# Stripped XTR Brake Lever Clamp Bolt



## Scoutergtg (Feb 20, 2014)

I recently picked up a 1997 Ibis with XTR everything but needed a lot of cleanup. I found that the allen socket for the brake lever clamp bolt had been stripped. I was able to extract the bolts but I need to replace them. After a little research, It seems that Shimano made the bolt as a proprietary part for this brake lever. Here is the description: M8 x 15mm, flat head, black oxide finish and super fine thread. The super fine thread is the hard part. Any suggestions?


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

Wow, really? Bummer. So it's none-standard thread? I've replaced all of my lever bolts with aluminum. Pretty much about 1 gram per bolt vs the 3-5 grams per bolt on the levers. Good luck finding replacements.


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## Mike87 (Apr 8, 2010)

Are you sure it is an M8? M8 is about 3/8" diameter. That is awful large for a clamp bolt. I am guessing that it is closer to M4 or M5 and 0.8 thread pitch. But that is just a guess.


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## Scoutergtg (Feb 20, 2014)

*Problem solved!*














I have found that the bolt used for the clamp is identical to a chainring bolt but not hollow. Here are a couple of photos of the stripped bolt on a measurement card. I have ordered two titanium 12mm chainring bolts for replacements. Thanks for everyone's help!


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## Zeev (Mar 4, 2012)

*Stripped thread solution*

I had both female threads for bolts that fastening the caliper of the front brake to the fork stripped. The fork is made of aluminim, the bolts are steel. So the female threads on the fork are the ones that got stripped (because i was dumb and inexperienced with bolts). After 1 year of makeshift solutions I bought an M6 thread repair kit on Ali Express for $13.80 including shipment from China to Israel. Includes 25 pcs of helicoil so will last me a lifetime of standard M6 (=6mm diameter, 1mm thread step) stripped bike threads. Worked like a charm.


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## ElGuano (Oct 27, 2020)

Old thread, I know. I had the same problem with broken XTR (ST-M951) brake lever/shift lever handlebar clamp bolts, and online research led me here, which solved my problem. Just (cross-)posting here in case it helps someone else in another 10 years in the future:

https://forums.mtbr.com/drivetrain-...shimano-xtr-shifters-416315.html#post15055277


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