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Bust the B-link on my m8000 mech (#Y5RT98010). I know they are replaceable but a quick search suggest ones of SLX mechs are cheaper. Given that the position of the threads at both end is the same and the fixing point in both mechs must be the same (given that DRD is a 'standard') I assuming I can use any link from any DRD convertible shimano mech (even and older 10 speed one). Granted the material and shape might not be identical but I'm failing to see why it would not work.
I have checked the Shimano tech docs but they don't list compatibility (though the number of bits shared between the XT and SLX 11 speed mechs is very high!).
Has anyone successfully fitted this part from another mech version or know definitively if it will work or not?
I think they interchange but wouldn't guarantee it in every case! They certainly aren't all the same.
My OH mangled the link on her XTR rear mech and I managed to cannibalise an old (SLX or Deore) rear mech to make it work. The XTR used a single fat aluminium link while the cheaper version was half the thickness with a spacer at the mech end. I may have had to swap the bolts around- the attachment method was slightly different at the mech end if I remember rightly.
Ok, sounds promising. Pretty sure I have an old mech with one on in the broken spares box.
I fitted a 10-speed SLX link to my 11-speed SLX (M675 to M7000 i think) and the angle is wrong, it sits the mech too far back so the top jockey wheel is behind the rear axle and the chain doesn't wrap around the smallest 2/3 sprockets well and skips as a result.
I need to have a play to see if winding the B-screw out enough will solve this which i'll do tonight, but an initial look suggests not. I'll let you know how i get on just in case it's of any use!
Only a 2-minute job to swap them over though and try it.
Is it the link angle that's wrong or positon of another part of the link? Glad its it's a quick swap over makes experimenting easier.
The link angle is the same (roughly parallel to the ground), but seems to have rotated the mech clockwise about 30 degrees so it goes almost straight down rather than angled towards the front of the bike if that makes sense?
Turns out I was just too tired/distracted to notice how far in the B-Screw was wound due to swapping it between direct-mount and having the B-Link. Wound that out and it's all good, so i think you'll be fine!
Looking on the Wolftooth site at their "goat-links" which replace the standard B-Links they only differentiate between very early (pre-2013) and later Shimano links as the thickness changes.
Glad you got it working. I've yet to even find the old mech 😐 (and another STW is kindly sending me a straight XT link from a dead mech :))
Ah that's a good result then.