Been doing this for 20+ years, and we refer to it as a "Spray and Pray" Most shifters, respond well but have to be used or it can reoccur. We used to swear by WD40, but now use Kano Aerokroil with even better results. Thanks for the fine videos, you guys are awesome. Take care, Stephen
I had this problem on two of my bikes as well. They got used almost every day. The problem occured almost only in winter time, when it was cold. So I guess the grease inside gets old and crusty over time and in cold temperatures it will be even more sticky or even hard. But through searching the internet for a good amount of time I came to this nice trick on a bike forum :) I used WD 40. It worked, never got the problem again.
I always have used WD40. Thanks for the tip on Kano Aerokroil. I notice he mentions triflo...I have had problems with that, too thick. The wd40 cleaned an lubes perfectly.
The problem with WD40 is that it's not a lubricant. For shifters, I use tri-flow, or some other kind of solvent with a lubricant in it. That said, Kano Kroil is wonderful stuff (I prefer the non-spray variety), and I wish more people knew about instead of just buying WD40 thinking it's somehow going to help them. I haven't had WD40 in my arsenal for years, I can't even think of a valid purpose for it.
@@Metal-Possum I agree totally as far as it's lack of lubricating qualities. I should have expanded my comment to include re-lubing after the shifter comes back. WD40 has reasonably good grease cutting characteristics, and was our go to until we found the Kano. We actually prefer the spray version of Kano as it helps to blow the caramelized grease out of the pawls.
@@Metal-Possum I freed up shifting with a degreaser, but now i dont have any lubricant sitting around for lubing the shifting. I dont wanna spend 20 bucks on finish line wet aerosol spray or order triflow or teflon or whatever . Think if I drip some finish line dry lube that I have here, it'll work ok or is this bad idea?
You're a life saver! Had weird intermittent shifting issues on my 3-9 Deore. After going through every guide on derailleur adjustment I almost gave up. Found the shifter flush video and thought why not. Brake clean and penetrating oil fixed it right away and now the derailleur adjustment process was a breeze. My shifter has never been so "snappy" before. Turned out my dads fairly new bike had the same problem although it only has 100 miles or so.
Yes, "we" have done this. Thank you for the great summary and good cautions. Sometimes we need to go further and disassemble a shifter far enough to get to see and manually manipulate the pawls enough to get them moving and spray with degreaser again. The different designs of shifters over the decades and manufacturing diversity can make this a challenge to mechanic's ingenuity.
Had the problem with the exact same shifter for the front derailleur on my 2001 mountain bike which sat for years after upgrading bikes a few times. Finally using it again on an indoor trainer. I really like the “why” parts of the explanations in the Park Tool videos. This video came out after I degunked my shifter from watching another video. I wish I had thought about holding onto the derailleur cable to avoid moving the derailleur as I did multiple shifts. Always some good pro mechanic tips for us non-pros in your videos. Many thanks.
Hi Truman Yes I have done this before for clients. Love when it solves the problem on the older shifters. The older shimano ones are so well made. Nice to keep them going. Thanks
They are great when back up and running. To be honest neither shifter worked at all when out in the sub zero temps, brought the bike inside and the right side worked great, left was as seen in the video. Now they are working flawlessly. Might last a few years and we'll do it again :) Cheers!
I've had the non-responding shifter issue in the cold for a while now. I had just assumed it was the nexus-8 not shifting in the cold, never thought it would be the top end of the shifter. Tried your technique, and now I'm getting solid shifting at -30C! Thanks so much!
Using Finish Line Cleaner and Lubricant works well too. Sometimes I have removed the shifter cover and can actually see the inner workings to see that you have it working freely.
brake cleaner is safe for plastics ??? Just not sure about that. Might weaken the plastic. And for mom's safety add the bar end plugs.. yes :- ) Happy New Year Park Tool Co. !!
Many shops I know here, didn't do this, they just change the shifter completely. As a mechanic this always pissed me off. And to answer that, many of my customers has this problem, but they are so happy after I tell them that they don't need to replace anything :D
The reason some shops do not do this procedure, is that it is not always 100% effective and often takes some time and supplies. If it is not effective the customer does not want to pay for it.... It just takes being upfront with the customer. If it does not work there still needs to be a minimum charge. I find that when it does not work, the spring for the pawl has moved and just needs to be moved back to its "home". That can often be a difficult task though.
@@parktool I usually remove the lower part and clean the pawl and the spring itself (as of course brake cleaner and lubrication works better if directly using it on the pawl). I never charge anything for that since usually, I can do it fast :) And the happy customer always comes back.
I have done this but as of late I just been getting new shifters. Most of the time the symptoms come back. Replacing them will just save time and hassle in the long run. Great video!
Thanks Mr T, this is the biggest and most time consuming issue for fb4k's. Never thought of using brake clean but next time I run into this problem, I'll try it. I got spare bar end plugs and grips if you need them.
Thanks! And thanks for your work at FB4K. I replaced the bars, grips, cables and rear wheel during the tune up on this bike already. That video may soon follow this one. Thanks for the offer!
Many a time! Those old Shimano levers where you need to get inside and work the pawl free with a point before greasing again are always fun, good vid on a topic we all face a some point!
Did this with my old Shimano shifters. First time I just re-lubed and it didn't last too long (about a year). So, second time I degreased first (citrus degreaser spray), blew that out then followed up with WD40. Worked a treat and still okay two years later.
I've used citrus based parts cleaner for this as well. It did a great job degreasing, but also took the printed numbers off the shift dial too. I wrote them back on with paint pen. The shifter works fine to this day. These days I take them off and soak them in mineral spirits.
I’ve done this before. Break clean I found works best for me. Sometimes it works and sometimes it don’t. It’s worth trying at first before I replace it. Especially if someone wants to save a little money. Thanks for all your tips. Have a fantastic day..!!
Have to do this to my 1995 mtn bike (original shifters) every season. Used to disassemble the shifter, this way is quick easy and back on the road. Been using WD40 for the cleaner, gonna try the brake cleaner.
I have at times taken shifter apart to clean out the insides, with variable results. I'd like to try dunking a sticky shifter into an ultrasonic parts cleaner some time to see if it can improve on the cleaning.
I had this same problem on my shimano 105 unit They have two removable plates on the bottom to do this, also when I did open it the spring on the pawl dropped a leg from an accident I had, took me two hours, my wife’s jewellers magnifiers and a dental pick to reroute and hook that leg back up Works beautifully now Question though, once open it appears that the original grease was white lithium and not a light oil like you suggest, which do think I should use, I have yet to grease them, I’m still into my winter teardown
I would say in my 20+ years working in shops and my own bikes, this technique has worked about 7 to 8 times out of 10. Occasionally, you have to take the shifter apart and give it a deeper clean/lube or check for broken or bent parts.
I'd be a little worried about that goop getting into my cable housing in the case of a continuous long run for a rear mech. Would recommend removing cable & housing first.
You can also take the shift cables & plastic cover off, clean out most of the old grease with a tiny screwdriver and/or cotton swabs. Then use aerosol to clean & lubricate. Will save you from spraying too much and the cleaner almost dripping straight into the bin. However in a hurry the flush shown here works great 👍
Did this just today for a customer. Gears 4-7 worked fine but the shifter wouldn’t drop down to the smaller cogs on the freewheel. Quick shot of triflow and a few cycles of the lever and they were on their way free of charge for something they thought they’d have to spend a pretty penny on. I haven’t tried it with brakleen before but makes sense to get the old gunk out before adding new grease.
this happened once to me. i used spray of cleaner, based on industiral solvent - much like brake cleaner, but more aggressive chemistry. I used high pressure spray, so the jet from the cleaner spray can go everywhere. The dirt that came out of there, made the industrial solvent BLACK. Then light spray of WD-40 and the drama is over.
I used CRC mass air flow cleaner, it evaporates without leaving a residue. I didn't re-lube it all I had was a silicone spray and a PTFE spray, so wasn't sure if they'd do. However it worked a treat on a rusty bike that had been sitting outside for years.
YES! This works on road shifters too. I once soaked my buddy's non-functional Ultegra shifter in a bucket of warm, soapy water for a couple of hours, then sprayed a whole bunch of WD-40 through it, and it worked like new. I have also de-greased shifters like this, but in my humble opinion, you really need to re-grease them afterward. If that's not practical, then a light spray lube like in the video is the next best thing. Most people have no idea how dirty and salty their shifters get. Wash them every time you wash your bike!
I have this issue on my mountain bike which hasn't seen use in a decade. Especially prevalent in the winter when it's cold. Wouldn't it be better to open the Deore shifter and apply some thicker lube, like super lube? I feel the oil you're spraying isn't going to last in there.
The video was very informative, but I have a question: doesn't the degreaser break down the lube too? I've been told to clean up after applying degreaser and before adding lube to other components to prevent this.
Most solvents like brake cleaner and the solvent in wd40 will evaporate. Give it 20 minutes for it to evaporate out of the shifter. Or use compressed air to blow it out.
I rehab bikes for a 501c organization. I have seen plenty of these stuck trigger shifters. I have used Brakekleen, Alcohol spray and even an ultrasonic cleaner with a solution of simple green and water. I have seen some shifters free up with the ultrasonic cleaner and others only by using the aerosol sprays. I have yet been unable to free up a shifter using the solutions I mentioned.
I would not use brake cleaner on plastic parts. I've had bed experiences with bubling, warping, melting, and cracking using some brake cleaners and engine degreasers on plastics. Thanks for the videos.
Been doing this for years as well. Back in the day when only Shimano had the lever type shifting we dubbed it "Shimanoitis", and the name has stuck. Also a good idea, if the quick spray does not work, you may have to take the cover off and move the pawls individually while spraying them to get them moving again.
New bike , so haven’t had to perform that clean yet, but I ride nearly daily and am constantly cleaning the drive train! Pretty much the same way with a degreaser and preferably a foaming one.
You can clean the internals but there are no pawls to get gummed up and stick in a friction thumb shifter. They are easy to overhaul so it may be worth taking it apart, cleaning it, lubing and re assembling.
nice quick fix, but I would take it apart, and put grease in, so it stays lubricated and does not have lube spilling out, but also it can have dirt, plant parts, especially if the hole was not plugged, not been serviced i n a long time, dirt can come in trough where the triggers move. I used to service it at least once in a year, this kept it running smooth. But I no longer use mechanical shifters, and won't go back.
I had shifters gummed up and not shifting very well. Took them off and tossed them into an ultrasonic cleaner with some degreaser for about 10 minutes. Shot some PTFE lube in there and they’re running like a hot damn now.
I have a vintage 90s Shimano 105 shifter… That is as you described it… I thought it was broken so I swapped it… How can I tell if it’s broke or just seized like you’ve shown?
My gravel bike needs this done - so I'm thankful for the video - the fronts got stuck during a real cold ride, and the rear followed shortly after. I'm going to assume the procedure is the same - just aim for where the gear cable goes into the shifter?
it can vary with drop bar shifters. But the concept is the same. Do not try to disassemble the entire thing. If there is a small cover on the inside when you pull the lever and you can remove a few small screws then remove that cover. Then try to get the cleaner in as far as possible. They can be tougher. Depends on the shifter though.
Sometimes I have to open the shifter and work the pawl free with a pick , be careful not to knock the spring off . Also sometimes penetrating oil won’t free it and I’ve had to use alcohol and then lube it . Don’t use WD and be careful with some of the cleaners , some melt plastics . Original Liquid Wrench usually works well .
I’ve had a few bikes come to me with this exact problem. I generally use WD-40 for stage 1 flush which has also done the trick. Brake cleaner seems more effective to remove the gummy stuff though. Thanks! PS I hope Mom’s bike got some TLC beyond just those shifters!
I've learned that soaking the shifters in boiling hot water consistently for about 10ish minutes helps to break down and clean that grease out. if that doesn't help i go the degreaser route but honestly i haven't had many problems with the hot water. but yeah tri flow in the aerosol form really helps to coat the insides of the shifters when its all said and done.
I cant help but notice that there is no disclaimer to keep a vigil eye out for plastic parts. I feel like even the really high end stuff has plastic or composite pieces, which brake cleaner will absolutely destroy.
Whats up with the steel handlebar? Looks like its be in the botton of the ocean please replace with a alloy one its cheap and light but put bar plugs for safety. Its a nice frame i love to have one in my old mtb.
Mostly cleaning pawls doesn't work for a long time. It takes few days to came back problem. So in my workshop we suggest to change shifters if customers have that kind of problem.
I have encountered this problem with some cyclocross bikes and now with some gravel bikes that collect very fine dust quite rapidly. I have used similar spray methods, but I wonder if anyone has any experience (and would avoid or would recommend) with also using a compressor to blow the parts clean. Thanks!
Hello Calvin and Trueman... I have a problem with my brakes... My brakes are squeling every time when i press brake lever... I try everything like degreese it with soap, solvent, car disc brake degreeser... Tell my what should i do... Buy a new disc?... Buy some new brake pads (i have resin pads only disc brake... Tell myyy!!! I am getting crazy trying to solve this problem!!!(sorry for my english)
BrakeKleen is pretty nasty stuff. Assure good ventilation or do outside. If you don't get ALL of that old hard grease out of there the problem is likely to reoccur down the road.
Is there a video to get rid of all air bubbles in hydraulic disc brakes? I held my bike in all positions and air bubbles come out of my shimano di2. Should there no no micro air bubbles at all in the cable and calipers?
General question here. Ive got deore lx index shifters that are working better now after blasting wd-40 in two separate treatments, but I dont have any lube around except for a bottle of finish line dry that I usually just drip on my chain (non-aerosol). If I hit the pawl with some drops of this, will it work better? The shifting now isn't breaking my thumb anymore and its all moving but I think it should be working better.... should I spend money on something better or will this save me some cash?
I would wait for soemething that is not a dry lubricant. What can hapen with the dry lubricant is that it can firm up and become hard. It also does not last as long. You are going to want a thin to medium thickness lubricant.
@@parktool What's the budget friendliest option besides the fine products from Park Tools ? Where quality and low price meet. I saw some cheap 3-1 or Teflon drops
I bought my 93 Barracuda A2M for a steal because the seller told me the shifters were broken. A quick flush solved it, and the shifters are still working fine.
Probably a good idea to blow some compressed air after the brake cleaner. Having the insides soaked in brake cleaner will break down some of the grease and cause it to not adhere as well.
When a shifter clogs like that I usually throw it in a bath of burn liquid and use a compressor to get all the gunk out (of course wearing an air filter mask).
Better yet, remove any cover, blow out with compressed air before flushing and lubricating. Best, remove shifter, then cover, blow out with compressed air, place in solvent and go through gears under surface of solvent. Allow to dry or blow dry with compressed air before lubricating and reinstalling.
Been doing this for 20+ years, and we refer to it as a "Spray and Pray" Most shifters, respond well but have to be used or it can reoccur.
We used to swear by WD40, but now use Kano Aerokroil with even better results. Thanks for the fine videos, you guys are awesome.
Take care,
Stephen
I had this problem on two of my bikes as well. They got used almost every day. The problem occured almost only in winter time, when it was cold. So I guess the grease inside gets old and crusty over time and in cold temperatures it will be even more sticky or even hard. But through searching the internet for a good amount of time I came to this nice trick on a bike forum :) I used WD 40. It worked, never got the problem again.
I always have used WD40. Thanks for the tip on Kano Aerokroil. I notice he mentions triflo...I have had problems with that, too thick. The wd40 cleaned an lubes perfectly.
The problem with WD40 is that it's not a lubricant. For shifters, I use tri-flow, or some other kind of solvent with a lubricant in it. That said, Kano Kroil is wonderful stuff (I prefer the non-spray variety), and I wish more people knew about instead of just buying WD40 thinking it's somehow going to help them. I haven't had WD40 in my arsenal for years, I can't even think of a valid purpose for it.
@@Metal-Possum I agree totally as far as it's lack of lubricating qualities. I should have expanded my comment to include re-lubing after the shifter comes back.
WD40 has reasonably good grease cutting characteristics, and was our go to until we found the Kano.
We actually prefer the spray version of Kano as it helps to blow the caramelized grease out of the pawls.
@@Metal-Possum I freed up shifting with a degreaser, but now i dont have any lubricant sitting around for lubing the shifting. I dont wanna spend 20 bucks on finish line wet aerosol spray or order triflow or teflon or whatever . Think if I drip some finish line dry lube that I have here, it'll work ok or is this bad idea?
I've been having this same problem for my left shifter. Had no idea what was going on with it and this really helped. Thanks Park Tool!
@Isaac Allred WASSSSUP! xD
It's awesome that your mom rides during Midwest winters!
A real bike in park tool shop! Only ever see you guys working on real bikes at events 😱 great video! Thanks 🚴
You're a life saver! Had weird intermittent shifting issues on my 3-9 Deore. After going through every guide on derailleur adjustment I almost gave up. Found the shifter flush video and thought why not.
Brake clean and penetrating oil fixed it right away and now the derailleur adjustment process was a breeze. My shifter has never been so "snappy" before. Turned out my dads fairly new bike had the same problem although it only has 100 miles or so.
Yes, "we" have done this. Thank you for the great summary and good cautions. Sometimes we need to go further and disassemble a shifter far enough to get to see and manually manipulate the pawls enough to get them moving and spray with degreaser again. The different designs of shifters over the decades and manufacturing diversity can make this a challenge to mechanic's ingenuity.
This.
Would totally love to see a video of a full overhaul on your mom's winter bike
Had the problem with the exact same shifter for the front derailleur on my 2001 mountain bike which sat for years after upgrading bikes a few times. Finally using it again on an indoor trainer. I really like the “why” parts of the explanations in the Park Tool videos. This video came out after I degunked my shifter from watching another video. I wish I had thought about holding onto the derailleur cable to avoid moving the derailleur as I did multiple shifts. Always some good pro mechanic tips for us non-pros in your videos. Many thanks.
Thank you
Hi Truman
Yes I have done this before for clients. Love when it solves the problem on the older shifters. The older shimano ones are so well made. Nice to keep them going.
Thanks
They are great when back up and running. To be honest neither shifter worked at all when out in the sub zero temps, brought the bike inside and the right side worked great, left was as seen in the video. Now they are working flawlessly. Might last a few years and we'll do it again :) Cheers!
I've had the non-responding shifter issue in the cold for a while now. I had just assumed it was the nexus-8 not shifting in the cold, never thought it would be the top end of the shifter. Tried your technique, and now I'm getting solid shifting at -30C! Thanks so much!
Dang I thought I had to change levers. Phew! Park Tool to the rescue! Thanks guys!
Incredible resource yall are! I appreciate the explainings of mechanical/component functionings, why and how things are happening how they are!
Using Finish Line Cleaner and Lubricant works well too. Sometimes I have removed the shifter cover and can actually see the inner workings to see that you have it working freely.
Old bikes need love too! haha thanks!
brake cleaner is safe for plastics ??? Just not sure about that. Might weaken the plastic.
And for mom's safety add the bar end plugs.. yes :- ) Happy New Year Park Tool Co. !!
Many shops I know here, didn't do this, they just change the shifter completely. As a mechanic this always pissed me off.
And to answer that, many of my customers has this problem, but they are so happy after I tell them that they don't need to replace anything :D
The reason some shops do not do this procedure, is that it is not always 100% effective and often takes some time and supplies. If it is not effective the customer does not want to pay for it.... It just takes being upfront with the customer. If it does not work there still needs to be a minimum charge. I find that when it does not work, the spring for the pawl has moved and just needs to be moved back to its "home". That can often be a difficult task though.
@@parktool I usually remove the lower part and clean the pawl and the spring itself (as of course brake cleaner and lubrication works better if directly using it on the pawl). I never charge anything for that since usually, I can do it fast :) And the happy customer always comes back.
I have done this but as of late I just been getting new shifters. Most of the time the symptoms come back. Replacing them will just save time and hassle in the long run. Great video!
Careful! Some of the aerosol brake cleaners can be very harsh/damaging to some plastics. Caveat emptor.
Steve
I was surprised to see him use Brakleen. I tried it once and it damaged the plastic housing!!! Went back to using WD-40.
Worked great
Thanks Mr T, this is the biggest and most time consuming issue for fb4k's. Never thought of using brake clean but next time I run into this problem, I'll try it. I got spare bar end plugs and grips if you need them.
Thanks! And thanks for your work at FB4K. I replaced the bars, grips, cables and rear wheel during the tune up on this bike already. That video may soon follow this one. Thanks for the offer!
Many a time! Those old Shimano levers where you need to get inside and work the pawl free with a point before greasing again are always fun, good vid on a topic we all face a some point!
Did this with my old Shimano shifters. First time I just re-lubed and it didn't last too long (about a year). So, second time I degreased first (citrus degreaser spray), blew that out then followed up with WD40. Worked a treat and still okay two years later.
I've used citrus based parts cleaner for this as well. It did a great job degreasing, but also took the printed numbers off the shift dial too. I wrote them back on with paint pen. The shifter works fine to this day. These days I take them off and soak them in mineral spirits.
I’ve done this before. Break clean I found works best for me. Sometimes it works and sometimes it don’t. It’s worth trying at first before I replace it. Especially if someone wants to save a little money. Thanks for all your tips. Have a fantastic day..!!
Have to do this to my 1995 mtn bike (original shifters) every season. Used to disassemble the shifter, this way is quick easy and back on the road. Been using WD40 for the cleaner, gonna try the brake cleaner.
Shop did that on my 18 year old Gary Fischer. Shifters works just fine since. And don’t forget to plug those handlebar!
I have at times taken shifter apart to clean out the insides, with variable results. I'd like to try dunking a sticky shifter into an ultrasonic parts cleaner some time to see if it can improve on the cleaning.
RJ showed this, too. I refurbished some 105 eBay brifters using this technique to upgrade my wife’s bike.
Bar end plugs? Surely you got some old ones in that shop somewhere
Yes they do and don't call him Shirley
I have used CLP and it works as both cleaner and lubricant. Keeping my rapid fire shifters clean and working even after planting the bars in mud .
Good video, thank you for posting
I had this same problem on my shimano 105 unit
They have two removable plates on the bottom to do this, also when I did open it the spring on the pawl dropped a leg from an accident I had, took me two hours, my wife’s jewellers magnifiers and a dental pick to reroute and hook that leg back up
Works beautifully now
Question though, once open it appears that the original grease was white lithium and not a light oil like you suggest, which do think I should use, I have yet to grease them, I’m still into my winter teardown
I would say in my 20+ years working in shops and my own bikes, this technique has worked about 7 to 8 times out of 10. Occasionally, you have to take the shifter apart and give it a deeper clean/lube or check for broken or bent parts.
If doing this for customers it's important to tell them that it may not work out. 7-8 out of 10 is right on the money id guess.
MY fd shifter doesn't go back to its original place when you shift up but now i know what is the problem so thank you PARKTOOL
I'd be a little worried about that goop getting into my cable housing in the case of a continuous long run for a rear mech. Would recommend removing cable & housing first.
You can also take the shift cables & plastic cover off, clean out most of the old grease with a tiny screwdriver and/or cotton swabs. Then use aerosol to clean & lubricate. Will save you from spraying too much and the cleaner almost dripping straight into the bin. However in a hurry the flush shown here works great 👍
This solved my issue. Thanks
Did this just today for a customer. Gears 4-7 worked fine but the shifter wouldn’t drop down to the smaller cogs on the freewheel. Quick shot of triflow and a few cycles of the lever and they were on their way free of charge for something they thought they’d have to spend a pretty penny on. I haven’t tried it with brakleen before but makes sense to get the old gunk out before adding new grease.
this happened once to me. i used spray of cleaner, based on industiral solvent - much like brake cleaner, but more aggressive chemistry. I used high pressure spray, so the jet from the cleaner spray can go everywhere. The dirt that came out of there, made the industrial solvent BLACK. Then light spray of WD-40 and the drama is over.
It just happened. What do you use to re lube?
I used CRC mass air flow cleaner, it evaporates without leaving a residue.
I didn't re-lube it all I had was a silicone spray and a PTFE spray, so wasn't sure if they'd do.
However it worked a treat on a rusty bike that had been sitting outside for years.
YES! This works on road shifters too. I once soaked my buddy's non-functional Ultegra shifter in a bucket of warm, soapy water for a couple of hours, then sprayed a whole bunch of WD-40 through it, and it worked like new. I have also de-greased shifters like this, but in my humble opinion, you really need to re-grease them afterward. If that's not practical, then a light spray lube like in the video is the next best thing. Most people have no idea how dirty and salty their shifters get. Wash them every time you wash your bike!
I have this issue on my mountain bike which hasn't seen use in a decade. Especially prevalent in the winter when it's cold. Wouldn't it be better to open the Deore shifter and apply some thicker lube, like super lube? I feel the oil you're spraying isn't going to last in there.
Thank you! Saved me £'s and a few days without a bike!
The video was very informative, but I have a question: doesn't the degreaser break down the lube too? I've been told to clean up after applying degreaser and before adding lube to other components to prevent this.
Most solvents like brake cleaner and the solvent in wd40 will evaporate. Give it 20 minutes for it to evaporate out of the shifter. Or use compressed air to blow it out.
One of these bikes for sale in my local area. I like it!
I rehab bikes for a 501c organization. I have seen plenty of these stuck trigger shifters. I have used Brakekleen, Alcohol spray and even an ultrasonic cleaner with a solution of simple green and water. I have seen some shifters free up with the ultrasonic cleaner and others only by using the aerosol sprays. I have yet been unable to free up a shifter using the solutions I mentioned.
I would not use brake cleaner on plastic parts. I've had bed experiences with bubling, warping, melting, and cracking using some brake cleaners and engine degreasers on plastics.
Thanks for the videos.
This was super duper common when I was wrenching on bikes I Hawaii.
Like a few a day common.
I have got my ultegra sti rear lever stuck on the 11 tooth far from home, same problem, i recomend this as maintenance and not fixing !
Will not the brake cleaner crack the plastic in the shifter in the long term?
Shifter bodies are made from ABS or GFRP. If you get a non-chlorinated brake cleaner it will be fine. Also look on the can, some say plastic safe.
Been doing this for years as well. Back in the day when only Shimano had the lever type shifting we dubbed it "Shimanoitis", and the name has stuck. Also a good idea, if the quick spray does not work, you may have to take the cover off and move the pawls individually while spraying them to get them moving again.
If you have an ultrasonic cleaner you can put some degreaser in and toss the shifter in. Breaks it up really well
New bike , so haven’t had to perform that clean yet, but I ride nearly daily and am constantly cleaning the drive train! Pretty much the same way with a degreaser and preferably a foaming one.
Could the same procedure be done on a friction/thumb shifter?
You can clean the internals but there are no pawls to get gummed up and stick in a friction thumb shifter. They are easy to overhaul so it may be worth taking it apart, cleaning it, lubing and re assembling.
@@parktool thanks!
So would that deep creep penetrating oil and lubricant be a good choice to use ?
nice quick fix, but I would take it apart, and put grease in, so it stays lubricated and does not have lube spilling out, but also it can have dirt, plant parts, especially if the hole was not plugged, not been serviced i n a long time, dirt can come in trough where the triggers move. I used to service it at least once in a year, this kept it running smooth.
But I no longer use mechanical shifters, and won't go back.
I had shifters gummed up and not shifting very well. Took them off and tossed them into an ultrasonic cleaner with some degreaser for about 10 minutes. Shot some PTFE lube in there and they’re running like a hot damn now.
I have a vintage 90s Shimano 105 shifter… That is as you described it… I thought it was broken so I swapped it… How can I tell if it’s broke or just seized like you’ve shown?
Sometimes the only way is to try and flush it, excessive it, and see. If it clicks consistently and pulls cable, it worked.
You work for Park Tool and this is what your mom is riding ? Bad son 😄😄🤘👍 all the best 😄🤪
I do my shifters twice a year ! One in spring and second in the fall ! I clean them out because I travel to work and home.
My gravel bike needs this done - so I'm thankful for the video - the fronts got stuck during a real cold ride, and the rear followed shortly after. I'm going to assume the procedure is the same - just aim for where the gear cable goes into the shifter?
it can vary with drop bar shifters. But the concept is the same. Do not try to disassemble the entire thing. If there is a small cover on the inside when you pull the lever and you can remove a few small screws then remove that cover. Then try to get the cleaner in as far as possible. They can be tougher. Depends on the shifter though.
@@parktool Thanks for the quick answer, and for the advise too. For reference, its the shimano 105 5800 series shifters.
Hi have a Samo front and rear gear shifter have you any replacement cable technology
Sometimes I have to open the shifter and work the pawl free with a pick , be careful not to knock the spring off . Also sometimes penetrating oil won’t free it and I’ve had to use alcohol and then lube it . Don’t use WD and be careful with some of the cleaners , some melt plastics . Original Liquid Wrench usually works well .
I had the same problem. I have had my bike sitting in the garage for seven years.
I’ve had a few bikes come to me with this exact problem. I generally use WD-40 for stage 1 flush which has also done the trick. Brake cleaner seems more effective to remove the gummy stuff though. Thanks! PS I hope Mom’s bike got some TLC beyond just those shifters!
What would you use for stage 2, ie the actual lubricating of the shifter? The video is not too clear on that, imho Thank you in advance!
my shimano 105 shifters do that! may need to try this.
I've learned that soaking the shifters in boiling hot water consistently for about 10ish minutes helps to break down and clean that grease out. if that doesn't help i go the degreaser route but honestly i haven't had many problems with the hot water. but yeah tri flow in the aerosol form really helps to coat the insides of the shifters when its all said and done.
I cant help but notice that there is no disclaimer to keep a vigil eye out for plastic parts. I feel like even the really high end stuff has plastic or composite pieces, which brake cleaner will absolutely destroy.
Great video 👍
Whats up with the steel handlebar? Looks like its be in the botton of the ocean please replace with a alloy one its cheap and light but put bar plugs for safety. Its a nice frame i love to have one in my old mtb.
I would love a collaboration with Snap-On for a park colored tool box perhaps with some special touches
Mostly cleaning pawls doesn't work for a long time. It takes few days to came back problem. So in my workshop we suggest to change shifters if customers have that kind of problem.
This is not the case. I have personal shifters and have done this on many many bikes and had years of use afterwards. We would not lead you astray.
Closer look on that fork and shock could be cool. Especially the shock looks cool 'vintage'.
much easier to do if u take off the top cover first & remove the cable 😉
And more thorough!
@@nicktodoroff7836 yes u get all the fine dust in there too 👍👍😊
I don't understand. I tought that grease can be used as lubricant. Why it prevents this bicycle from changing gears?
Old grease can get hard and even sticky and cause things not to work properly.
I have encountered this problem with some cyclocross bikes and now with some gravel bikes that collect very fine dust quite rapidly. I have used similar spray methods, but I wonder if anyone has any experience (and would avoid or would recommend) with also using a compressor to blow the parts clean. Thanks!
Hello Calvin and Trueman... I have a problem with my brakes... My brakes are squeling every time when i press brake lever... I try everything like degreese it with soap, solvent, car disc brake degreeser... Tell my what should i do... Buy a new disc?... Buy some new brake pads (i have resin pads only disc brake... Tell myyy!!! I am getting crazy trying to solve this problem!!!(sorry for my english)
Love your videos
Happy New Year Park Tool!
I do it after the winter, because of all the rain that gets in there.
That Rocky Mountain is far too nice to be a winter hack bike...
Im actually havingthre same issue thanks for ther tip.
BrakeKleen is pretty nasty stuff. Assure good ventilation or do outside. If you don't get ALL of that old hard grease out of there the problem is likely to reoccur down the road.
Is there a video to get rid of all air bubbles in hydraulic disc brakes? I held my bike in all positions and air bubbles come out of my shimano di2. Should there no no micro air bubbles at all in the cable and calipers?
We do not have a bleed video yet. later this year we should have one up.
i've had it happen alot more in cold temperatures because the grease gets more thick and sticky
Parktool how to clean sti shifter?
My left shifter on My road bike Jam i clean it out with wd40 and after that i used a light spray grease
Happy new year 2020 , Thank you . ) 👍
General question here. Ive got deore lx index shifters that are working better now after blasting wd-40 in two separate treatments, but I dont have any lube around except for a bottle of finish line dry that I usually just drip on my chain (non-aerosol). If I hit the pawl with some drops of this, will it work better? The shifting now isn't breaking my thumb anymore and its all moving but I think it should be working better.... should I spend money on something better or will this save me some cash?
I would wait for soemething that is not a dry lubricant. What can hapen with the dry lubricant is that it can firm up and become hard. It also does not last as long. You are going to want a thin to medium thickness lubricant.
@@parktool What's the budget friendliest option besides the fine products from Park Tools ? Where quality and low price meet. I saw some cheap 3-1 or Teflon drops
I bought my 93 Barracuda A2M for a steal because the seller told me the shifters were broken. A quick flush solved it, and the shifters are still working fine.
Probably a good idea to blow some compressed air after the brake cleaner. Having the insides soaked in brake cleaner will break down some of the grease and cause it to not adhere as well.
When a shifter clogs like that I usually throw it in a bath of burn liquid and use a compressor to get all the gunk out (of course wearing an air filter mask).
Better yet, remove any cover, blow out with compressed air before flushing and lubricating. Best, remove shifter, then cover, blow out with compressed air, place in solvent and go through gears under surface of solvent. Allow to dry or blow dry with compressed air before lubricating and reinstalling.
Happens to me all the time on my univaga
Have exactly the same thing happening on my right hand Ultegra 6800 road shifter....I guess the same method could be applied?
With a 6800 it may be one of the actuation arms. I would try reaching out to Shimano on that one as it should not be gummed up at that age.
i've heard of people using a air blow gun to push the lubricant deeper into the shifter and help remove excess lube
I have never heard of a shifter flush?
Did this with an old 9sp dura ace road shifters and the worked like new again. Used wd40 as the flush.
Is WD40 OK to use?