Fix/Workaround: Shimano XT M785 Brake Lever

[Skylark]

nope. It's softer than a 6 month old's poop.

 

Super easy to cut or poke a hole in... I know from personal experience, unfortunately.

I suppose it's relative but I didn't notice oem shimano cable being overly soft or even easy to pierce at all, crush yes if you bend it too much the hose wall will collapse. Seemed pretty much on par with the unbraided Goodridge hose, perhaps not quite as tough but close.

[Mopkop]

Alls well now. No leaks on the hose, i think it was the lever that was leaking.

 

I was @GECOCYCLES yesturday and had a chat with the tall mechanic, awesome guy for all the help and advice. He says the problem is with the XT caliper. The bleed nipple and hose are both on the same side of the caliper and with the way the caliper mounts the bleed port is always lower than than where possible air could be. When you gravity bleed theres not enough pressure to push this "air pocket" out. You need a big syringe to suck it out of the bleed port.

 

Got myself a 50ml syringe and attached it to the bleed port, filled the funnel with oil and pulled quite hard on the syringe. There was a shiit load of air stil in the system even though i bled it numerous times yesturday.

 

The brake is now solid, full of power. Really glad i went into Geco cycles yesturday. Defnetly my new LBS

 

Thanks for all the advice and the diagram to strip the lever

Edited April 30, 2016 by Mopkop

[Skylark]

^ That's avid style pulling bubbles out the calliper with a syringe? Isn't that potentially damaging for new style shimano brakes, always something about don't bleed avid style with shimano?

[King_Crispy]

Alls well now. No leaks on the hose, i think it was the lever that was leaking.

 

I was @GECOCYCLES yesturday and had a chat with the tall mechanic, awesome guy for all the help and advice. He says the problem is with the XT caliper. The bleed nipple and hose are both on the same side of the caliper and with the way the caliper mounts the bleed port is always lower than than where possible air could be. When you gravity bleed theres not enough pressure to push this "air pocket" out. You need a big syringe to suck it out of the bleed port.

 

Got myself a 50ml syringe and attached it to the bleed port, filled the funnel with oil and pulled quite hard on the syringe. There was a shiit load of air stil in the system even though i bled it numerous times yesturday.

 

The brake is now solid, full of power. Really glad i went into Geco cycles yesturday. Defnetly my new LBS

 

Thanks for all the advice and the diagram to strip the lever

 

And you sharing this info is priceless.Thanks for making the effort and taking the time to go to the effort of finding the cures to fix these "premium brakes " issues. It was bugging me when I heard the *** these brakes give and the fact that there wasn't a recall on the 786 model. Any motor manufacturer would be compelled by law to replace the entire range as it pertains to safety. I don't know how shimano are exempt from this global rule

[Mopkop]

^ That's avid style pulling bubbles out the calliper with a syringe? Isn't that potentially damaging for new style shimano brakes, always something about don't bleed avid style with shimano?

 

I was worried yes but it does not affect the bladder inside the lever which i thought would possibly collapse under the suction force that the syringe is putting on the system but its all good cos the hole from the top of the lever where you add oil sits below said bladder so your "sucking" below the bladder.

 

 

And you sharing this info is priceless. Thanks for making the effort and taking the time to go to the effort of finding the cures to fix these "premium brakes " issues. It was bugging me when I heard the *** these brakes give and the fact that there wasn't a recall on the 786 model. Any motor manufacturer would be compelled by law to replace the entire range as it pertains to safety. I don't know how shimano are exempt from this global rule

While having the chat about the XT's he told  me that shimano are aware of an issue with the new M8000 brakes with heat being one of the major factors. They had apparently sent back 7 or 8 of the 10 sets they had sold recently and Shimano has got no issues with replacement.

 

He was busy bleeding an older set of XTR brakes while I was there and the bleed port runs in a straight line with the hose input AND this port is above the hose input hence all the air will be sitting in the bleed port. That already makes a big difference as you know where the air is going.

 

Glad I could be the test subject. I was on the verge of buying a new set of brakes, even had a mate show me a set of Guide Ultimates BUT R7000 is waaaaayyyyyyy too much for brakes!!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I was worried yes but it does not affect the bladder inside the lever which i thought would possibly collapse under the suction force that the syringe is putting on the system but its all good cos the hole from the top of the lever where you add oil sits below said bladder so your "sucking" below the bladder.

 

 

While having the chat about the XT's he told me that shimano are aware of an issue with the new M8000 brakes with heat being one of the major factors. They had apparently sent back 7 or 8 of the 10 sets they had sold recently and Shimano has got no issues with replacement.

 

He was busy bleeding an older set of XTR brakes while I was there and the bleed port runs in a straight line with the hose input AND this port is above the hose input hence all the air will be sitting in the bleed port. That already makes a big difference as you know where the air is going.

 

Glad I could be the test subject. I was on the verge of buying a new set of brakes, even had a mate show me a set of Guide Ultimates BUT R7000 is waaaaayyyyyyy too much for brakes!!

If you're going for guides, no need to get the ultimate. RS & RSC are brilliant all by themselves. Just a leeeeetle heavier is all.

[Meezo]

If you're going for guides, no need to get the ultimate. RS & RSC are brilliant all by themselves. Just a leeeeetle heavier is all.

Hi Myles

 

Get lost, we no discuss avid vs shimano here, we got millions of other threads like that.

 

Yours Truly

Meezo

 

PS! Recovering from gastro, hoping to catch a jonkershoek scene tomorrow, stik uit!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

[Lance Roberts]

I suppose it's relative but I didn't notice oem shimano cable being overly soft or even easy to pierce at all, crush yes if you bend it too much the hose wall will collapse. Seemed pretty much on par with the unbraided Goodridge hose, perhaps not quite as tough but close.

Same here, waited 4 months and when I got the items they were incorrect. Obviously the supplier didn't care about the reason and didn't exchange, and I don't blame them after 4 months...

Local post office service sucks!

[arendoog]

Are there any of the hub brake guru,s that can help with a XTR lever that is leaking brake fluid around the rubber internal seal and losing pressure as you pull it? .LBS says it is not fixable .Next Q .If not fixable ,can i use another shimano lever and the xtr caliper ?

[Skylark]

 

 

Are there any of the hub brake guru,s that can help with a XTR lever that is leaking brake fluid around the rubber internal seal and losing pressure as you pull it? .LBS says it is not fixable .Next Q .If not fixable ,can i use another shimano lever and the xtr caliper ?

Not sure on the fixing side but you can mix n match calliper or mc from the current gen of shimano brakes(and the previous iterations - anything from Deore up with the new lever/servo wave will work fine), probably will not even notice much performance difference.

[Sidmouth]

Are there any of the hub brake guru,s that can help with a XTR lever that is leaking brake fluid around the rubber internal seal and losing pressure as you pull it? .LBS says it is not fixable .Next Q .If not fixable ,can i use another shimano lever and the xtr caliper ?

I could never get the XTR brakes repaired, the free stroke bolt i Could not remove unlike that of the XT brake, I think your LBS could be correct, but stick any lever on, it works fine with XTR calipers

[Bike Whisperer]

Glad to see the fix is spreading... I must have done 10 of these now and all work 100% so far.

[Bike Whisperer]

Are there any of the hub brake guru,s that can help with a XTR lever that is leaking brake fluid around the rubber internal seal and losing pressure as you pull it? .LBS says it is not fixable .Next Q .If not fixable ,can i use another shimano lever and the xtr caliper ?

So XTR is a little different design. If you have mineral oil (not brake fluid, or that is your issue) leaking this normally means one of the two seals is worn or damaged (probably the outer one). this can not be fixed unless you have new seals... which one can not buy.

 

XT lever works just fine with XTR Calliper. Been there... done that

Edited May 25, 2016 by Bike Whisperer

[Bike Whisperer]

so he's hub name is very fitting then...

I'm just allergic to being forced to replace when a simple fix will do.

[alrikki]

I tried removing the piston on my SLX, but after I took the lever off, the pin behind the piston will not pull out of the lever body.

It looks machined so that it wont come out. Is that the same as XT?

Is there a way to get it out?

 

OH,I just pushed it in and twisted it, then it comes out!!

 

I just need some fine circlip pliers or something to get the (6) screw out

OK, done!

Edited July 18, 2016 by alrikki