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? On Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 8:19:49 PM UTC-4 Pam Bikes wrote: > [image: IMG_3819.JPG] > > On Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 8:05:37 PM UTC-4 Pam Bikes wrote: > >> 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. >> On Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 7:37:06 PM UTC-4 Pam Bikes wrote: >> >>> 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! >>> On Monday, August 21, 2023 at 4:20:54 PM UTC-4 Bill Lindsay wrote: >>> >>>> 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 >>>> >>>> On Monday, August 21, 2023 at 1:00:15 PM UTC-7 Pam Bikes wrote: >>>> >>>>> 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! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 4:31:45 PM UTC-4 maxcr wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Take a look at page 61 of the 2006 Rivendell catalog >>>>>> <https://notfine.com/rivreader/Catalogs/Rivendell%20Catalog%202006%20No%2018%20Frames.pdf> >>>>>> - >>>>>> 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 >>>>>> [image: shifter.jpg] >>>>>> >>>>>> On Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at 4:26:45 PM UTC-4 Garth wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> 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. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ce6747f6-c4d7-4fa5-874f-f6b88f9e4662n%40googlegroups.com.
