Replacing Gear Shifter

daazzaa

Likes Bikes
Hi all,

The young fella come a cropper on his MTB, and looks like the rear gear shifter on the right may have got a little nudge. It would only ocassionally shift down into lower gear (higher rear cog), but shifting up gears was fine. Got to the stage where you could push the whole gear lever all the way to the front of the bike without engaging another gear, ie loose. I took the bottom off and gave it a clean and improved for a few minutes the gears would change up and down fine. I have freed the pawl up etc. I have compared to the other gear shifter and I think the problem is the nut at the bottom holding the gear levers in etc is not as tightened as the other, thus the gear lever can move around a little. I have tightened it the best I can but there is not much to grab on the nut.

I was hoping to come from the top and see also if anything was loose etc. Anyone know how to actually get the top cover off which has the gear numbering on it? It is made hard by the bracket as I cannot get the bracket off as it is one of those tight one that jut clamps with a bolt.

Would it be just easier to buy a new altus shifter and install that? How do you get the old one off with those tight brackets? Do you have to remove the grips and slide it off? The gear shifter is a Shimano Altus SL-M370.

Thanks
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Sounds like a good chance to upgrade from the Altus.

They are pretty low end and the time you've spent on it already probably far outweighs the cost of the actual shifter!

Even something second hand (deore / slx) would be a good option.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Shimano zee time.

Remove grip and slide the shifter off. Sounds like the thread may have stripped and it won't hold on again.
 

Ezkaton

Eats Squid
Good advice...except Altus is 9sp and zee is 10...
Would the shift range be limited by the derailleur's high or low screw to stop the shifter from being able to shift that one extra click?

Or are they just flat-out incompatible?
 
Last edited:

moorey

call me Mia
Would the shift range be limited by the derailleur's high or low screw to stop the shifter from being able to shift that one extra click?

Or are they just flat-out incompatible?
I'm not 100% sure they aren't, but there will be piles of old 9sp Shimano shifters out there, so I'd just stick with that. Pretty sure I've given away all mine, but can check tonight.
 

daazzaa

Likes Bikes
Sounds like a good chance to upgrade from the Altus.

They are pretty low end and the time you've spent on it already probably far outweighs the cost of the actual shifter!

Even something second hand (deore / slx) would be a good option.
Yep, agreed, already spend a couple hours on it. If I upgraded the shifter, do I have to upgrade the shifter for the front derailleur also? The rear derailleur is deore.

Cheers
 

daazzaa

Likes Bikes
Shimano zee time.

Remove grip and slide the shifter off. Sounds like the thread may have stripped and it won't hold on again.
Yeh I think the shifter is "no recessed" into the other shifter if that makes any sense? They are not flat against each other and a little loose (can wobble it a little side to side and up and down), but if I slide the shifter whilst holding it up, it shifts OK. I works OK when I turn it upside and look at the pawl and internals I guess because the shifter is not hanging down.
 

daazzaa

Likes Bikes
I'm not 100% sure they aren't, but there will be piles of old 9sp Shimano shifters out there, so I'd just stick with that. Pretty sure I've given away all mine, but can check tonight.
Thanks mate. I see you are from Buninyong, must be cold there today!
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Yep, agreed, already spend a couple hours on it. If I upgraded the shifter, do I have to upgrade the shifter for the front derailleur also? The rear derailleur is deore.

Cheers
If the front shifter is still working then you can leave it. Some here though might say that removing the front shifter would be the upgrade!

But just changing the rear shifter is all you need.
 
Last edited:

daazzaa

Likes Bikes
If the front shifter is still working then you can leave it. Some here though might say that removing the front shifter would be the upgrade!

But just changing the rear shifter is all you need.
Thanks wkkie, might be a good time to upgrade to a better spec shifter ?
 

moorey

call me Mia
Thanks mate. I see you are from Buninyong, must be cold there today!
Little cool, yeah.

Just occurred to me, unless you're also changing cassette, you HAVE to stay 9sp shifter. I think the pull ratios on the derailleur are different between 9 and 10, but the issue is even if you only used 9 clicks on a 10sp shifter, the ratios will be right out anyway. Each shift will 0.9 of the distance the derailleur needs to move if using 9 of the 10 shifts.
Get a 9sp shifter, or find a s/h 10sp shifter/cassette/derailleur set up. Chain ideally also. Ditch the front while you're there.
 

daazzaa

Likes Bikes
Little cool, yeah.

Just occurred to me, unless you're also changing cassette, you HAVE to stay 9sp shifter. I think the pull ratios on the derailleur are different between 9 and 10, but the issue is even if you only used 9 clicks on a 10sp shifter, the ratios will be right out anyway. Each shift will 0.9 of the distance the derailleur needs to move if using 9 of the 10 shifts.
Get a 9sp shifter, or find a s/h 10sp shifter/cassette/derailleur set up. Chain ideally also. Ditch the front while you're there.
Thanks. Yep will stick with a 9speed shifter, Altus or better. I'm a noobie at this stuff, so trying to make it as easy as possible, don't want to change too much!
 
Top