Broken shifters

[Pam Bikes]

I have several broken Silver shifters.  The power ratchet doesn't work any more.  My question is if I can get a part to fix the ratchet.  If not, should I throw them in the metal recycling or is there anything I can use later?  I'm not a mechanical person.  I just know the ratchet wouldn't hold after I replaced the plastic washer and when I put a new shifter on, it worked.  

[JohnS]

Hello Pam,

I had a problem with Suntour power shifters (ratchet mechanism just like the Silvers) which caused the ratchet to not work, sounded like it was grinding or slipping. I found that by taking the shifter apart, cleaning the washers and applying a thin coat of light oil helped. Worth a try. Not sure if the oil is recommended or not, maybe someone else can chime in.

Good luck,

JohnS

[JohnS]

If that doesn't help, you could repurpose them as key chains. I did that with some old Campy down tube shifters recently.

JohnS

[Garth]

Pam, I have lots of Suntour Power shifters, both downtube and thumb versions and I've taken them all apart.. Those have a small screw that allows the user to get into the ratchet. They aren't replaceable, but like John mentioned you can flush and lube them with a light oil. I'm not sure if he's referring to just the washers or the ratchet itself, I'm referring to the rachet that's underneath the plate. From the photos of Riv versions do not have the screw, they seem press fit and where the screw was on the Suntour is what looks like a press fit sheered off rivet kind of thing. I'm not sure if you can use a screwdriver to pop that off or not, but what the heck, if they are unusable there's no harm in trying. I really doubt the ratchet mechanism is worn out. Gunked up, quite possibly, but not worn out. Even if you can't pop open the cover, you could try squirting some wd-40 in the seam and rotate it back and forth. That may be all it needs. Of course I'm not seeing and feeling them so all of this is based on my own hands on with the Suntour I have and dismantling them to get inside to see what's in there. Curiosity ! 

If the shifter is simply not holding a gear, as in not enough friction/pressure, you can also try adding another washer, which you'd have to go to hardware store with the shifter to find one about right. That may or may not help ! 

On Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 9:05:13 AM UTC-4 JohnS wrote:

[Garth]

So I watched the video ... too bad they didn't show then removing the cover. If wd-40 doesn't work I'd still remove the cover and inspect the innards. This isn't a jet engine !  The cover may press back in or take a little finagling. The head of the rivet may need sheered off, I can't say for sure what it is as the Suntours I have screws. TMI here but ..... If you're handy with a drill you could use a drill and drill a small hole in the center of the riven and tap it for a small screw. You'd have to go to hardware store to find one. That may seem like a lot of work for a shifter, maybe not, it depends on how much one likes to monkey around .... heeheeehee. Gitarzan baby !  If anyone catches what that word refers to word, you get a cookie !

I also note that in the video they show the lever being tightened, and tightened again, like really tight. I've never tightened any of these levers like that since my first pair in 1983, which I still have and are working. I only tighten them enough to hold the shift, no more.. If it doesn't hold the shift, I don't tighten it more from where it is, I loosen it completely and then tighten it just a bit more than before. It's all by feel, with finesse.

[maxcr]

Take a look at page 61 of the 2006 Rivendell catalog - I imagine that spring can give up? If that's the problem, maybe there a way to buy a spare from Grainger or something like that?

Max

[Pam Bikes]

Thanks all for your comments.  I think it's the press fit thing that holds it together but I haven't gone beyond that.  I'll take one apart and see.  I'm not mechanical so who would be able to put a screw in there for me?  I just need to know what to ask for.  I can see the press fit thing coming apart.  But maybe the spring is the problem.  I have several so I'll sacrifice one.  I'd like to be able to repair them.  Thanks again!

[Bill Lindsay]

The OP has repeated that they are not mechanical.  The thing that isn't clear to me is whether the OP wants to be mechanical.  If you have a bunch of broken shifters, and want to learn how mechanical people visualize a mechanism working and how they use that knowledge to diagnose and remedy failures, then it sounds like the OP needs a mechanical mentor.  You should find somebody who you trust and who is generous with their time and want to describe their process to you.  Have them take one apart with you watching.  Have them explain what they are seeing and what they think they want to do to fix your shifter(s), or tell you they are all hosed and throw them away.  It's hard to be a mentor over a google group.  Mentorship happens in-person.  

If you can't find or don't want to find a mentor, maybe you want somebody to just try to fix them for you so you don't have to think about it?  Again, that person should be somebody you trust, so if they say "these are hosed" you won't feel like it's a waste throwing them out.  Again, it would be nice if it was somebody who was either generous or owed you a favor so that if they succeed, it's free, and if they fail, it's still free.  People who work on things for a living are usually $50/hr to $100/hr pros and there's no way this project will be worth paying a pro what they deserve to be paid.  Maybe there's a volunteer here who you'd mail your shifters to, and they can mail them back fixed.  

I don't know this for certain, but I think there's a non-zero chance that they are not even broken.  The symptom described could be just a setup issue, as I understand it.  The mechanic who does the diagnosis would be able to be conclusive on that.  

If you do decide your shifters are hosed, I recommend you upcycle them into key chains.  Shift levers make great keychains.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Pam Bikes]

I just want to fix them if possible.  I hate throwing stuff away.  These are definitely not set up errors as they were operable then after several falls over the years they broke.  They would work for years then break.  I can replace them and have but now I have several broken ones.  I will take one apart and see what it looks like.  I didn't want to do more damage than already.  I will find someone to help me.  Thanks all!

[Pam Bikes]

I took one apart.  It's missing the little spring.  Not sure where I can find one.  If anyone has one, I'd like to try to fix this one.  The other one I can't get apart to look at the innards but I think it was missing a washer so maybe that was the problem.  I think maybe it needed more friction to hold it together maybe?  I've already replaced it so I'll try it next time.  

[Pam Bikes]

[Eric Marth]

My drive-side Silver 1 shifter quit holding tension last week. This was after two years of regular use on my most-ridden bike, a Sam Hillborne. I swapped the shifter for a Silver 2 and kept on riding. 

Last night, inspired by this thread, I took my shifter apart. Apologies ahead of time but I didn't take any pictures. The pawl and spring were clogged up with cloudy white corrosion. The corrosion caused the spring to seize and that lead to no movement in the pawl, disabling the ratchet. I removed all the parts, brushed them with a brass parts cleaning brush and rubbed the spring, pawl and inner parts with an oily rag. I haven't re-installed the lever but the clicks have returned and it appears to be working again. 

Today I measured the spring with my calipers and ordered some replacement springs in two different sizes. I had a hard time finding a perfect match for the existing spring which appears to match imperial measurements. OD: 1/8", overall length: 5/16". The wire gauge is 0.3mm. The springs I ordered are very close to my shifter spring, one size is a little shorter, the other is a little longer. I'll report back on which fits best. 

I'm encouraged by my disassembly and feel confident these shifters are repairable. Though I'm unaware of a source for replacement pawls. Are they out there? 

[Pam Bikes]

Please take pictures next time.  Of the before, during and after and how you get the press fit plate back on.  

Next, I'm trying to think of a padded sleeve to slip on the grip over the bar end when I put it on the train.  I'm hoping to cushion the blow and absorb the impact w/some foam like pipe insulation inside some pvc or cardboard tube to cover the bar end and the grip.  On the bright side, my XTR rapid rise rear derailer isn't getting broken.