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So I needed to swap some rotors on wheels with CenterLock rotors. I figured I'd put some adapters on so I could keep all my bikes with 6-bolt rotors so ordered a couple of these
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/deore-m610/SM-RTAD05.html .
The CL rotors had the internally splined lockrings, but my old cassette lockring tool was too short to fit over the QR axle so I ordered a new lockring tool. Got the old rotors off no problem, then figured I should probably just check the instructions that came with the adapters to be certain I was fitting them correctly and torquing them properly - the rotor mounting bolts use a T15 head instead of the usual T25. The piece of paper included in the package with the adapters didn't actually have any fitting instructions, it just had an explanation that Shimano didn't supply paper manuals anymore for environmental reasons (written on a piece of paper large enough to print the fitting instructions) plus a QR code to access the online manual.
So, I followed the QR code, which linked to a page for a different adapter that had a link to this "manual", which is almost totally useless:
Did a bit more searching and turned up the "Dealer's Manual" which is not really much more use, it does have generic torque setting for 6-bolt rotors but no mention of CenterLock adapters:
https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/dm/GN0001/DM-GN0001-26-ENG.pdf
I've been fixing cars and bikes for over 30 years and can figure out stuff like fitting the brake adapters, but it's nice to have a manual to double-check critical stuff like brakes, especially if you're working on other people's bikes and want to be able to say that everything was fitted correctly in case of problems. Surely, every single component that Shimano manufactures will have extremely detailed documentation of its specifications, so why can't they just make a PDF of each part and put them all online instead of just having generic descriptions?
Yeah, I've thought pretty much this before.
You buy, say, a cassette and you get a small book explaining in great detail in 15 different languages all the ways they're not liable for your death if you don't fit it precisely right, and one line saying "get a proper mechanic to do it". Not that I need a manual to fit a cassette, obviously, but if you've never done it before, a few lines/diagrams explaining how wouldn't hurt. But maybe the liability IS the issue. Crazy.
Not read your post, but the useless manuals you get with shimano are indeed really annoying.
Not read your post, but the useless manuals you get with shimano are indeed really annoying.
Yeah, when I think about it, the story is pretty much redundant for anyone who's ever seen a Shimano "manual".
maybe the liability IS the issue
This.
You need a manual to fit a centre lock adaptor? Maybe
“get a proper mechanic to do it”.
Is sound advice in this case?
😉
I opened a Shimano cassette the other day to be confronted by a bit of paper with a code on it saying it would take me to the manual, it didn’t. It took me to their service page on the website and I couldn’t find anything relating to what I wanted.
SRAM used to be better but again I spent a while last night trying to find something that would tell me the recommended B gap for a Rival mech and again I failed.
Neither company make it easy.
You need a manual to fit a centre lock adaptor? Maybe
No, I didn't. It was fairly obvious how it went together. I wanted to check the recommended torque for the 6 rotor bolts because they have tiny T15 heads instead of T25 heads. It's a safety critical part so I can deal with the huge blow to my manly ego and refer to the instructions just this one time.
bikerevivesheffield
Full Member
https://si.shimano.com/#//blockquote >This illustrates the problem, the link that Shimano provides in the printed documentation does not link there, it links to an irrelevant page.
And then, if you find that page with links to manuals and enter the part number that I bought (SM-RTAD05) into the search box, you get this result:
https://si.shimano.com/en/manual/search?model=SM-RTAD05The obvious results gets you this:
https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/ev/SM-RTAD05-3636/EV-SM-RTAD05-3636.pdfwhich is just an exploded illustration of the part without the torque settings for the bolts. It's very obvious how the parts go together, what I wanted to check was the torque specs for the bolts.
The search box also links to this page, which is a dead link to a different part number (the same part number that the printed Shimano documentation sends you to):
https://si.shimano.com/en/um/8L10A?q=SM-RTAD05If you work through the Shimano search results, you will get to this, which is a generic manual covering multiple models of brakes, but which does have the torque specs I was looking for:
https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/dm/MBBR001/DM-MBBR001-04-ENG.pdfSo, Shimano does have a decent manual on fitting the adapters (meaning that the legal liability theory doesn't work), but the code provided in the box with the parts doesn't actually go there, it goes to irrelevant pages, and searching the Shimano website for the part number doesn't bring up the useful link, and going to the Shimano page listing manuals and entering the part number returns a link with the part number, but a generic manual does have the information if you're lucky enough to find it.
Point is that anyone following the link that Shimano provide in their printed documentation shipped with the product should be sent directly to pages 13 and 14 of this document, not expected to explore the Shimano website trying to guess the magic words to enter into the search box to find the right manual:
https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/dm/MBBR001/DM-MBBR001-04-ENG.pdf
I had exactly the same with a set of their new pre bled brakes that come without the levers attached to the hose. First time I'd had that setup so wanted to be sure I didn't Horlicks it up.
It should be simple to go to a single web page, select a language and then find a manual based on on the part number + model year/sub-variant where appropriate.
It's not just Shimano though, so many companies seem incapable of providing manuals in a consumer friendly way.
I bet they can find their engineering diagrams in a blink of an eye though. 🙄
@thehols that's why I posted the link so that people can use it and find the correct manual easily, not too be a smart arse or to be clever
Thanks that will be getting bookmarked. That didn't come up when I searched a couple of months back although eventually I found the right manual.
The dealers manual is the one with the detailed instructions in it.
that’s why I posted the link so that people can use it and find the correct manual easily, not too be a smart arse or to be clever
@bikerevivesheffield
Thanks, much appreciated.
Dead useful because it has cross compatibility plus exploded diagrams and manuals