cable end stuck in shifter

(Herve) may have said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing
the
derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
was stuck in
the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
back my shifter lever.

If the lever is aluminum, soaking the spot in ammonia will probably
pop the cable tip loose by dissolving out the aluminum hydroxide that
has formed.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
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Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Herve said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing
the
derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
was stuck in
the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
back my shifter lever.

grab the cable with a pair of pliers where it exits the lever, leaving
about 1mm slack. Push
--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

Herve said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing
the
derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
was stuck in
the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
back my shifter lever.

Thanks in advance.
Herve

ps:I have had the same problem with a brake lever.
pps:the cable has not been changed for a while.

Poke it out with a 1.5mm allen key?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing
the
derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
was stuck in
the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
back my shifter lever.

Thanks in advance.
Herve

ps:I have had the same problem with a brake lever.
pps:the cable has not been changed for a while.

Poke it out with a 1.5mm allen key?

In the shifter, the small ball at the cable end can not be accessed from
the cable side... Does anyone know what the cable ends are usually made
of? Does anyone knows what a circa 70 simplex shifter lever is made of
(apparently there is iron in there since it interacts with a magnet).

Thanks for the answers

Herve

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing the
derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
was stuck in the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
back my shifter lever.

I have the same problem on a freebie i got with a boatload of parts.

Way back in the 1970's I found out that the french had their own
standard for cable barrels, and the french barrels are smaller than
the "normal" ones on e.g. campagnolo etc.

This is a source of never-ending "jams" of normal-sized barrels in
french downtube shifters.

When and if you get done removing the barrel (and this might require
drilling and tapping for a screw to pull it out or whatever), remember
that next time you either need one of these special cables ( no longer
made, I think, but I have some extras if needed ), or you will need to
ream out the hole to make it bigger.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when
changing the derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the
end of the cable was stuck in the shifter. Does anyone know about a
way to remove the ball and get back my shifter lever. >

I think that the cable barrels are made of lead or tin/lead. I read a
few months ago that many motorcycle shops can make replacements and
the replacements are made of lead or tin/lead.

The melting point of tin/lead (183C / 370F) is so low you may be able
to remove the stuck barrel with a blowtorch. I wouldn't worry about
the aluminum since normal aluminum melts at 1200C. My father once
melted some tin/lead in the oven and cast it into a steel coffee can
as an anchor for a backyard table-umbrella.

The french have their own standard for cable barrels, and french cable
barrels are smaller than the "normal" ones on e.g. campagnolo etc.
This is a source of never-ending "jams" of normal-sized barrels in
french downtube shifters. I believe that french-barreled cables are
extinct.

When and if you get done removing the barrel (and this might require
drilling and tapping for a screw to pull it out or whatever), remember
that next time you either need one of these special cables ( I have
some if needed ), or you will need to ream out the hole to make it
bigger, or file down the barrel of a modern cable.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing
the
derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
was stuck in
the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
back my shifter lever.
ps:I have had the same problem with a brake lever.
pps:the cable has not been changed for a while.

Poke it out with a 1.5mm allen key?

In the shifter, the small ball at the cable end can not be accessed from
the cable side... Does anyone know what the cable ends are usually made
of? Does anyone knows what a circa 70 simplex shifter lever is made of
(apparently there is iron in there since it interacts with a magnet).

There are three levers, nylon, polished aluminum and chromed
aluminum. The the metal levers had a plastic cover molded
over them., often missing.

Cables are steel wire. At the end, the wires are 'bunched
up' and the head cast over the lump.

If you never have before, melt the head off a scrap cable so
you can see how it's made.

Modern gear wires have bigger heads than classic era wires
so if someone changed it along the way those can be
maddeningly tight (as you found). A good habit is to stick
the wire's head into the lever backwards before threading a
wire into a lever. (Ergo owners find that some brands of
wire stick just like yours.)

On a good day you can twist the cable slightly tighter while
pressing into the lever and the head will pop out. Don't
exert much effort at that or the wire will commit suicide.

The metal ones can be heated, then cooled.

Drilling is difficult (especially in nylon) because a small
drill will wander in the wire strands. A miniature high
speed cutter works better if you can get a drillpress setup.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>I have an old simplex shifter on the tube of my bike and when changing the
>derailleur cable I found that the small ball at the end of the cable
>was stuck in the shifter. Does anyone know about a way to remove the ball and get
>back my shifter lever.

Donald Gillies said:

I have the same problem on a freebie i got with a boatload of parts.
Way back in the 1970's I found out that the french had their own
standard for cable barrels, and the french barrels are smaller than
the "normal" ones on e.g. campagnolo etc.
This is a source of never-ending "jams" of normal-sized barrels in
french downtube shifters.
When and if you get done removing the barrel (and this might require
drilling and tapping for a screw to pull it out or whatever), remember
that next time you either need one of these special cables ( no longer
made, I think, but I have some extras if needed ), or you will need to
ream out the hole to make it bigger.

Or just reduce the size of the head, only takes a moment.

Mechanics slip the head into the lever recess backwards
before threading a wire through a lever.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Thanks for the answers. I will try to fix this with heat.

Herve