Servicing old Shimano Deore thumbies

My old Shimano Deore (DX) top mount thumb shifters are in cosmetically
good condition, but the "light action" logo on the label is becoming a joke.

Shifting has become quite stiff. Replacing cable housing & cables hasn't
helped. Can anyone offer suggestions for routine maintenance to get
these suckers working more smoothly?

Apart from the right shifter slipping out of friction mode from time to
time, they work fine. It's just stiff.

BTW: I found a pic of a bike with the shifters he
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/specs/RS1FrtShock.jpg

- Kevin

P.S. If there's no hope, will I be able to use Suntour XC Expert NOS
shifters on friction with my nine-speed rig?

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In article ,
Kevin wrote:
My old Shimano Deore (DX) top mount thumb shifters are in cosmetically
good condition, but the "light action" logo on the label is becoming a joke.

Shifting has become quite stiff. Replacing cable housing & cables hasn't
helped. Can anyone offer suggestions for routine maintenance to get
these suckers working more smoothly?

_ My are still working just fine, but they no longer index. Have
you tried some kind of penetrating oil?


Apart from the right shifter slipping out of friction mode from time to
time, they work fine. It's just stiff.

BTW: I found a pic of a bike with the shifters he
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/specs/RS1FrtShock.jpg

- Kevin

P.S. If there's no hope, will I be able to use Suntour XC Expert NOS
shifters on friction with my nine-speed rig?

_ If you want 9spd indexing and thumb shifters your best bet is
Paul Thumbies and a set of 9spd bar end shifters. Expensive, but
works really well.

_ Booker C. Bense


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Booker C. Bense wrote:

_ If you want 9spd indexing and thumb shifters your best bet is
Paul Thumbies and a set of 9spd bar end shifters. Expensive, but
works really well.

I don't care about indexing. (I've run friction for years.) That's why I
asked whether Suntour XC Expert shifters set on friction would be okay.

- Kevin

Kevin wrote:

I don't care about indexing. (I've run friction for years.) That's why I
asked whether Suntour XC Expert shifters set on friction would be okay.

Yes, they would. Some people used to use Suntour thumbies on Shimano
cassettes in the old days, with various bodges to try and get the
indexing to work.

The Bodges were the issue... they both had the same throw at the levers
.... it was the derailures that were different.. at least as far as 7
speed.


XC -pro thumbies work fine on Shimano 7 speed..XC-Expert will do fine
as well