STI Still good? or Repair? or Replace

Quoted message said:

1) I began noticing that my right (most frequently used 9
speed) Shimano Ultegra STI began "sticking" when I
shifted to a larger cassette gear

during

Quoted message said:

the cold weather. The lever would shift the gear but then
stay in the partially inwardly rotated position. I would
have to push it back with my fingers. As it got warmer,
this problem seemed to disappear until

recently

Quoted message said:

when the "sticking" started again. The screw to the inner
small lever, which had been the cause of a previous lever
return problem, was not the culprit.

Powerlube it. Available at finer auto-parts stores
everywhere. The alcohol that you initially flushed it with
might not have been a good idea; I'm not sure how small
plastic bits enjoy being soaked in alcohol. Might not be a
problem, but if you have to try and "clean" it with
something separately, you might try a contact cleaner
solution. But Powerlube takes care of cleaning & lubing in
one easy operation.

Quoted message said:

2) The lever is Shimano "Flight Deck" ready. "Flight
Deck" is an integrated wired speedometer with buttons
to control the display in the right hand STI lever.
The part number is ST-6501. This was the "old" flight
deck format which had both control buttons on the
right hand lever. The current Ultegra STI replacement
is ST-6510. Does anyone know if this model or version
would support the flight deck format of two control

buttons

Quoted message said:

in the right hand lever? If not, does anyone know where I
can get a new pair of STI ST-6501?

I'm not sure what you're trying to do... are you saying that
you might end up with two different version levers, a 6501
on one side, and a 6502 on the other? Interesting scenario
if so. I'm not positive, but I think the contacts are the
same on both levers, but you'll have to use the older lever
hoods so you can keep the two button/one lever setup.

--Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

"knowwhen2holdemknowwhen2foldem" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message news:TYLCc.21078$cj3.399@lakeread01...

Quoted message said:

Would appreciate opinions about the following problem:

1) I began noticing that my right (most frequently used 9
speed) Shimano Ultegra STI began "sticking" when I
shifted to a larger cassette gear

during

Quoted message said:

the cold weather. The lever would shift the gear but then
stay in the partially inwardly rotated position. I would
have to push it back with my fingers. As it got warmer,
this problem seemed to disappear until

recently

Quoted message said:

when the "sticking" started again. The screw to the inner
small lever, which had been the cause of a previous lever
return problem, was not the culprit.

I know the STI units are factory sealed so I checked other
possible

causes,

Quoted message said:

e.g. that the rear derailleur cable was intact and not
frayed or

stretched,

Quoted message said:

etc. As a last ditch attempt to rectify the problem I
flushed the lever mechanism with alcohol to see if excess
road smutch was causing the

problem.

Quoted message said:

The lever seemed to work for about five miles before the
old problem returned. So I then sprayed as much of the
mechanism that I could with silicon lubricant. This seemed
to correct the sticking problem, however, the STI lever
seemed to lose the prior tightness on the rear derailleur
cable and the cable became excessively slack, requiring me
to pull the

cable

Quoted message said:

to tighten the adjustment for the rear derailleur. Before
I spend another couple of hours putting everything back
together and adjusting it, does anyone know if this is a
symptom of a failing STI lever that ultimately

will

Quoted message said:

just need to be replaced? This lever has about 15,000
miles on it.

2) The lever is Shimano "Flight Deck" ready. "Flight
Deck" is an integrated wired speedometer with buttons
to control the display in the right hand STI lever.
The part number is ST-6501. This was the "old" flight
deck format which had both control buttons on the
right hand lever. The current Ultegra STI replacement
is ST-6510. Does anyone know if this model or version
would support the flight deck format of two control

buttons

Quoted message said:

in the right hand lever? If not, does anyone know where I
can get a new pair of STI ST-6501?

"knowwhen2holdemknowwhen2foldem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:TYLCc.21078$cj3.399@lakeread01...

Quoted message said:

Would appreciate opinions about the following problem:

1) I began noticing that my right (most frequently used 9
speed) Shimano Ultegra STI began "sticking" when I
shifted to a larger cassette gear

during

Quoted message said:

the cold weather. The lever would shift the gear but then
stay in the partially inwardly rotated position. I would
have to push it back with my fingers. As it got warmer,
this problem seemed to disappear until

recently

Quoted message said:

when the "sticking" started again. The screw to the inner
small lever, which had been the cause of a previous lever
return problem, was not the culprit.

I know the STI units are factory sealed so I checked other
possible

causes,

Quoted message said:

e.g. that the rear derailleur cable was intact and not
frayed or

stretched,

Quoted message said:

etc. As a last ditch attempt to rectify the problem I
flushed the lever mechanism with alcohol to see if excess
road smutch was causing the

problem.

Quoted message said:

The lever seemed to work for about five miles before the
old problem returned. So I then sprayed as much of the
mechanism that I could with silicon lubricant. This seemed
to correct the sticking problem, however, the STI lever
seemed to lose the prior tightness on the rear derailleur
cable and the cable became excessively slack, requiring me
to pull the

cable

Quoted message said:

to tighten the adjustment for the rear derailleur. Before
I spend another couple of hours putting everything back
together and adjusting it, does anyone know if this is a
symptom of a failing STI lever that ultimately

will

Quoted message said:

just need to be replaced? This lever has about 15,000
miles on it.

2) The lever is Shimano "Flight Deck" ready. "Flight
Deck" is an integrated wired speedometer with buttons
to control the display in the right hand STI lever.
The part number is ST-6501. This was the "old" flight
deck format which had both control buttons on the
right hand lever. The current Ultegra STI replacement
is ST-6510. Does anyone know if this model or version
would support the flight deck format of two control

buttons

Quoted message said:

in the right hand lever? If not, does anyone know where I
can get a new pair of STI ST-6501?

Google on STI WD40 flush. It works. The Shimano grease turns
to adhesive over time. Results will be similar to: Message 2
in thread From: Andy M-S ([email hidden])
Subject: Re: repair DA STI right lever?

View this article only Newsgroups:
rec.bicycles.tech Date: 2003-09-15 14:37:00 PST

"Andre" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<DMn9b.3-
[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Anyone successfully followed shimano service instructions
for the DA right STI lever? I can go up the block (larger
cogs), but the small lever actuation sticks when going
down. Thanks.

Assuming that it's not a cable problem (not a bad idea to
replace the cable first)...

I recently fixed an Ultegra 600 shifter with the same
problem. In essence, the mechanism has become fouled with
grease/dirt, etc.

I put the bike in my workstand and tipped it so the levers
were pointing more or less at the floor. Then, I released
the rear brake cable so that I could open the shifter all
the way. Then I pried up the plastic disk that seals the
back of the actual shift mechanism and pumped a large
amount of WD40 through the shifter (tilting the bike limits
damage to your bar tape). You want to use a LOT of WD40 for
the flush; I went through between 1/2 and 1 cup. It's not a
bad idea to put a bucket under the shifter so you can catch
the overflow.

Flush that sucker good, then work the shifter, keeping
tension on the cable. For the bike I was working on, this
cleared the problem right up. Then squirt some light lube
(TriFlow or ProLink) into the mechanism, and all should be
right with the world.Bill Brannon

Thanks for your reply. I took the STI off the handle bar
which means I disconnected the brake and shift cables and
unwrapped the handlebar tape. So I can easily Powerlube it.
However, I noticed something when it started to fail that is
making me pause before I reinstall the shifter. Here is what
happened. I was noticing that the shifting was not the same
crisp shifting that had existed since I installed my cables
about 3000 miles ago. The shift just didn't cleanly occur or
I would miss shifts. After I sprayed silicon into the
mechanism, I went riding and found that after a few shifts
the rear derailleur cable was slack so that I couldn't shift
down to the lowest cassette gear (biggest ring). It seemed
to me that perhaps something loosened internally in the
shift mechanism. However, this just doesn't make any sense
since the derailleur cable is inserted and tightened with
the gear on the smallest cassette ring and the shifter is
locked at the highest cassette gear (smallest ring). It is
adjusted from that point and the indexed shifting goes up 8
notches from there to the ninth and largest cassette gear. I
know that the cable was tightly cinched into the rear
derailleur so it did not get loose there, and I examined the
cable, there was no fraying, stretching, etc. I just don't
know if I am missing something here and I am reluctant to
spend the two hours to reattach everything, rewind the bar
tape, etc just to have something like this happen again.

Regarding the "Flight Deck" question. The new shifters ST-
6510 have a control button on either side. I was wondering
if the only difference was that the hood has only one button
but the electronics are the same. Therefore I could use the
two new shifters with my old hoods.

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

1) I began noticing that my right (most frequently used
9 speed)

Shimano

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Ultegra STI began "sticking" when I shifted to a larger
cassette gear

during

Quoted message said:

the cold weather. The lever would shift the gear but
then stay in the partially inwardly rotated position. I
would have to push it back with

my

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

fingers. As it got warmer, this problem seemed to
disappear until

recently

Quoted message said:

when the "sticking" started again. The screw to the
inner small lever, which had been the cause of a
previous lever return problem, was not the culprit.

Powerlube it. Available at finer auto-parts stores
everywhere. The

alcohol

Quoted message said:

that you initially flushed it with might not have been a
good idea; I'm

not

Quoted message said:

sure how small plastic bits enjoy being soaked in alcohol.
Might not be a problem, but if you have to try and "clean"
it with something separately, you might try a contact
cleaner solution. But Powerlube takes care of cleaning &
lubing in one easy operation.

Quoted message said:

2) The lever is Shimano "Flight Deck" ready. "Flight
Deck" is an integrated wired speedometer with
buttons to control the display in the right hand STI
lever. The part number is ST-6501. This was the
"old" flight deck format which had both control
buttons on the right hand

lever.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The current Ultegra STI replacement is ST-6510. Does
anyone know if

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

model or version would support the flight deck format of
two control

buttons

Quoted message said:

in the right hand lever? If not, does anyone know where
I can get a new pair of STI ST-6501?

I'm not sure what you're trying to do... are you saying
that you might end up with two different version levers, a
6501 on one side, and a 6502 on

the

Quoted message said:

other? Interesting scenario if so. I'm not positive, but I
think the contacts are the same on both levers, but you'll
have to use the older

lever

Quoted message said:

hoods so you can keep the two button/one lever setup.

--Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

knowwhen2holdemknowwhen2foldem said:

I went riding and found that after a few shifts the rear
derailleur cable was slack so that I couldn't shift down
to the lowest cassette gear (biggest ring). It seemed to
me that perhaps

something

Quoted message said:

loosened internally in the shift mechanism.

Sounds like the cable head wasn't fully seated in the
shifter when you reinstalled the cable. Then when it did
seat, the cable went slack. Shift to the smallest cog, re-
tension the cable, and try again.

Art Harris

I think you may be right. I'll try that.

"Arthur Harris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

knowwhen2holdemknowwhen2foldem said:

I went riding and found that after a few shifts the rear
derailleur cable was slack so that I couldn't shift down
to the lowest cassette gear (biggest ring). It seemed to
me that perhaps

something

Quoted message said:

loosened internally in the shift mechanism.

Sounds like the cable head wasn't fully seated in the
shifter when you reinstalled the cable. Then when it did
seat, the cable went slack. Shift

to

Quoted message said:

the smallest cog, re-tension the cable, and try again.

Art Harris