# 6800 left shifter lever defective?



## FullRageAce (Nov 2, 2014)

Bought a new ultegra 6800 group and the left shift lever may have a small defect in it.
The section on the outer side of it where you slide in the shift cable has a bit of extra plastic over it so the cable ball on the end will not slide through and snug up in the slot. 
The other shifter doesn't have this issue and seems just great.
Was going to trim a little off it off so I could fit it. Seems like a small problem.
Would if effect the warranty if I did that, anyone else herd of this issue.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

http://si.shimano.com/php/download.php?file=pdf/dm/DM-ST0002-03-ENG.pdf

Nope, never heard of such of thing.


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## FullRageAce (Nov 2, 2014)

Here is a pic of the right side (good side)









and left side (bad side)
The little insert that the cable and ball snug into seems to be low on this side like it was inserted into the plastic farther down. The ball and cable aren't snugging up and in like the one on the right.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

What's the white stuff around the left cable end?

The left one looks like a bad molding. If it were me, I would exchange it, which means waiting. If you do attempt to modify it, then you may be out of luck on warranty -as they won't be able to discern what was a manufacturing defect vs. what damage you may have done.


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## FullRageAce (Nov 2, 2014)

I think its just the glare or part of the insert thats a lighter color, it has a small hole/slot on each side.

Looks a mess compared to the other lever.

They are the same length but the cable doesn't snug up as far in the left due to the slot being more narrow I think but it may just be due to the lower position of the ilighter colored insert it sits in.
The insert thats in the plastic mold is set lower in the left and shows more cable vs the right as that part is going into the inside of the housing on the right and not exposed.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

It might be easier to compare by photo with the cable end out of the depression.

Second thing - can't tell by the photo - are the lengths of the two channel between hole where the cable passes through to end where the cable-end rests the same? Probably an artifact of the pics, but the left one looks much longer.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Can't judge by the pics, but if it's as chewed up asit look,s and it's new and came that way, then it should be returned for a new one.

The pic of the right one is good, but the left one just looks completely weird. If the weirdness of the left one is an artifact of the pic, then it really can't be used to judge an anything. 

It looks like the depression for the left (front) cable-end has been chewed up, as if someone took a screwdriver to it, and the white stuff looks almost like silicone RTV sealant or grease of some kind. Further, there is a relief or drop in the molding on the right where the cable-end receptacle sits that appears to be absent on the left. The left looks like a different part altogether.

Is that cammo bar wrap in place around the left one? If so, when did you discover the problem?


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## FullRageAce (Nov 2, 2014)

The pic looks fairly accurate to what it looks like in person. There are some slight depth/angles that the camera doesn't portray as it would be by the eye.

I didn't apply any grease/lube etc... to the cable or shifter. The cable was ran through the cable housing once and then removed so I could trim the housing for a more accurate measurement. That alone caused a very very slight fraying of the waxy finish of the cable. Didn't effect the cable materials integrity at all, the poor lighting makes the cable look a little rough and dull.
Pulling the ball end of the cable out of the slot and reinserting it caused a couple slight markings on the metal material. Its overall structure isn't compromised or changed (i.e. not deeply scarred, crushed, chipped, etc...)

The shift lever looks like the inside thats molded within the lever housing is turned down and inserted at a bad measurement and off from the right side by about 1/4 an inch at that cable insert area.

The camo bar wrap was some free cork tape I got and threw it on last night to see how it looked and to see what the finished handlebar with levers would look like.

I haven't rode the bike frame or components at all yet, they are brand new out of the box. I got the frame back from the lbs two days ago for a BB servicing to clear out the threads since its a new frame.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Contact Shimano America, follow their warranty claim process, and get new ST's. They say on their website that typical resolution is 3-5 days. Alternatively, if you got them from a local dealer you can try that route for faster service.


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## FullRageAce (Nov 2, 2014)

Thanks for the helpful replies.
Ok, so I went ahead and took the shifter and all the cable off. I checked out the area that feeds the shift cable. I was able to get it to accept the shift cable properly so it was seated further in just like the right side. I put everything back together, reran all the cables...
Seems to be ok but I emailed my dealer to let them know and took better pictures.
I am going to try and tune everything back in and see if it gives me any trouble.


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