1994 Ultegra STI

[Richard A Thackeray]

One of my old bikes, a 1994 Dyna-Tech 755Ti has been hanging up a year or so, in the garage, while unused (plus a few months at daughters School, in the Spanish language room)

The right shifter seems to have partially seized up; it will change into a lower gear, but not 'back up the cassette'

I'm guessing that any factory applied lubrication is well past its effective date?!?! (& possibly the units life-expectancy?)
It had a few years of continuous useage as a commuter, so has been well-used!!


Short of attempting a major disassembly, does the audience think that it is worthwhile removing the lever & soaking it in WD40/GT85/petrol, to get any solidified gunge out of it???

 

[Cuchilo]

What i was told to do with a pug i had was to hang a bucket over the hood and then keep squirting wd40 or the like in every gap i could find . It worked and one by one the gears started to change . It took a few days of oiling and clicking though .
P.S the bucket is to catch the oil as it drips out

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I even thought about red diesel, as I use it for chain cleaning/lubrication, but then again the smell would be insidious!!!

 

[Globalti]

It's not the shifter, they seldom give any trouble; it's the cable at the rear derailleur, which has gone rusty and manky. Fit new cables.

You can prove it's not the shifter by pulling on the cable while operating the lever, you'll find that the STI shifter is working perfectly.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

No, it's not the cable, as even applying extra tension to the cable, on its down-tube run. doesn't generally make the lever 'step up a gear'

 

[Smokin Joe]

No, it's not the cable, as even applying extra tension to the cable, on its down-tube run. doesn't generally make the lever 'step up a gear'

If the cable has seized in the housing turning the adjuster will do nothing. I'd go along with the new cable idea, even if it turns out to be something else it's a good idea in the long run.

 

[daysnways]

My left 1994 srx shifter wasn't working at all, took it to the bike shop who managed to fix the problem, apparently something was a miss inside, sorted it out and got it working for a tenner.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

If the cable has seized in the housing turning the adjuster will do nothing. I'd go along with the new cable idea, even if it turns out to be something else it's a good idea in the long run.

Perhaps so?, as the gear-cables are both original to the bike!!!!

(not turning the adjuster, just applying tension/letting go/tension, to the bare cable, between the stops)