12 speed xt shifter...
 

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12 speed xt shifter, wouldn't get gears, fixed with a clean..

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12 speed xt shifter, wouldn't get gears, fixed with a clean..

But is that likely to be a permanent fix?

Bought a second hand bike with xt gears. Great I thought.

The mech lost tension, less great. Cured with a load of wd40 and working it back and forwards. Fine

Today the shifter would only get 4 then 6 then 7 then 4 gears. Even less great.

Couldn't find any shops open today to buy a replacement closure than an hour's drive, so took the shifter to bits and cleaned it up.

It now gets all the gears. 

Is this likely to be a permanent fix?

 

 

While fixing this the rear mech lost tension again so I've fitted the deore mech I bought when the xt one. Making me wonder if I should buy a new shifter to go with the new rear mech 

 

Looks like the bike was more used than I thought 🙂


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 2:47 pm
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WD40 isn’t a lube. It will shift some grime but leave everything dry.

Use some proper grease on the internals and spray lube on the cable inners.


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 3:00 pm
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You probably needed to pull apart the clutch mechanism and de-gunk/regrease the axle directly behind it. But I've always found the writing was on the wall for the mech at that point, although you might get a few more months out of it. Likewise the shifter once it starts misbehaving.


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 3:13 pm
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Which bits of the shifter need greasing?

Everything that moves?

 

The mech will get cleaned and rebuilt and used as a spare. 


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 3:41 pm
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If your mech lost tension, I'd suggest the roller bearing is borked.
A clutch service won't fix that, you'll need to replace the bearing.


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 3:59 pm
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Which part is the roller bearing?

I'm talking about the p-axle (10), I found that tends to get gunked up or even corroded on these mechs and reduce return speed enough to produce a slack chain. Obviously you need to take apart the clutch assembly to get at it.


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 4:33 pm
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That exploded diagram will be very helpful if/ when the rebuild explodes into 50 tiny pieces 😱


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 7:38 pm
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You can see it inside the circular stabilizer unit. 
My experience was the bearings rusted and seized to the p-axle.

I replaced one from a broken saint mech. The other shimano sent me the parts.


 
Posted : 27/07/2025 8:39 pm

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