csport

Hi
I have a problem with the right Shimano Sora 9 speed ST-3500 brifter (older one, which does not have concealed routing for the shifter cable). After a downshift the inner lever does not come back. Further downshifts are possible from this lever position, upshifts (outer lever) are not. The inner lever gets caught at the same point (see photo). I need to apply some force to make it move past that point, and then it comes back.
I tried spraying it with WD-40 and repeatedly shifting up and down after that. Now pushing the outer lever when the inner lever is stuck will release the inner lever and make the upshift possible. Also, if the inner lever is abruptly released after the shift, it will accelerate on the way back enough to pass through the point it gets stuck in. This is better, but still not normal The return spring does work, but the lever hits some obstacle on the way back and gets stuck there.
The shifters have approximately 1,000 miles on them. The left shifter (ST-3503, 3 speed) does not have this kind of problem. I had a crash, but the problem started developing before that.
Has anyone had a similar problem? Most of the time the problem people have is with grime accumulated inside the shifters which hinders their ability to stay in place after an upshift. I do not have this exact problem. Mine may be grime or some mechanical problem like some broken spring.
Thanks for any help!



Inner lever does not come back after a shift

andrewclaus

I don't have direct experience with this brifter, but similar issues have almost always been caused by a sticking pawl in the works. It's hard to reach with oil spray, and sometimes you have to get access and work the pawl mechanically (dental picks work well) to free it up.

csport

Thanks for the hint! I will probably go for a ride on Saturday and take the shifter off the bike after that to see what pawl gets stuck. Anyway, this is a homework for me to do.

billDennen

Encountered a similar issue once on the FD brifter. Turned out cable tension was too high (or limit too low). If you're experiencing this lockup at the end of your cassette range then excessive tension may be your problem.

csport

At every position...

Sorry for the stupidity. Tried degreaser and was about to remove the shifter from the bike when I accidentally spotted a small rubber insert at the bottom of the inner lever. It is loose, and it catches on the outer lever Easy to fix.
When I sprayed the shifters with WD-40 or degreaser, it acted as a lubricant making the movement easier. The inner lever was able to gain more momentum on the way back and pass the point where it was caught. Will spray the mechanism with Boeshield after the degreaser evaporates.

cpach

If you have proof of purchase within 2 years you can warranty it, but otherwise I'd probably degrease it more and poke the pawls, and try working it and seeing if I can visibly see it catching on anything, but they're really not intended for service and I'd buy a new shifter if modest efforts yielded no results.