# Replacing GX 12 speed derailleur with XT 12-speed: what about shifters?



## 749800 (Jul 14, 2013)

After destroying two GX 12-speed derailleurs, we (me and the kid) put in an 11-speed Box derailleur with an otherwise intact SRAM 12-speed drivetrain and shifter.

This works moderately well, but was by no means flawless. (Shifting is very stiff, possibly due to Box's clutch, and as an 11-speed derailleur, we are asking a bit much of it.)

When Shimano released the 12-speed XT and SLX, I thought this would be a good option.

To try to hold initial costs down as much as possible, we first bought the XT derailleur only, to see if we could simply swap in the derailleur into the existing SRAM drivetrain ecosystem. I mean, if the 11-speed Box worked, how bad could it be?

I've spent a few hours of quality time convincing myself that I cannot get it to work. There are anecdotal reports on the internet of people using a 12-speed XTR derailleur with everything else SRAM without an issue. I'm guessing XT (and SLX) aren't that different, and hoping this might simply be user error or something similar.


Anyone have any experience or insight? 

Should I just suck it up and buy an SLX or XT shifter?


Edit:

Apologies -- I now see there are several similar threads in the drivetrain forum. (But none with definitive answers.)


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## 749800 (Jul 14, 2013)

Yup. It was luser error.

The answer is at the bottom of page 15 of the dealer's manual.

Specifically, I had the cable threaded backwards. It makes a HUGE difference in shifting.


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## Ratt (Dec 22, 2003)

Well, does it work as well as a Sram derailleur?


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## 749800 (Jul 14, 2013)

Sorry for lack of follow-up. Once the cable is threaded properly (left to right, as in the figure above), the shifting is vastly superior to what we were getting with the SRAM derailleurs (both of which I think were damaged).


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## le_pedal (Jul 10, 2018)

So... the Shimano 12 speed derailleur and the SRAM 12 speed shifter played nicely together?


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## NelisB (Sep 8, 2013)

wgscott said:


> Sorry for lack of follow-up. Once the cable is threaded properly (left to right, as in the figure above), the shifting is vastly superior to what we were getting with the SRAM derailleurs (both of which I think were damaged).


I would like to know the same


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## Isildur (Nov 10, 2007)

Just to confirm, yep, the Shimano 12sp derailleurs bolt straight into an otherwise SRAM setup. I experimented with an SLX M7100 derailleur into an X01 eagle setup and had no problems at all. I've now got another SLX in the spares box for the eventual replacement when the next one goes. Over here in Aus, the SLX are much cheaper than even a GX (which I was never stoked with TBH) and certainly a far sight cheaper than the X01.


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