GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

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QuangVuong
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby QuangVuong » Wed Jul 03, 2013 5:27 pm

600 guide is up!
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=65831" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Look out for a 5600 series guide soon!
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Scrouchy123
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Scrouchy123 » Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:38 am

Hi All, My first post - great thread this. Quang Vuong - How did you get the 105 levers so polished up, what did you use / how did you get them so clean - electric polisher? or just elbow grease, a rag and chrome cleaner??
Regards, Scrouchy123

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QuangVuong
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby QuangVuong » Mon Jan 13, 2014 4:58 pm

All polished by hand. I usually polish the lever when it is dismantled from the rest of the body. I get some 240 or 400 grit paper and sand down the anodising, then work my way up to 1200 or 2000 grit papers. After that I clamp it and get some Autosol and a rag and begin polishing. You can check out a video of this in my Centurion Carbon R thread.
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maDKient
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby maDKient » Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:38 pm

Mate come over and help me clean up my bike too.

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mark field
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby mark field » Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:38 pm

QuangVuong wrote:That would be useful for everyone.

And I would be able to do a more indepth one for the next shifters(most likely if someone needs a repair). This time around it was quite explorative and ai didn't really take pics of every single step.
i think you have done a superb job, only problem is im now going to have to search ebay so i get my hands on a set and put your guide to good use. im feeling the restoring bug again. thanks for your effort, it is very much appreciated.
steel is the real deal.

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RonK
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby RonK » Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:34 am

Spotted this Shimano techdoc which may be useful. It covers installation and maintenance of ST-6510, ST-5500-CA, ST-5510 and ST-R600 levers.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

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PomBike
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby PomBike » Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:15 am

RonK wrote:Spotted this Shimano techdoc which may be useful. It covers installation and maintenance of ST-6510, ST-5500-CA, ST-5510 and ST-R600 levers.
Useful, thanks...

highplainsdrifter
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby highplainsdrifter » Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:51 pm

Hey QuangVuong,

Your pictorials on these sti levers are great.

Helped me get a set of RX100's working again and fix a droopy brake lever on a ST6600 set I just got off ebay.

I noticed in this one, it's a Flight Deck set. Did you remove the Flight Deck parts before the petrol submersion or did you just sacrifice the the Flight Deck for the sake of getting it going again.

Also an ultrasonic cleaner may be another way of cleaning these brifters. Aldi have them from time to time for a reasonable price.

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Leaf T
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Leaf T » Wed Nov 04, 2015 12:23 pm

Thanks for the great post QV. I have some old 105 shifters on an old longstaff bike that will need this job done some day.

Mickey1980
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Mickey1980 » Wed Feb 01, 2017 4:24 pm

Great piece of info, mate! I have done the same with my old Sora shifters. Meanwhile I managed to round a tiny hex bolt that is holding the brake axle. Any ideas how that can be fixed? Appreciate any thoughts.

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QuangVuong
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby QuangVuong » Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:06 pm

What part do you mean by the brake axle? Do you have a picture?
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Duck!
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Duck! » Wed Feb 01, 2017 9:21 pm

That would be the pivot pin that holds the lever assembly in the hood body. The retaining grubscrew has a tendency to bind in the hood body and is easily rounded out. Use the sharpest-edged 2mm allen key you can find, and tap it right into the screw to find some remnant corners then very gently ease it out.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Mickey1980 » Sun Feb 05, 2017 12:44 am

Duck! wrote:That would be the pivot pin that holds the lever assembly in the hood body. The retaining grubscrew has a tendency to bind in the hood body and is easily rounded out. Use the sharpest-edged 2mm allen key you can find, and tap it right into the screw to find some remnant corners then very gently ease it out.
Thanks, mate! Didn't work in my case, but I managed to pull out brake lever and dis-assemble and clean the mech. Was not as convenient, but manageable.

Donske
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Donske » Wed Nov 22, 2017 1:15 pm

Hey Quang,

Do you have photos uploaded else where. They not showing up on post anymore.

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find_bruce
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby find_bruce » Wed Nov 22, 2017 7:17 pm

Donske wrote:Hey Quang,

Do you have photos uploaded else where. They not showing up on post anymore.
I have edited Quang's original post as per this photobucket fix so they should work for now.

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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby adam » Thu Feb 07, 2019 3:48 am

I'm having problems with my 5500 right sti lever. Both levers move together when shifting down and cancel each other out. Is this fixable?
I can hold the metal up shifter back and the black down shifter will click and shift down but both shifters want to move together and no click gear change is produced :(

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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby P!N20 » Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:19 pm

adam wrote:I'm having problems with my 5500 right sti lever. Both levers move together when shifting down and cancel each other out. Is this fixable?
I can hold the metal up shifter back and the black down shifter will click and shift down but both shifters want to move together and no click gear change is produced :(
Probably just gunked up. Pull them apart as per above guide and clean them out. Report back if the problem persists.

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Tim
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Tim » Fri Feb 08, 2019 9:13 pm

^^^
An easier first option might be to thoroughly drench the lever internals with WD40.
Generously and continuously spray WD40 into the lever from both sides, above and below, anywhere you can direct a jet of spray into the insides of the mechanism. Use the little plastic straw thingy that comes attached to the tin so the spray goes more directly to where you want.
Work the levers back and forth and pull the brake as you spray.
This method has worked for others.
If it works allow a good day or so for the WD40 to dry out and then use a good quality spray lubricant such as Boeshield T9 or (I think) a Silicon Lube. Apply in a similar generous manner.

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Duck!
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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Duck! » Sat Feb 09, 2019 12:52 am

adam wrote:I'm having problems with my 5500 right sti lever. Both levers move together when shifting down and cancel each other out. Is this fixable?
I can hold the metal up shifter back and the black down shifter will click and shift down but both shifters want to move together and no click gear change is produced :(
I reckon these pics from the first post hold the key to your problem...
QuangVuong wrote: Flip the lever to the backside to locate a Phillips screw. Remove this screw. Watch out for the washer underneath. More dirt and grease build up. You now can pull off the lever. There is a round spring behind, and make sure this doesnt fly off somewhere(very low chance though).
Image

Image
It's not super clear in the first pic, because the offending screw is in the shadows, but that's what you're looking for. It has a bit of a habit of falling out, and its absence will cause exactly the problem you describe.

It's quite a small screw, I think only 2.5 shaft diameter, and about 5mm long. Take the one out of the other lever for a reference, you'll probably need to go to a specialist bolt/fastener shop to get something similar.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

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Re: GUIDE: Repairing Shimano 105(5500) STI Levers

Postby Kimmo » Sat Nov 02, 2019 10:17 am

I've overhauled heaps of STIs, but never had much luck with 9s ones. I think they have a possible failure mode where one or more of the springs get tired, and I couldn't work out which one needed a tweak. 8s levers are bulletproof, though - every pair I've looked at just had the gummy grease. 10 and 11s, I've only had to remove frayed cables, but that's not to say they're more robust, just newer.

STIs are a PITA though. Campy and SRAM are soo much simpler.

ETA: oh yeah, that tiny grub screw can be a bastard. Best way to tackle it IMO is to hit it with some WD40 or something first and let it soak for a bit, then get your 2mm allen key and wrap a layer or two of foil around it, twisting it off at the end. That'll make it a nice snug fit and far less likely to round out. If you do round it out, it's pretty much game over for disassembling the shifter.

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