove the cable.

If it isn't comming off something sounds very wrong.

 

[iviguy]

There's 2 things that keep the housings from being removed.

1 is the bottom screw.

2 is the barrell adjuster that the cable runs through. To remove the barrell adjuster obviously you need to remove the cable.

If it isn't comming off something sounds very wrong.

The bottom screw won't come completely out but that may be normal if it has a lock ring on it or something. I removed the barrel adjuster and cable but it didn't help much. It simply won't come apart. So obviously something is really screwed up on this pod. Looks like I may be replacing it...

Thanks

 

[skywaybuzz]

Try spraying lube in the barrel adjuster hole.And work it by shifting the gears.