Shimano mech cage s...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

Shimano mech cage swap

10 Posts
6 Users
4 Reactions
903 Views
Posts: 1553
Free Member
Topic starter
 

More specifically, does anybody know if we can fit a XT (8100) mech cage to a XTR (9100) body - SGS?

Noticed an ominous crack on the 'outer' cage plate of my girlfriends rear mech (looks like it might be carbon). Replacement is £90 but a XT plate is £18 - she's not a gram-counter so downgrading to alloy would not upset her.


 
Posted : 06/07/2023 11:11 am
Posts: 3149
Full Member
 

With the older XTR mechs the cage spring was in a different place to all other mechs so needed a hole in a different place, worth checking if it's still the case otherwise it would need an extra hole bodging


 
Posted : 06/07/2023 1:34 pm
Posts: 3231
Full Member
 

SJS Cycles website is good for this sort of thing with Shimano - they indicate what is an A match (same) and a B match (compatible).

In this case, it appears that the inner plates are compatible but the outer plates not. Few differences are apparent in the photos, but some of these could just be due to the different material:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/shimano-deore-xt-rdm8100-outer-plate-assembly-sgs-type-y3fw98080/

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/shimano-xtr-rdm9100-outer-plate-assembly-sgs-type-y3fa98080/

The compatibility information comes from the official exploded diagrams, which SJS link to:

http://www.sjscycles.com/Drawings/Shimano/Shimano_Deore_XT_RD-M8100-SGS_Tech_Doc.pdf - this M8100 document has a M9100 compatibility column.

Same doc for M9100 - http://www.sjscycles.com/Drawings/Shimano/Shimano_XTR_RD-M9100_Tech_Doc.pdf - note that the bumper that goes against it is a different part too.

So, not officially at least.


 
Posted : 06/07/2023 6:56 pm
Mugboo reacted
Posts: 1553
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks @bikesandboots - I had already spent a while staring at those documents but couldn't actually see from the diagrams much difference - hence the question. The "pin" and "bumper" are separate parts and looking at the GF's XTR it is likely because the plate is carbon (so pin cannot screw directly in - which it does on the XT) - unsure about bumper.

I think we will give the XT plate a go and report back. Plan B is to re-inforce crack with epoxy


 
Posted : 07/07/2023 10:24 am
Posts: 4
Free Member
 

Hi @vmgscot,

I've landed here with the same issue you posted about.  My plastic(carbon) XTR outer cage needs replacing and I'd like to swap in an XT outer cage made of alloy instead.

Did you try it? Did it work?

Thanks


 
Posted : 15/04/2024 8:33 pm
Posts: 1553
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Yes, @stephank the XT plate did fit and work.... right up until the GF clattered the mech of a rock while on holiday last year!

She now has a Deore mech fitted.


 
Posted : 16/04/2024 1:27 pm
northernsoul reacted
Posts: 4
Free Member
 

Perfect. Thank you.

I'm going to try swap to the XT outer cage then.


 
Posted : 16/04/2024 1:53 pm
Posts: 202
Free Member
 

Thread resurrection..... Just wanting to check that the XT outer cage is a compatible swap for the carbon one on my XTR 12 speed derailleur.


 
Posted : 19/01/2025 4:41 pm
Posts: 3300
Full Member
 

I have done this exact thing. I did buy the inner and outer xt cages to fit the xtr as the distance between jockey wheels is supposed to be 1mm different, but it doesn't look like it when you put the xt and xtr inner plates together to check.


 
Posted : 19/01/2025 7:25 pm
Posts: 202
Free Member
 

Excellent.... Thanks for the quick response.


 
Posted : 19/01/2025 7:40 pm
Posts: 3300
Full Member
 

No worries, I managed to mash my mech on a dead log, I'd only had it on my bike a couple of weeks, so when bits of carbon fell onto the forest floor I was not very happy. The fact that the carbon cages are more than you can pick up a second hand M9100 mech for had me in a dilemma, so it was worth a punt on the XT plate as a replacement as it's pretty cheap by comparison.

That said I was tempted by this:

https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/kcnc-shimano-xtr-m9100-sgs-12s-shift-leg/139830084/p?_gl=1*knx0oy*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhbi8BhDIARIsAJLOlufYDqqvWXSdnTcV_MnaerXuuPA5tO1LUZXx40GGPTfBeLkmSl3368UaAvfoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


 
Posted : 20/01/2025 10:14 am

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!