# 2016 Shimano M8000 XT brakes



## mo6500 (Feb 14, 2011)

Anyone try these new brakes?

Is it better than the regular XT's? (better modulation? braking power?)

Thx, Mo.


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## cameronhd (Apr 22, 2010)

I just got my set yesterday and made a major oversight... As far as I can find, there is no adapter to use a single mount for this new style bar mount paired with a SRAM shifter. The problem solvers kit and the German one (can't remember name now) rely on there being a gap in the mount to put a screw through. These new ones don't have that gap so they wont work. Looks like for now I'll be stuck using 2 separate bar mounts.

Hope to have them on this weekend to test and report back. I'll be going from Magura MTS to these so I expect significantly more bite but questionable modulation.

They look rad as hell though and a single mount would be sooooo clean!


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## cameronhd (Apr 22, 2010)

whelp... egg on face here. looks like there is a MisMatch 1.2 from Problem Solvers. Looks to be compatible with the I Spec II system. Has anyone used this?


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

Looks like there is a SRAM / I-Spec II adapter.

http://problemsolversbike.com/products/mismatch_adapters

But it looks like you won't get full adjustment that you will get with I-Spec II shifters on the I-Spec II brake levers.


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

^^interesting.. off to google and learn more :thumbsup: 
I find out tonight as my rear XT-M8000 brake set is on it's way to my door as I type. From what I have read the M8000 line up is better in every way and I like the all black much better than the shinny silver top...


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## SLR (Jul 5, 2005)

cameronhd said:


> whelp... egg on face here. looks like there is a MisMatch 1.2 from Problem Solvers. Looks to be compatible with the I Spec II system. Has anyone used this?


I have the PS MisMatch 1.2 on my XTR 9000 brakes and they work perfect!


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## mo6500 (Feb 14, 2011)

Burt4x4 said:


> ^^interesting.. off to google and learn more :thumbsup:
> I find out tonight as my rear XT-M8000 brake set is on it's way to my door as I type. From what I have read the M8000 line up is better in every way and I like the all black much better than the shinny silver top...


Hi Burt!

please share your impressions of your new M8000 XT's.
I have SRAM x9 shifters. Any problems with x9 & M8000 combo on my bar?
By the way, is it matte black or gloss/shiny 

Thx, Mo.


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## cameronhd (Apr 22, 2010)

SLR said:


> I have the PS MisMatch 1.2 on my XTR 9000 brakes and they work perfect!


That's good to hear! What shifters are you using? No problems with thumb reach or left to right spacing?


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

mo6500 said:


> Hi Burt!
> 
> please share your impressions of your new M8000 XT's.
> I have SRAM x9 shifters. Any problems with x9 & M8000 combo on my bar?
> ...










I have SLX shifters so no clue about the SRAM stuff..
I would guess gloss finish...

After install, hose cutting and all, I had little to no brake pressure. Did two separate "gravity bleeds" and now I have good pressure, not great so I think I will do it one more time after my last test ride.















RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## 06HokieMTB (Apr 25, 2011)

Burt4x4 said:


> I have SLX shifters so no clue about the SRAM stuff..


Man, that's a good looking drive train. Where'd you pick it up?


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

06HokieMTB said:


> Man, that's a good looking drive train. Where'd you pick it up?


LOL Some cool dude I met online heheheh :thumbsup: This build is coming along nicely! So smooth and I'm faster than I ever been hehe, for an old slow guy!!
Ride ON!!!!!


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## mo6500 (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks Burt!

The M8000 XT's looks great! 

How is it on the trail? (braking power, modulation, the new lever, better than SLX brakes?)

Thx, Mo.


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## SLR (Jul 5, 2005)

cameronhd said:


> That's good to hear! What shifters are you using? No problems with thumb reach or left to right spacing?


XX1, so only using the right side&#8230;no problem with reach/spacing.


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## cameronhd (Apr 22, 2010)

Finally got mine all setup and went through the break in today. For reference, I'm coming from Magura MTS's.

It definitely seemed like a much stronger bite and super short lever pull which I really like. I did add a bit of extra fluid in the bleed to try and stiffen them up and I'm glad I did. On the bike they look great, so much better than previous XT's IMO. I do really like the Magura levers but overall these have a much smaller footprint and look a bit cleaner. The clearance on the stock brake mounts paired with stock SRAM mounts is almost non existent. The brakes pretty much rest on the face of the shifter and along the top where the mount is at. If I had nicer shifters I'd probably consider the PS 1.2 mount. The reach and feel is pretty good so there is no need to change the configuration. Larger hands might be OK but smaller would definitely be an issue, not much room for adjustments with the stock mounts.

View attachment 1002305
View attachment 1002306
View attachment 1002307


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

Thanks for sharing, I will have them installed with SRAM X9 shifters until the 11 speed XT drivetrain is available. I come from M785 XTs and SLXs - looking forward to installing and comparing them. In the meantime I took a closer look at them right out of the box


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## ungod (Apr 16, 2011)

Any word on how these feel compared to the last generation of Shimano XT's? Looks like they are using the old XTR master cylinders. Curious if they changed anything else....


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

I have about 20 miles in (just rear but the front is on it's way to my door) they are strong... I go, they stop!
here is some more detail:
SHIMANO XT BR-M8000 HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE FEATURES:

Power level is specifically tuned for trail riding
Servo Wave modulated levers offer high power and short stroke by varying pad speed throughout the lever stroke
Integrated master cylinder is lighter, cleaner and more durable
Refined Servo Wave for improved feel and feedback, improved adjustability
Narrow clamp band offers increased positional adjustment
Free stroke and tool-free reach adjust
Ceramic pistons for maximum heat insulation
SPECIFICATIONS:

Model Number: BR-M8000
Series: DEORE XT M8000
Brake Pad Types: G02A Resin, J02 A Resin, G04S Metal, J04C Metal
Hydraulic Fluid: SHIMANO Mineral Oil
Brake Hose Type: SM-BH90-SBM High Power Brake Hose
Caliper Mount Type: Hydraulic Disc Brake
Piston Count: 2 (Dual)
Pre-Bled (Bleed Kit sold Separately)
Hose Length: Rear 1700mm, Front 1000mm
I-Spec II Compatible


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## ungod (Apr 16, 2011)

I guess I was looking more for a "I had the 2014-15 XT's and these are [are not] an upgrade over them". On paper they look exactly like last year's XT's with an XTR master cylinder.


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

SHoot, I wish I had the time & $$ to go thru components like that!! If I already had XT or even SLX I would not buy the M8000 just cuz they are newer... I just happen to be in the brake upgrade mode so why not get the latest tech out there!! 
RIDE!!!!!!!!!!


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

Porch said:


> I guess I was looking more for a "I had the 2014-15 XT's and these are [are not] an upgrade over them". On paper they look exactly like last year's XT's with an XTR master cylinder.


I'll let you know as soon as I install them and get a couple of rides in. I find the current XT/ SLX plenty powerful but they can be a bit of an on/off switch especially with the metallic pads. 
One of the improvements of the new XTs is stated to be modulation, that's mostly what I'm looking for. For power there's always that bigger rotor. BTW, I had 180 on the rear and now it is back to 160, it had too much stopping power and it was hard to modulate it without locking up.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

I read that the difference is more ergonomic than mechanical. The stopping power of the brakes should still be the same as the M785. 

Looking forward to the performance review of the brakes. If there is a difference in modulation...I may pick up a pair.

Only bummer for me is the integration with my X0 shifter to the XT a-spec lever. The Trickstuff Matshi adapter doesn't fit as clean on the b-spec levers.


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

Porch said:


> Looks like they are using the old XTR master cylinders. Curious if they changed anything else....


The caliper shape has changed a bit.


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

Got my front last night.. took all of 5 min to mount lol.. still need to cut n bleed.

The Front comes with a bleed block & hose holder so if you are like me and buying one at a time... get the front first as the rear doesn't come with the block. I used a 15mm box end wrench to pump the lever, the block is much more convenient :thumbsup:









RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

First couple of rides in, love the brakes. Strong and predictable, better lever feel, happy. Here they are side by side with the old M785 XTs


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## rjkowski (Oct 14, 2009)

Porch said:


> I guess I was looking more for a "I had the 2014-15 XT's and these are [are not] an upgrade over them". On paper they look exactly like last year's XT's with an XTR master cylinder.


I finally got out for a solid 22 mile ride with the new M8000 brakes. I've spent the last week on vacation riding the XT 785 brakes on two of my other bikes, so my ride tonight gave me a good chance to compare the new to the old.

The M8000 brakes are just as strong as the 785's, but I thought they offered better modulation. The 785's require a little more finesse when braking due to a more pronounced 'on-off' feel. The M8000's have a more noticeable ramp from off to full on that is easier to control.

Do I think the M8000's are an improvement? Yes. I still love the 785's, but I feel the extra money the M8000's cost don't justify the improvement. If you have 785's right now and they are working fine, then I would definitely say don't spend the money for new brakes. If you are looking for new brakes, I would say go with the 785's until the price on the M8000's comes down a bit.


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

Good to hear. One question it looks like the M8000 lever is stamped like SLX (open in the back the entire length) rather than forged like M785 (where it appears to be solid near the pivot). Do you see that? Honestly, I doubt it makes any difference, just curious. I have SLX and Deore that are that way and feel just fine.


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## rjkowski (Oct 14, 2009)

Aresab said:


> Good to hear. One question it looks like the M8000 lever is stamped like SLX (open in the back the entire length) rather than forged like M785 (where it appears to be solid near the pivot). Do you see that? Honestly, I doubt it makes any difference, just curious. I have SLX and Deore that are that way and feel just fine.


Good eye. You are correct, the lever does look to be stamped and open in the back for the entire length. I didn't notice it until you asked the question and I compared the two levers. I assume it saves some weight and is also a little cheaper to make.

One other difference is that the new levers have dimples on the blade, I assume to help with a little better grip. I could feel the dimples, even when wearing gloves. I never noticed a significant difference in grip though.


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## H00rst (Apr 14, 2015)

Hi
which rotors do I need for M8000 XT Brakes? SM-RT86 series would be fine?
Cheers


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## Burt4x4 (Feb 21, 2013)

Yes, the RT86 is Ice-Tech and that is what i plan on running.

I'm currently using RT66 SLX with my new M8000. The XT calipers filt nice and snug, so snug I now hear a rub...pause...rub..pause..etc.. on yesterdays ride. SO I have a slight warping issue and will need replacement soon.

The XT brakes hit HARD. I was on my after work ride yesterday and on the downhill (15min of all braking, no pedaling) section I had to MAKE SURE and drop my heals to prepare for the braking. Brake before the drop..whooaa all my weight on the front end!! Yikes!!
Love these brakes!!! Awesome!! :thumbsup:
RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Dia-Biker (Aug 8, 2015)

I've got a new bike ordered with M8000 brakes,
I was wondering if I can use the same brake pads as I use for my M785 brakes on my other bike?


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

Dia-Biker said:


> I was wondering if I can use the same brake pads as I use for my M785 brakes on my other bike?


Yes.


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

Quick answer is yes, longer is in this video. Enjoy your new bike!


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## Dia-Biker (Aug 8, 2015)

mevnet said:


> Quick answer is yes, longer is in this video. Enjoy your new bike!


Thank you, just what I needed!(should have thought about searching for something like this on you tube before)Am looking forward to testing the new XT group out on my new bike on monday...!


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

So how's the new bike @Dia-Biker?


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## Dia-Biker (Aug 8, 2015)

Dubbel post, please remove this post
Please pardon me for not understanding at first why it takes a while before my posts actually show up on the board


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## Dia-Biker (Aug 8, 2015)

mevnet said:


> So how's the new bike @Dia-Biker?


The new bike was love at first sight !
And it only got better when I took it for a ride!

I find the new M-8000 XT brakes more different then I expected.
The levers have a new feel, modulation is better and braking power is still very good, as usually with XT brakes.

The M-8000 XT shifter also has a new feel, 11-40 cassette (1x11) works very well for me.


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## Dia-Biker (Aug 8, 2015)

Dubbel post, please remove this post
Please pardon me for not understanding at first why it takes a while before my posts actually show up on the board


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## nauc (Sep 9, 2009)

how do these grips do, when they get wet

http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1002306&d=1437018042


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## cameronhd (Apr 22, 2010)

H00rst said:


> Hi
> which rotors do I need for M8000 XT Brakes? SM-RT86 series would be fine?
> Cheers


I'm running my old Storm SL 160mm rotors and love them. I'll stick with these until something better comes around. Tempted to go 140 now!!



nauc said:


> how do these grips do, when they get wet
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1002306&d=1437018042


I've never had an issue but I always wear full finger gloves. Then again I live in the bay area and we haven't seen much rain so I don't have too many test cases. They're ESI chunky's I believe. Super easy to swap in and out on different bars too.


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## DirtDiver (Oct 13, 2010)

Looks like they're about $125-$150. Pre-bled. So, easy to install? Trying to figure out if I need my shop to do it.


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## Jack0207 (Jan 29, 2012)

Ad my 2 cents in.

Replaced a set of Avid elixir 5 with Shimano M8000 levers, calipers and ice tech rotors. 
The XT's are definitely a nice set of kit, although the only gripe I have so far is a lack of feel in the lever which feels like lack of modulation compared to the Elixir 5's. Hoping this will get a bit better as the pads bed in over time.

Will try and update a little later on to give feedback on whether they modulate any better or not.

I originally wanted to get Guide RSC fitted but the local shop didn't recommend them with all the issues they have been having with the Guides. Seems to be when you get them to work well they are great (better than the XT's) but the issue is getting them to be consistent.


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## gasmanxj (Sep 29, 2014)

I did a back to back test of old vs new. Swapped my 785 levers for the 8000's after riding yesterday and did a nice 18 mile ride with plenty of descent today. The 8000's are definitely more refined with better modulation, smoother stroke and a bit more powerful (or maybe more usable power due to better modulation). It's an improvement IMHO. If you have 785's, catch the 8000 levers on sale and it's a nice easy upgrade.


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## sepoga (Apr 1, 2013)

Did somebody got the real weight of this new XT brakes?


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## mo6500 (Feb 14, 2011)

gasmanxj said:


> I did a back to back test of old vs new. Swapped my 785 levers for the 8000's after riding yesterday and did a nice 18 mile ride with plenty of descent today. The 8000's are definitely more refined with better modulation, smoother stroke and a bit more powerful (or maybe more usable power due to better modulation). It's an improvement IMHO. If you have 785's, catch the 8000 levers on sale and it's a nice easy upgrade.


Thanks gasmanxj! 
Altough your back to back test was short, I found it very useful :thumbsup:


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## gasmanxj (Sep 29, 2014)

mo6500 said:


> Thanks gasmanxj!
> Altough your back to back test was short, I found it very useful :thumbsup:


I've got 3 more rides in now and my assessment stands. There's a definite difference for the better. The other morning a buddy rode my bike for a bit and noticed the difference right away so good to know it's not in my head, LOL.


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## mo6500 (Feb 14, 2011)

Gonna order front and rear M8000 XT's, that gonna replace my 2014 SLX set.
I'll buy only brake levers and calipers (Rotors will stay the same: 200mm/F + 180mm/R)

*Does anyone know if I need adaptors to mount the new XT's?*

Thx, Mo.


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## RWGreen (Dec 5, 2004)

Nope - you should be good to go


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Guy's

Anyone of You have cmparision of new XT's with XTR Trail 9020 or even Saint ?

I'm considering moving from my current 785 and look for real improvement instead "evolution."
Second thing is the XT8000 oil master cylinder - is that one piece build or also has kind of cup (like chrome one in 785) ?


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## gasmanxj (Sep 29, 2014)

FWIW, a riding buddy just went from 785's to Saints. He weighs 240, rides aggressively, and refuses to go bigger than 160 rotors. He said the Saints are much better but given his situation that totally makes sense the Saints are going to outperform XT's. I ride the same stuff, weigh 65 lbs less with 180 rotors and never have felt the need for more brake. I'll try to throw a leg over his bike and see for myself as I'm curious. 

The master on the 8000's are one piece units.


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Well i'm the same as you ~180 LBS and already have 203+180 rotors - looking for improvement over 785


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## gasmanxj (Sep 29, 2014)

Sounds like you are definately in the Zee/Saint territory then.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Bought a set to replace my 785s. I will install them Friday and post my thoughts.......


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## tatico28 (Jun 15, 2014)

I`m also in the fence if getting this new xt or saints, currently using the Shimano Deore BR-M506, will also go 203 front and 180 rear.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

OK, I've had the 8000s installed for a couple days now and have 3 rides under my belt. I installed them, swapped the hoses for the _correct_ moto style braking, shortened the hoses, bled and rode.

The hose shortening process is unchanged from my 785s, same with the bleeding process. I did a caliper up bleed and got my usual 90% performance, but I needed to strap the levers overnight _(while the bike was nose up in the stand, wheels still on, and the funnels with 1/2" of fluid in them at the levers were level and the calipers were as low as possible without having to remove them)_ and then in the morning, release the straps and do the "5 minute mini bleed lever flick thingie" to get the last 10% out of my bleed - If you have never done this, try it and you'll be amazed. :thumbsup:

Once all of that was done, I set out for my usual ride. The free stroke of the 8000s is less than the 785s, not a ton less, but it is noticeable. Maybe 30% less travel than the 785s would be my guess.

With the stock finned metallic pads I was disappointed. Modulation was a little better than the 785s, but I had to try and notice it. The on/off feel was still prominent as was the rear Avid Elixir like HOWL of the rear brake - I have had SLXs, XT 785s and now XT8000s on this bike, and all 3 systems howled at the rear with metallics and all 3 were/are silent with resins.

I had hoped the 8000's metallics would be better because they do last much longer, but I didn't have my hopes super high, so I wasn't crushed. After the 1st ride I swapped in two brand new sets of G01A (non-finned resin) pads, cleaned the rotors with water, dried them and did my usual bed in procedure.

NOW WE'RE TALKIN'!! With the resin pads, the 8000s came to life. Modulation is fantastic, but what I really noticed was there is even more ultimate power with less finger effort required when compared to the 785/resin combo.

I'm 210lbs all geared up on a 27lb 29er, with 180/160 rotors and I now have all the power and modulation that I need, and then some. I'm sure I'll still kill the resin pads every 10-12 weeks, but oh well, nothing is perfect.

So in the end, if I were a 785 metallic pad rider, I wouldn't upgrade just for the sake of upgrading as I felt very little difference _(although maybe that's because I don't have a lot of 1st hand experience with that combo?)_, but if you are a 785 resin pad user and always wanted "just a little more ultimate power", then you should notice the difference between the 785s and the 8000s, because I sure do.

View attachment 1021485


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## SleepeRst (Nov 30, 2011)

I've had my XT m8000's for a couple rides now and did a proper bed in of the METALLIC pads. No howling at all, even rolling through puddles.

180/160 rotors 175 geared up


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## gasmanxj (Sep 29, 2014)

D Bone said:


> I did a caliper up bleed and got my usual 90% performance, but I needed to strap the levers overnight _(while the bike was nose up in the stand, wheels still on, and the funnels with 1/2" of fluid in them at the levers were level and the calipers were as low as possible without having to remove them)_ and then in the morning, release the straps and do the "5 minute mini bleed lever flick thingie" to get the last 10% out of my bleed - If you have never done this, try it and you'll be amazed. :thumbsup:


Thanks for the tip, I did this yesterday and got a few more air bubbles out that firmed up the levers a bit. I have not tried metallic pads with the M8000 levers but your assessment on resins matches exactly what I found as well.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

gasmanxj said:


> Thanks for the tip, I did this yesterday and got a few more air bubbles out that firmed up the levers a bit. I have not tried metallic pads with the M8000 levers but your assessment on resins matches exactly what I found as well.


I'm glad it helped! I'm pretty damn good at bleeding Shimano brakes, but I always get a few more bubbles out as well, especially from the rear........ Good to know we both have the same opinion with the resins.


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

D Bone
As i'm not so fluent in english but still passioned in bike maintenance , please help me better understand the procedure:

1.	Standard bleed (according to shimano instruction ?)
2.	"strap the levers overnight " 
a.	fully or just half way ? 
b.	caliper closed as understand ?
c.	"wheels on" - aren't the pads touching rotors? Why not to use std. Yellow piston distance ?
d. "5 minute mini bleed lever flick thingie" - is that squeezing the levers?



D Bone said:


> OK, I've had the 8000s installed for a couple days now and have 3 rides under my belt. I installed them, swapped the hoses for the _correct_ moto style braking, shortened the hoses, bled and rode.
> 
> The hose shortening process is unchanged from my 785s, same with the bleeding process. I did a caliper up bleed and got my usual 90% performance, but I needed to strap the levers overnight _(while the bike was nose up in the stand, wheels still on, and the funnels with 1/2" of fluid in them at the levers were level and the calipers were as low as possible without having to remove them)_ and then in the morning, release the straps and do the "5 minute mini bleed lever flick thingie" to get the last 10% out of my bleed - If you have never done this, try it and you'll be amazed. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

No problem Placek, your English is better than most Americans'!

1) (You need a bike stand to get the most out of this) Leave your wheels installed and tilt the bike in the stand so the front wheel is up high and the rear wheel is low, to a postilion that levels out the brake lever reservoir/ bleed port opening. This puts the rear caliper as low as possible (air rises) without having to remove it from the bike, and allows you to screw in the Shimano funnel and keep it level in a later step.

2) Use a strap/tie/rubber band to hold the lever close to the bar. I gently pull the lever until it stops (pads engage the rotor) and then I wrap my strap around the lever/grip to hold the lever at that position..... The lever does not need to be all the way in touching the grip, so don't crank down on that strap! (You're simply opening the fluid circuit to let air rise up to the reservoir) Leave bike over night or longer to let air rise and travel up to reservoir. Also, while the bike is in the stand and the levers still strapped, I will go out and lightly tap on both calipers, hoses and levers with something plastic every hour or so to help encourage any trapped bubbles to move along the fluid path, up to the reservoir.

3) Once the time has passed, remove both straps and do not pull levers yet!

4) With the bike still in the stand, and still in the same front wheel up position, install the Shimano funnel in one of the levers (you will probably need to stand on something because the levers are high). Fill the funnel with about 10mm of mineral oil or more, and remove the stopper plug - enough fluid to completely cover the opening of the reservoir so no air can get in...... This is important!

5) Now you're ready for the "mini bleed lever flick". With fluid in the funnel, you simply pull the lever in and let it "snap back", over and over again. You should see several bubbles on the first couple of pulls. Make sure that there is enough fluid in the funnel at all times!! Here is the link to the mini bleed: 5 Minute Shimano Mini Bleed | Epic Bleed Solutions

6) You can rotate your bars left and right a bit (make sure you don't expose the reservoir opening when turning the bars though - make sure fluid is always covering opening) to put the brake reservoir at different angles while still flicking the lever closed/open. Sometimes this gets out another stubborn bubble or two.

7) Straighten your bars, plug the funnel with the stopper and remove the funnel. DON"T PULL LEVER! Reinstall your bleed port screw and o-ring, and that brake is done.

8) Repeat for the other brake!

_EDIT: The only downside to doing this is that you'll have to remove the reservoir screw and install the funnel the next time you swap pads, because doing this "over night/mini bleed" lightly "overfills" the system and you won't be able to push the pistons back without installing the funnel which allows some of the extra fluid to escape.

To me, this "overfill" is a good thing however, as it makes the free stroke as little as possible, and it remains consistent throughout the life of the pads. It is the reason I keep the wheels installed and not use the yellow bleed block._


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

D Bone

That instruction ROcks - why You haven;t patented it 

As lately i have been filling up my XT's several times (rubber membrane inside reservoir was smashed) i know it by hart so please just let me clarify couple more things (want to relate that to original Sh instruction).

a. Before above pints You do the refill bottom-up and than top-bottom with the plastic bag ? - as Shimano instructs? If so than with the weel left on place?
b. Understand above points are completed with closed caliper bleeding screw ?
c. Seems like this method doesn't leave too much space for rotor - isn't that too tight ?
d. Whent it comes to point 4) i understand that at that moment all free air already came from cable to top of reservoir and when funnel (with oil) is being installed is start playing with levers 5) than the funnel fluid push this air up to the funnel and replace with oil ?


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Placek said:


> a. Before above pints You do the refill bottom-up and than top-bottom with the plastic bag ? - as Shimano instructs? If so than with the weel left on place?
> b. Understand above points are completed with closed caliper bleeding screw ?
> c. Seems like this method doesn't leave too much space for rotor - isn't that too tight ?
> d. Whent it comes to point 4) i understand that at that moment all free air already came from cable to top of reservoir and when funnel (with oil) is being installed is start playing with levers 5) than the funnel fluid push this air up to the funnel and replace with oil ?


A) This "min bleed" is done as a completely separate procedure to Shimano's standard bleeding process. I usually do this mini bleed a couple of rides after I perform the standard bottom/up bleed....... Sorry I wasn't more clear on this!

B) The bleed nipple on the caliper is closed, in the standard position and never touched during the mini bleed.

C) I have never had an issue with any rotor/pad contact using this method. I suppose if you had a rotor that was really warped it could rub, but I have never experienced it on any of my bikes. Shimano has a pretty generous free stroke built in, and the mini bleed doesn't change that a whole lot, just very little.

D) Exactly! The air will burp out of the reservoir, into the funnel and then out of the funnel. Then the fluid that is in the funnel will replace the space that the air took up in the system resulting in an even firmer lever than with the standard bleed method.

_Also, I should mention that while the bike is in the stand and the levers still strapped, I will go out and lightly tap on both calipers, hoses and levers with something plastic every hour or so to help encourage any bubbles to get the hell out! (I edited my post above to include this step) _

I have found that no matter how much fluid I push from the caliper, or pump from the lever, there is always air trapped somewhere in the system, and it won't come out no matter how many times you bleed, and this mini bleed helps get the rest of it out and is noticeable at the lever in terms of firmness.


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

D Bone

Instruction is already printed

...and i missied one more thing. when do You remove reservoir screw - is it just before attaching funnel between 3) and 4) (so the night stripping is with fully closed system)


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## tatico28 (Jun 15, 2014)

Anyone interested in buying this brakes, just ordered mines from Merlin Cycles UK with free shipping to US for $195.40.










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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Placek said:


> D Bone
> 
> Instruction is already printed
> 
> ...and i missied one more thing. when do You remove reservoir screw - is it just before attaching funnel between 3) and 4) (so the night stripping is with fully closed system)


Yes, remove the reservoir screw just before attaching the funnel! I'm glad to help, and hopefully you'll have good results like I do. Hopefully you report back with your results.


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## lukas1 (Nov 14, 2014)

I had similar issue with I spec problem compability ,

I had Xt shifters , previous model, then I got new XT M800 brakes with hope taht will mach eachother, then founded my shifters are missing those round sleves , so I have found problemsolvers, but price was creazy.
I have sold my xt shifters , add a litte and was a great promotion on evancycles for XTR shifters with own clamps and now looks like that


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## shiopz (Jul 1, 2014)

I'm coming from the XT's with the chrome reservoir and have the shifters that are ispec. will that ispec shifter work on the new XT brakes...anyone knows? (most of the pictures i see of m8000 are often paired with a clamp type shifter)


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## Jack0207 (Jan 29, 2012)

Longer term feedback after a number of rides - M8000's have bedded in and seem to have more modulation than first installed similar to the elixir brakes previously installed. Initial bite is strong but has settled down and is controllable even under pressure.
Overall I am happy with the brakes but still prefer the Avid feel compared to the Shimano at this stage.


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## guitarjohn21 (Jan 16, 2012)

Metallics will always squeel after they have been overheated. I'm 220lbs and I can't use Metallics anymore because of this. Resins are 1/2 the price and need to be changed twice as much. My 170lb friends love Metallics tho.

View attachment 1021485
[/QUOTE]


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## Rmplstlskn (Sep 18, 2015)

I got my M8000's to replace some Hayes 9's a month or so ago... Specialized had them on sale for $189 each and also had a $20 off coupon, so I bought one and wife bought the other, each $20 off the sale price.

Stock hose was long, so had to cut both to fit. Did caliper up bleed. Did my own "looks good to me" final burp at lever, not the one described above. Very pleased with lever pull and modulation just as it is, maybe a hidden bubble or two trapped in there.

I am 330# with 180mm back and 203mm front, and these brakes will send me over the bars, no doubt, if I get on them. Serious braking! Stopping my mass in a downhill is quite a task for any brake system, and this M8000 system is impressive...

Using XT M770 9-speed shifters, everything fits nice. Two clamps per side, but no issues... Really like the thin bar clamp of the M8000's. Like the brake lever texture as well. So far, very pleased with this Shimano braking group.... Especially for $169 each set...

Rmpl


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## GFisher2001 (Mar 16, 2006)

*Brake weights*

I had some trouble finding weights and I am normally always searching them out so felt it was only reasonable to post some photos showing actual weights.

No hardware, untrimmed, non-ice tech pads.

Note I ordered from the UK, so they came moto style, but the shouldn't change the weights.

The calipers look nearly identical with some very very minor subtle differences, betcha the internals are identical. The levers look sweet.....

Can't wait to try these over the existing Avids that have nearly no more piston retraction.


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## rfxc (Oct 18, 2004)

Might be too soon, but have to ask: Anyone know whether these M8000 brakes solved the hypothesized "slight/slow piston seal leaking issue" described in this thread?

I'm trying to decide if I want to upgrade from my m785 brakes.

http://forums.mtbr.com/brake-time/x...loss-after-sitting-idle-6-8-weeks-902792.html


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

has anyone measured how long the lever pull is before it firms up with the free stroke all the way in?

strange that my front travels 20mm and my rear travels 25mm...

what i forgot to measure is, what this travel is off the box


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## RWGreen (Dec 5, 2004)

D Bone said:


> No problem Placek, your English is better than most Americans'!
> 
> 1) (You need a bike stand to get the most out of this) Leave your wheels installed and tilt the bike in the stand so the front wheel is up high and the rear wheel is low, to a postilion that levels out the brake lever reservoir/ bleed port opening. This puts the rear caliper as low as possible (air rises) without having to remove it from the bike, and allows you to screw in the Shimano funnel and keep it level in a later step.
> 
> ...


This is good - thanks for posting. I've got about 10 rides in and like them, but would like to reduce the free throw of the lever and this looks like it will do the trick


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

D Bone said:


> OK, I've had the 8000s installed for a couple days now and have 3 rides under my belt. I installed them, swapped the hoses for the _correct_ moto style braking, shortened the hoses, bled and rode.
> 
> The hose shortening process is unchanged from my 785s, same with the bleeding process. I did a caliper up bleed and got my usual 90% performance, but I needed to strap the levers overnight _(while the bike was nose up in the stand, wheels still on, and the funnels with 1/2" of fluid in them at the levers were level and the calipers were as low as possible without having to remove them)_ and then in the morning, release the straps and do the "5 minute mini bleed lever flick thingie" to get the last 10% out of my bleed - If you have never done this, try it and you'll be amazed. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


Thanks, nice post.

I'm a firm believer in "topping off" the resi every now and then. I too like minimal free throw and I think this helps.

Where did you find how to decipher the Shimano codes for what pads are what? At times, when I order pads, I can't tell if what I'm getting is resin or metallic by the code number.

To add to the XT 8000 database...

Installed a single front about 2-3 weeks ago. It's been ridden in the cold, wet, muddy, NE several times since, thanks to Old man winter sleeping on the job.

The brake replaced an older model XT that was finicky. I think it had a leaky seal. Always howled (especially after sitting too long) and never had good power. I have other XT brakes that are fine.

Took a few rides to bed in but now the 8000 up front is working great. I run the Shimano 180 rotor. 180# plus gear.

Not too happy they changed the bolts on the calipers to 4mm, as I always grab the 5mm for brake work. But, the bar clamp is a 4mm so makes sense I guess.

The bar clamp is thinner and I prefer it to the prior clamp. More room to position my dropper lever.

The brake is all black - very nice. Not that cheesy shiny sliver business.

I like more power in a brake and prefer a more on or off feel (like the old Hayes), so I go with the metallic pads - I hear they are suppose to offer more power. I find I have to try pretty hard to make my wheels lock up. Also, if they howl, I've not noticed it.


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## guitarjohn21 (Jan 16, 2012)

D Bone said:


> OK, I've had the 8000s installed for a couple days now and have 3 rides under my belt. I installed them, swapped the hoses for the _correct_ moto style braking, shortened the hoses, bled and rode.
> 
> The hose shortening process is unchanged from my 785s, same with the bleeding process. I did a caliper up bleed and got my usual 90% performance, but I needed to strap the levers overnight _(while the bike was nose up in the stand, wheels still on, and the funnels with 1/2" of fluid in them at the levers were level and the calipers were as low as possible without having to remove them)_ and then in the morning, release the straps and do the "5 minute mini bleed lever flick thingie" to get the last 10% out of my bleed - If you have never done this, try it and you'll be amazed. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


200Lb + riders will always need resin pads no matter what brand. Metallics heat up to much for us and then they howl.


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## Rmplstlskn (Sep 18, 2015)

A hack I came up with...

I found it frustrating that my M8000 brakes when the yellow "bleed block" was installed, had very little take up before solid firmness, yet when I remove the block and install the pads, then install the wheel with a new IceTech rotor, the take up of the lever increased substantially.

It seems the bleed block is thicker than the pads and rotor operation...

So I sanded off some material from the bleed block and made it about 1mm thinner. I then did the "Shimano-style" bleed on it using the thinner bleed block. I am thinking that this bleeds the system with the pistons a bit more extended...

And it has made a dramatic improvement in the FEEL of the brake and lessened the take up in the lever. Much nicer lever action...

Not saying this is recommended or some kind of fix to a Shimano "make it for the lowest common denominator" so it works with everything design plan, but it improved my brake operation... YMMV!

Rmpl


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## TJM0031 (Aug 5, 2010)

Has anyone noticed their lever reach adjust knob being hard to turn? Just installed these on my bike this weekend. Front brakes knob is pretty easy to turn but the rear brake lever knob is tight and requires some force to turn. Feels like the screw is cross threaded or something. 


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## Rmplstlskn (Sep 18, 2015)

No, mine are equally easy...

Rmpl


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Rmplstlskn said:


> No, mine are equally easy


Same here


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## TJM0031 (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks, I may see if Competitive Cyclist will send me another one out. Seems their return policy is pretty legit. Damnit, I hate the rare occasion of getting defective gear.
Was just looking at it again. I've really got to wrench down with my fingers to turn the rear lever knob. Something doesn't feel right.

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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

D Bone said:


> Same here


same smoothness on both levers for me


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

guitarjohn21 said:


> 200Lb + riders will always need resin pads no matter what brand. Metallics heat up to much for us and then they howl.


You really don't know what you're talking about.

Plenty of clydes that I ride with only use metallics with no problems, issues or noise. And they're bigger than you by a considerable margin.


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## guitarjohn21 (Jan 16, 2012)

Actually, I do know what I'm talking about. World Cup mechanics know this as fact. You're friends are probably not braking hard enough to notice


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## ShuttleworthM (May 7, 2013)

Coming from Avids with really poor reliability I decided to get m8000's after the great reviews. Fitted them, shortened the hoses and performed a full bleed with the proper kit. However when comparing them to a pair of older XT's was disappointed in having nearly double the lever throw. Tried the mini bleed but didn't really fix the problem.

Then I thought back to trouble I'd had with Avids where the lever throw changed because a slightly seized piston screwed up the auto pad adjust and didn't account for pad wear correctly. My fix was to pump the pistons out carefully without the pads in, carefully lubricate the outer edge of the piston with brake fluid, reset them, then pump and reset a few times to soften the seals, then clean the lot with isopropyl alcohol. This worked flawlessly every time.

I had a go at this with the brand new m8000's, minus the lubrication as they were new and found on both front and back that the inside piston always reset itself rather than account for the lack of pads (similar to a seized piston). By holding the outer piston in with a plastic tyre lever while pumping the brake I was able to prevent the inner piston resetting. I then manually reset it and repeated until after a few times both pistons would extend properly.

I then finished by topping up the reservoir with a bleed block in and flicking the lever to remove any air. To my amazement the lever throw was spot on and levers felt perfect.

Not sure if this will help anyone but certainly helped me.


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## guitarjohn21 (Jan 16, 2012)

I'm still working on getting my m8000's dialed, they still pump up on my over rough terrain


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

guitarjohn21 said:


> I'm still working on getting my m8000's dialed, they still pump up on my over rough terrain


So do mine. They are completely & correctly bled and have done it since new.


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## guitarjohn21 (Jan 16, 2012)

D Bone said:


> So do mine. They are completely & correctly bled and have done it since new.


It seems aggressive riding is when the problem reveals itself. I found out when pointed straight down a vertical drop to roll it. Had the brakes lightly feathered and the levers pumped out so fast the front locked up and I went over the bars. Set me back a month or more on my knee injury that had just healed. I had just come from a high speed rough patch of trail slowing down into that roller. I didn't know what even happened or why I crashed at first . I just did that drop the day before on another bike. I saw the skid mark from the front tire and only then realized it was the brakes.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

I finally fixed my M8000 by taking them off the bike and putting them back in the boxes. I put the Deore back on the bike.

I will either send them to Jenson as a warranty, bleed them one more time over the winter to see if I can get it right, or Craigslist them. I can't imagine these being worth the hassle that they appear to be for bleeding. I can get my SLX and Deores bled in one try and they work great. These XTs have been a waste of money so far.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

ShuttleworthM said:


> Coming from Avids with really poor reliability I decided to get m8000's after the great reviews. Fitted them, *shortened the hoses and performed a full bleed* with the proper kit. However when comparing them to a pair of older XT's was disappointed in having nearly double the lever throw. Tried the mini bleed but didn't really fix the problem.
> 
> Then I thought back to trouble I'd had with Avids where the lever throw changed because a slightly seized piston screwed up the auto pad adjust and didn't account for pad wear correctly. My fix was to pump the pistons out carefully without the pads in, carefully lubricate the outer edge of the piston with brake fluid, reset them, then pump and reset a few times to soften the seals, then clean the lot with isopropyl alcohol. This worked flawlessly every time.
> 
> ...


when cutting the hoses for proper length, there may not be a need to do a full bleed.

if you instead just use the bleed cup afterwards to get the few bubbles out of the lever you will be fine.

by doing a full bleed you may have inadvertently introduced air into the system.


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

bt said:


> when cutting the hoses for proper length, there may not be a need to do a full bleed.
> 
> if you instead just use the bleed cup afterwards to get the few bubbles out of the lever you will be fine.
> 
> by doing a full bleed you may have inadvertently introduced air into the system.


I only wish mine had been bled properly out of the box, but they were essentially not bled at all or whoever did it at Jenson couldn't figure these out either. I rode with mine before cutting the hose and they were horrible. So I knew i needed to bleed after cutting. Just a PITA to bleed properly for me.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Good luck with warranty return after you've cut the brake lines.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

cjsb said:


> I finally fixed my M8000 by taking them off the bike and putting them back in the boxes. I put the Deore back on the bike.
> 
> I will either send them to Jenson as a warranty, bleed them one more time over the winter to see if I can get it right, or Craigslist them. I can't imagine these being worth the hassle that they appear to be for bleeding. I can get my SLX and Deores bled in one try and they work great. These XTs have been a waste of money so far.


I would agree. Mine pump when I do multiple quick grabs of the brake, on steep technical stuff. They don't pump on say a fire road downhill where I pull the brakes for a few seconds then release for a bit.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

D Bone said:


> I would agree. Mine pump when I do multiple quick grabs of the brake, on steep technical stuff. They don't pump on say a fire road downhill where I pull the brakes for a few seconds then release for a bit.


both front and rear pump up?


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

Not holding my breath on it, but a warranty exchange shouldn't be contingent. Henson can send it back to Shimano. I am a loyal Jenson customer, they could do an exchange
For SLX, for example, or I can start spreading the loyalty to Universal or even Merlin.

At the end of the day I will at least cut my losses with these.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

bt said:


> both front and rear pump up?


Yep, not terrible though, but yea they both pump if I have to regrab the lever several times within a few seconds, otherwise, they're fine.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

D Bone said:


> Yep, not terrible though, but yea they both pump if I have to regrab the lever several times within a few seconds, otherwise, they're fine.


if it's not trapped air I don't know what it could be.


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## RaID_ (Sep 25, 2005)

A couple of quick questions before I finalise my order for the M8000 XTs

Any actual spares come with the brakes? eg. olive or connector insert or brake block?
Which brake pads do the brakes come with?

I'll need to disconnect the rear calliper or lever to thread the brake line through my internally routed frame.
Which end is easier to disconnect and reattach?
Do I need a new olive and connector insert to do this or can I reuse the existing ones?

Also any potential issues in running them with Avid G3 clean sweep rotors for the time being?


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

RaID_ said:


> A couple of quick questions before I finalise my order for the M8000 XTs
> 
> Any actual spares come with the brakes? eg. olive or connector insert or brake block?
> 
> ...


in red above


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## RaID_ (Sep 25, 2005)

spyghost said:


> in red above


Thanks for the detailed response


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## TheGweed (Jan 30, 2010)

Mine came with metallic finned.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

RaID_ said:


> A couple of quick questions before I finalise my order for the M8000 XTs
> 
> Any actual spares come with the brakes? eg. olive or connector insert or brake block?
> Which brake pads do the brakes come with?
> ...


Depending on who you order them from, these are the pads that might be available: G04S Metal, J04C Metal, G02A Resin, J02 A Resin. Inquire if you don't know.

Re-routing your brake lines:
If you are only going to re-route and not shorten the lines, you do not need to replace the olive unless you have to remove it to route. Disconnect the 7mm connector bolt from the master cylinder to re-route and/or shorten. Most likely, you will want to shorten them. In this case you will need to replace the insert and olive. These should come with your new brakes along with brake blocks. You will not need to bleed the brakes after this task if you prepare ahead of time and complete the process correctly. Do a search on this.

You shouldn't have any issues running the Avid rotors with the XT's.


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

Whats the break in/bed in procedure for these brakes?


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

LinkyPinky87 said:


> Whats the break in/bed in procedure for these brakes?


just drag it while going downhill (paved preferably) or have someone tow you while dragging the brakes.

you'll know by feel when its bedded in. very subjective i know...


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## NoahColorado (Aug 3, 2004)

To bed-in brakes, just ride around a parking lot or open area and do 15-20 hard stops - just enough to quickly bring you to a stop without skidding.

Dragging your brakes for an extended period of time could potentially glaze your pads.


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## bt (Nov 24, 2007)

spyghost said:


> just drag it while going downhill (paved preferably) or have someone tow you while dragging the brakes.
> 
> you'll know by feel when its bedded in. very subjective i know...


no no no


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

I think I will go with the guy with 3k posts =D

Thanks tho.

Is there any different break in procedure for resin vs metallic pads?

*Full noob here


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

LinkyPinky87 said:


> I think I will go with the guy with 3k posts =D
> 
> Is there any different break in procedure for resin vs metallic pads?


Yes, NoahColorado has defined the accepted pad break-in procedure. I have commonly accepted the same break-in for all pad types.


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

+1 on this one, brakes will start to feel different as you do this



NoahColorado said:


> To bed-in brakes, just ride around a parking lot or open area and do 15-20 hard stops - just enough to quickly bring you to a stop without skidding.
> 
> Dragging your brakes for an extended period of time could potentially glaze your pads.


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

Thanks fellas =)


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

rfxc said:


> Might be too soon, but have to ask: Anyone know whether these M8000 brakes solved the hypothesized "slight/slow piston seal leaking issue" described in this thread?
> 
> I'm trying to decide if I want to upgrade from my m785 brakes.
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/brake-time/x...loss-after-sitting-idle-6-8-weeks-902792.html





Miker J said:


> The brake replaced an older model XT that was finicky. I think it had a leaky seal. Always howled (especially after sitting too long) and never had good power. I have other XT brakes that are fine.


Looks like I'm having the exact same issue. I sanded and 'baked' my resin finned 785 pads at least twice. Seems like that fixed the front for good, but the rear one howls and has barely any power as I can't even lock the rear. (160 rotor). It will work ok (not great) for a ride or two, but after sitting for a few days, back to no power and squeal, sanding, baking and bedding in. I think I'm giving up on that one.

I will replace the rear only for now and most likely get the front to match down the road when funds permit. Deciding between the 8000 XT, 675 SLX or M640 Zee. Had M596 Deores on my previous bike and they were fine.

How would these new XTs compare to the Zees? I kind of want to try a 4 piston brake, plus it would go well with my Saint shifter and Zee derailluer on my Trance. Obviously don't want to deal with the same issues as described in above quoted thread before.


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## TruTone (Jun 30, 2011)

My M8000s are great, except the rear caliper makes a "click" every time the brake pad initially engages the rotor upon braking. But the front doesn't. Anyone know a fix for this? It's a little annoying but doesn't affect performance.


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## kryten (Mar 8, 2012)

I wish I can find Zees for the same price as XTs, still scared to pull the trigger on a replacement XT after all the issues I had with 785...


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

TruTone said:


> My M8000s are great, except the rear caliper makes a "click" every time the brake pad initially engages the rotor upon braking. But the front doesn't. Anyone know a fix for this? It's a little annoying but doesn't affect performance.


I have owned four sets of XT's and they have all done as you've described. It's just the 'floating' brake pad moving forward and contacting the caliper upon braking. In fact, all of the Shimano brakes are known to do this that I'm aware of.

How to fix this? I suppose you could place a small 'dot' of silicone rubber or dense, but very thin neoprene on the caliper where the brake pad contacts if so inclined. I don't even notice mine unless i'm trying to isolate a specific noise or creak.


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## funnyjr (Oct 31, 2009)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cadoretteboat (Aug 27, 2011)

funnyjr said:


> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You meant that has a joke....right?


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

I've never noticed these noises or dramas people are talking about here?????


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## River19 (Jul 3, 2007)

I have the same clicking noise but it doesn't really bother me at all..........it is what it is.....as long as they work.


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## jrgand (May 19, 2011)

I just got it and it works perfectly.


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## tatico28 (Jun 15, 2014)

Rocking this brakes for about 6 months now, no issues!!. 

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## tatico28 (Jun 15, 2014)

Have anyone been able to clamp this brakes with the M9000 11 speed shifter? I wrote to Problem solver site and they don`t have a solution yet.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Ok my old bike had the old XT brakes and I loved them. I just bought a new bike that has the new M8000s XTs and I'm a bout ready to rip them off and throw them in the trash. Been on 4 rides now. And when I get to fast downhill sections and I'm on the brakes they (for lack of better lingo) "pump up" to a point to where the lever is almost fully extended and with barely moving my finger the brakes go from off to fully engaged. Where back tire is skidding. As soon as I completely let off and re engage they get better and then the do it again. Repeating with in a single section of trail. Anyone else experiencing this or have any solutions??? I bout to just buy some XTR trails. Advice??


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

tatico28 said:


> Have anyone been able to clamp this brakes with the M9000 11 speed shifter? I wrote to Problem solver site and they don`t have a solution yet.


SL-M9000 = bar clamp
SL-M9000-I = I-Spec II

BL-M8000 (brake lever) and SL-M9000-I (shifter) are compatible.

If you have the bar clamp shifter and want to attach it directly to the brake lever, you will need new cover units for the shifters.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-cover-unit-left-y01v98040-prod37250/?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/shimano-xtr-i-spec-ii-sl-m9000-i-cover-unit-right-y01u98050-prod37245/?

http://si.shimano.com/


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## tatico28 (Jun 15, 2014)

cobba said:


> SL-M9000 = bar clamp
> SL-M9000-I = I-Spec II
> 
> BL-M8000 (brake lever) and SL-M9000-I (shifter) are compatible.
> ...


Excellent find, exactly what I was looking for, many thanks!!!.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## ziscwg (May 18, 2007)

F29Lefty said:


> Ok my old bike had the old XT brakes and I loved them. I just bought a new bike that has the new M8000s XTs and I'm a bout ready to rip them off and throw them in the trash. Been on 4 rides now. And when I get to fast downhill sections and I'm on the brakes they (for lack of better lingo) "pump up" to a point to where the lever is almost fully extended and with barely moving my finger the brakes go from off to fully engaged. Where back tire is skidding. As soon as I completely let off and re engage they get better and then the do it again. Repeating with in a single section of trail. Anyone else experiencing this or have any solutions??? I bout to just buy some XTR trails. Advice??


This problem has be talked about, but it also occurs on the XTRs. There's a thread here and there about it. i would warranty them.

Did you cut the hose to length?


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## 410sprint (Oct 19, 2012)

Three months of frequent and hard riding with M8000's. No complaints. Great brakes IMO.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

ziscwg said:


> This problem has be talked about, but it also occurs on the XTRs. There's a thread here and there about it. i would warranty them.
> 
> Did you cut the hose to length?


Had them re-bleed and now it's worse. Pretty much un-ridable. Shimano is doing a warranty replacement. And giving me a credit. I had them order me some Guide's


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## ermporshe (Jan 7, 2015)

I have heard many bad thing and read some cons about the XT m8000 brakes and i am a little afraid to invest in them.
I have the SLX on the other bike and i really like them but i would like to upgrade but i don´t want to lose the modulation that the slx offer.

Can the M 8000 users give marks for that brakes.

Thanks


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## Naman787 (Aug 19, 2015)

Hi guys,
can anybody tell me how to disassemble lever (round cap)?


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## LinkyPinky87 (Aug 19, 2015)

I've never had these issues with my M8000's that everyone is talking about???


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

F29Lefty said:


> Ok my old bike had the old XT brakes and I loved them. I just bought a new bike that has the new M8000s XTs and I'm a bout ready to rip them off and throw them in the trash. Been on 4 rides now. And when I get to fast downhill sections and I'm on the brakes they (for lack of better lingo) "pump up" to a point to where the lever is almost fully extended and with barely moving my finger the brakes go from off to fully engaged. Where back tire is skidding. As soon as I completely let off and re engage they get better and then the do it again. Repeating with in a single section of trail. Anyone else experiencing this or have any solutions??? I bout to just buy some XTR trails. Advice??


Mine are doing this as well. A total pile of **** for brakes on my bike now. I suffered though a entire trip to moab with this problem. Now after the trip not only do they pump up and loose all modulation and power they are howling like olf juicy 7's did. You can hear me coming from 5 miles away. I really would like to say they are the best brakes I have owned but that would be a lie. They are by far the worst brakes I have had. Very scary to hae the modulation point change and go to pull the brake and it go full power all the way off the bar when 30 ft before it moved twice the distance. I have a a few oh got moments on the last trip. Honestly it kinda messed with the enjoyment of the trip since I was running to a LBS to get new pads, rotors, doing bleeds in the hotel after rides, bedding in new pads, being scared of when my brakes were going to hit going down trails like portal. While my friends with older XT brakes and guides were relaxing in the hot tubs and swimming pools and drinking beer.


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## digifun (Jul 17, 2006)

hitechredneck said:


> Mine are doing this as well. A total pile of **** for brakes on my bike now. I suffered though a entire trip to moab with this problem. Now after the trip not only do they pump up and loose all modulation and power they are howling like olf juicy 7's did. You can hear me coming from 5 miles away. I really would like to say they are the best brakes I have owned but that would be a lie. They are by far the worst brakes I have had. Very scary to hae the modulation point change and go to pull the brake and it go full power all the way off the bar when 30 ft before it moved twice the distance. I have a a few oh got moments on the last trip. Honestly it kinda messed with the enjoyment of the trip since I was running to a LBS to get new pads, rotors, doing bleeds in the hotel after rides, bedding in new pads, being scared of when my brakes were going to hit going down trails like portal. While my friends with older XT brakes and guides were relaxing in the hot tubs and swimming pools and drinking beer.


check your pistons, if you have the black ones, those are the bad ones


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Nope white ones. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk


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## shinobi1369 (Apr 19, 2016)

Quick question for yall if ya don't mind. I got 200 miles on my current brakes from new. Last night while bombing down a hill both my front and back brake didn't slow me down quickly like normal. The decent was about 300 feet causing me to go off the trail. I checked my pads whwn I got home and there seems to be plenty of pad left, do I need to bleed my brakes or did I finally experience brake fade? I have risen that section of the trail many times and even gnarlier descents with this not happening before. Thanks! 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Little update, shimano is sending me replacement brakes under warranty. So they must know about the pump up issue and have fixed it or Im going to have some used once XT brakes for sale. So keep your eyes on the buy sell section if you are looking at these. Should be here in the middle of the week.


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Little update on my Brake situation. I got the replacement brakes from shimano. Great news they did not pump up, that seemed to be fixed. However the pistons were sticking on both front and rear causing a whole host of issues. It was not a every time I hit the brakes it was when they got hot they would stick until they cooled down a touch and then would retract. Either way, we (LBS) and I tried all the sticky pistons tricks with zero luck. My LBS took one on the chin and replaced my XT's with a new set of guides for zero money on my end. My brake issues are solved now. Amazing how a couple years ago I took avid/sram brakes off my bike to be replaced by shimano, now it is the other way around.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

I need a single new xt rear brake.

The front 8000 has been trouble free. 

Any way to be sure I won't get a lemon for a stopper?


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## NWRyder (Jul 28, 2012)

Mine would pump up when I first put them on. Once I got all the air out it stopped. I have had to do a lever bleed a couple times. I think it is just air I initially did not get out as it is really hard to bleed perfect with internally routed cables. I guess if I keep having to do it I will know there is a problem.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

I made my own M8000s.


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## NWRyder (Jul 28, 2012)

I spoke one day too soon. Today on long downhills the lever kept engaging earlier in their travel. My Avids did this also, and Bembo brakes on my dirt bike, so I do not know if this is real unusual but it is annoying. My Hope M4s are the only brake I have used which did not do this. 

Is this usually caused by air? I just did a bleed and did not find any.

Also I have the white pistons? What is the problem with these? I didn't see any obvious threads to look at for more information.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Jayem said:


> I made my own M8000s.
> 
> View attachment 1079894


Looks like you have a Spec dropper trigger?

The upward arc on your cable routing might be remedied.

Not sure of your precise setup but I was able cut the noodle short and rotate it so that it angled more downward, under the brake but above the shifter. Tucked it out of harms way much better.

Again, I don't know if your set up would permit that.


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## hungrytiger (Apr 25, 2011)

Shimano XT 8000 MTB brakes review - BikeRadar Australia


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

hungrytiger said:


> Shimano XT 8000 MTB brakes review - BikeRadar Australia


Sums up my experience with them. I wish I never sold my SLX 675's.


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## ermporshe (Jan 7, 2015)

Indeed after some search , the Inconsistency prevails. The previous Xt i miss them


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## choban (Apr 15, 2012)

Similar conclusion here: http://enduro-mtb.com/en/best-mtb-disc-brake-can-buy/12/

I was just thinking to order a pair of new SLX M7000s, but since they share the same design with M8000, not sure if that's a good idea...

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


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## grizzler (Mar 30, 2009)

I had the 1st gen m8000 on my horsethief before it was stolen and experienced the pump-up issue on extend descents. I have a new set with 600 miles on them and a lot of downhill miles (including the whole enchilada) and have not experienced the issue, is this still happening with the newest ones and I got lucky?


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## H00rst (Apr 14, 2015)

choban said:


> Similar conclusion here: The best MTB disc brake you can buy | Page 12 of 16 | ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine
> 
> I was just thinking to order a pair of new SLX M7000s, but since they share the same design with M8000, not sure if that's a good idea...
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


I bought the Slx M7000 some days ago and no issues so far.



grizzler said:


> I had the 1st gen m8000 on my horsethief before it was stolen and experienced the pump-up issue on extend descents. I have a new set with 600 miles on them and a lot of downhill miles (including the whole enchilada) and have not experienced the issue, is this still happening with the newest ones and I got lucky?


I guess the newer batches are not affected by the "pump-up" issue.


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## tonis_t (Jan 25, 2008)

I have m8000 brakes that I got with new bike this spring. No problems of pumping. Done some rocky-long downhills too.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

tonis_t said:


> I have m8000 brakes that I got with new bike this spring. No problems of pumping. Done some rocky-long downhills too.


what sticker/code you got on the lever?


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## 06HokieMTB (Apr 25, 2011)

hitechredneck said:


> Little update, shimano is sending me replacement brakes under warranty. So they must know about the pump up issue and have fixed it


What did you say to Shimano to sweet talk them into warranty? Mine are pumping up as well.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Miker J said:


> Looks like you have a Spec dropper trigger?
> 
> The upward arc on your cable routing might be remedied.
> 
> ...


Doesn't really matter, the seatpost is slowly dying. There's some interference where I like to run the control, plus the noodle is a replacement and shorter, I need to find a longer one. The frame really needs a stealth.


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## tonis_t (Jan 25, 2008)

spyghost said:


> what sticker/code you got on the lever?


ke/NH


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## digifun (Jul 17, 2006)

tonis_t said:


> ke/NH


Does it have the white Piston?


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## tonis_t (Jan 25, 2008)

You mean at the caliper?
Yes, they are white.


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## digifun (Jul 17, 2006)

tonis_t said:


> You mean at the caliper?
> Yes, they are white.


Yes. So it seems the white piston equipped 8000 and 9020 are the good ones 
Had two replacement with the black ones and they were both bad
My current xtr trail have the white piston and they work flawlessly 
But what a pain in the rear dealing with this brakes


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## garcia (Apr 10, 2008)

Does anyone happen to have a photo of the white piston? I am curious which ones I have, but am not the most well versed person in regards to brakes, and would like a reference point to check. I haven't had any issues... yet.


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## digifun (Jul 17, 2006)

The piston are really either black or white 
If you have the white ones , chances are, they're the good ones


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## AlienRFX (Sep 27, 2006)

I've got some M8000s with the white pistons that have issues with changing lever throw on downhills, and also a failure to self adjust for pad wear. I don't think the pistons indicate if you have the good brakes or not.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

On my 8000s I found that if I bleed the brakes exactly as Shimano says, the pump up is greatly reduced. 

I used to (either by bleeding or by installing new pads) leave the 1/4 filled funnel in the reservoir until the wheels were back in the bike and then I would pull the lever until the pads set themselves against the rotor. Then I would remove the funnel, which overfilled the system a bit.

Now I use the bleed blocks without the pads installed (1/4 filled funnel in reservoir) and pull the levers until the pistons set against the blocks, then I remove the funnel, install the fill cap, install the pads, place the wheel and then pull the lever until the pads set against the rotors............ This way seems to leave a little space for the fluid and reduces the pump up.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

I took my sketchy M8000's off my bike a couple months ago and replaced them with a new set of M785's and left the others in a box and sort of forgot about them. A few weeks ago, I bought a nice, used KHS Solo One SE 29'r Rigid Single-speed that had mechanical discs. I busted out the M8000's and put them on it figuring the issue might not be as big a deal on the terrain I was planning on riding with this stiffy bike. I was wrong. It bugged me so I finally called Shimano last week. The tech I talked to was very knowledgeable about the issue and asked for the production code...which was NE. He asked no further questions and said to take them to ANY Shimano dealer, let them know the production code and for them to relay this info to Shimano Warranty and the new brakes would immediately be shipped out. He explained it was much faster to do it this way than me shipping them and burning up lots of time in shipping, etc. I went in to Art's Cyclery and let them know the deal last Monday. I don't think they called till Tuesday. My brakes arrived today (Friday) and I scooped them and put them on. So far so good. I'm hitting the trail sometime tomorrow to give them the ultimate test.

The tech told me the issue was in the lever and that issue was redesigned/corrected. My new production code stamp is "OE". We're out of the "N" codes, now. I'll confirm fix after my ride.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Not sure where to find any codes, as I couldn't find anything on my lever or caliper?


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Tiny silver circular sticker on the bottom side of the lever. It's hard to see when they're mounted.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Oh My Sack! said:


> Tiny silver circular sticker on the bottom side of the lever. It's hard to see when they're mounted.


Thanks, I'll have another look see.

EDIT: My new set of XTs purchased from CRC (moto style config/front right) 13 days ago say: di/OB on that sticker, and they do not pump up at all.

My 1st set of XTs which were purchased from Jenson (standard config) when they were released, say: ke/nd and they pump up worse than a couple of Bros at the Jersey Shore.


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## marek_k (Aug 2, 2016)

Oh My Sack! said:


> The tech told me the issue was in the lever and that issue was redesigned/corrected. My new production code stamp is "OE". We're out of the "N" codes, now. I'll confirm fix after my ride.


How are your new brakes performing?


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

marek_k said:


> How are your new brakes performing?


While I can't speak for My Sack (that was weird to say) I can tell you that the difference between my first production run XTs and my current, late production run XTs is night and day........ No pump up at all, no matter how many times in a row I pull the lever.


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## ermporshe (Jan 7, 2015)

So the difference is the new production code stamp "OE"?


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

ermporshe said:


> So the difference is the new production code stamp "OE"?


I listed my codes 3 posts up


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

marek_k said:


> How are your new brakes performing?


Only 2 rides so far but flawless. In this much riding time on the previous set, the problem was apparent. I just hadn't figured out it was a significant problem, yet.

Regarding production code, they've ventured into the "Ox" from the "Nx". I'd be guessing but perhaps they left the "N" behind with the update?


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## marek_k (Aug 2, 2016)

Thank you for update, production code is just month+year.







N is 2015
O is 2016, it is just missing in the table.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

marek_k said:


> Thank you for update, production code is just month+year.
> View attachment 1085614
> 
> N is 2015
> O is 2016, it is just missing in the table.


Thanks for this! My Feb 2016 brakes kick the crap out of my April 2015 set.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

I just installed a set of XTs from March 2016 (KE/OC) and have had a few hard rides on them now. Due to this thread I've been extra aware about how the levers feel during use.

I have the levers set to almost touch the bars when sitting on the bike and not moving. What I've noticed is that under heavy braking, the bite point seems to move out about 1 cm. It seems to return to normal when I stop moving and pump the brakes a few times.

Is this the "pump up" people are experiencing? I don't perceive any loss in modulation, just a change in bite point. Doesn't seem like it makes the brakes any harder to use.

I don't recall my old XTs (785s) doing this, but I never paid much attention to it until reading this thread.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Nope,I don't think your experiencing the pump up. With your lever adjusted so far in like that, are you even able to get a complete stroke out of the lever? The modulation was designed to be _different_ on the M8000 over the M785. Perhaps that sensation is what your experiencing but I just wonder about your adjustment and if that's not an issue.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Everyone's concept of proper stroke, contact and modulation vary widely. I'm one of those that prefers the "Power Brake' feel. Light touch, short lever throw, maximum power availability. Just my qwerk. Many prefer a much different braking feel.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

Oh My Sack! said:


> Nope,I don't think your experiencing the pump up. With your lever adjusted so far in like that, are you even able to get a complete stroke out of the lever? The modulation was designed to be _different_ on the M8000 over the M785. Perhaps that sensation is what your experiencing but I just wonder about your adjustment and if that's not an issue.


Sorry, I should have been more specific about how I have them adjusted. I like them to almost touch the bars when at the end (max brake power) of the stroke.

It sure doesn't feel as awful as people have described the pump up feeling. Maybe it's just the "servo wave" kicking in? I'm not even sure what that's supposed to do it feel like.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Ahhhh....copy that! I was envisioning minimal engagement before your lever touched the grip! :lol: I knew that couldn't be!

The pump issue would have your initial engagement wherever you had it set to your preference. For the most part, that would remain that way but for many, once you got into more downhill, faster, and possibly tech terrain requiring more on/off brake application, your initial application might be normal but when you reapplied, that engagement point would be way out at the beginning of lever throw and typically very surprising if you grabbed a handful. Then on the next application, it would be normal or somewhere in between, and so on. It was never always the same or predictable. For me, it didn't render the brakes unusable but it certainly would take your mind off the task at hand and divert some mental attention to wondering how the brakes might react on the next application. It's nice NOT having to worry about that.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

I just took the brakes (and bike) down a local trail today that is 12 minutes of uninterrupted steep descending through what I can only describe as "death gnar".

I did not notice the brakes doing anything unexpected. I didn't even think about them once, which to me, is the point.

I'm a happy customer!


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## dfrink (Nov 6, 2013)

Had mine on for about 6 months now. Love the single finger brake action, no pumping here. These brakes are the best I've had...


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## danny.mendes (Mar 11, 2013)

Oh My Sack! said:


> I took my sketchy M8000's off my bike a couple months ago and replaced them with a new set of M785's and left the others in a box and sort of forgot about them. A few weeks ago, I bought a nice, used KHS Solo One SE 29'r Rigid Single-speed that had mechanical discs. I busted out the M8000's and put them on it figuring the issue might not be as big a deal on the terrain I was planning on riding with this stiffy bike. I was wrong. It bugged me so I finally called Shimano last week. The tech I talked to was very knowledgeable about the issue and asked for the production code...which was NE. He asked no further questions and said to take them to ANY Shimano dealer, let them know the production code and for them to relay this info to Shimano Warranty and the new brakes would immediately be shipped out. He explained it was much faster to do it this way than me shipping them and burning up lots of time in shipping, etc. I went in to Art's Cyclery and let them know the deal last Monday. I don't think they called till Tuesday. My brakes arrived today (Friday) and I scooped them and put them on. So far so good. I'm hitting the trail sometime tomorrow to give them the ultimate test.
> 
> The tech told me the issue was in the lever and that issue was redesigned/corrected. My new production code stamp is "OE". We're out of the "N" codes, now. I'll confirm fix after my ride.


Did the Shimano tech tell you at what production code the redesigned levers were released. Your new brakes are OE but D Bone has a set of OB that appear to be good.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

danny.mendes said:


> Did the Shimano tech tell you at what production code the redesigned levers were released. Your new brakes are OE but D Bone has a set of OB that appear to be good.


Nope. I wasn't privy to that information. A ways back in this thread (I believe it was this thread but it may have been another on the same subject), there were guys getting warranty replacements back well past the 'NE' codes but still in the N's and they were suggesting no problems with the replacements.


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## danny.mendes (Mar 11, 2013)

Thanks


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

Hi guys, is it safe to say that the new batch of M8000's are back to their usual high standard? (enduro-mtb even went as far as saying "we can no longer recommend them" in their review earlier this year!)

I'm looking for a some well priced brakes to replace my SRAM DB5's and the XT's seem to fit the bill.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

My replacements continue to perform flawlessly with lots of rides on them.


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

Thanks mate, that's awesome to hear. Do you find their bite point is always consistent too?

When my warranty replacement DB5's are returned to me I'll be listing them on eBay then


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Got my first set warrantied - codes ND & NE (L & R). Turn-around time through my LBS - <1week!!! Right on Shimano!

Now I have a second set w/ date codes NC & ND going through the process. (Didn't want to do both sets at same time not knowing how long it would take).

The one set I got back have both L & R at date code OE. Also on the box, one of the numbers has last 3 digits of '217', whereas my other sets with N dates had '117' with rest of digits same between the N and O sets.

Happy to see Shimano taking care of business on this. After shortening and bleeding the new set, the difference in feel (ie. consistent bite point) is quite noticeable.


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

Thanks LCW, they sound perfect  

I'll try and get a set on the weekend. I imagine it's fine to run my existing 180mm SRAM rotors for a while?


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

Ok... so 'O' it is... need to hunt down LBS's with this...


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Rode the replacement XT's yesterday. All I can say is night and day difference!! Dare I say the best feeling brakes I've ever had.

With the previous set, even with numerous bleeds, they never felt as firm as this new set (which I bled after shortening the hoses - so can't say it was the factory bleed which usually suck anyway). Consistent bite point - always at same spot. Took me by surprise at first lol.

Needless to say very happy with these!!!


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

Unfortunately I have to revise my "happy customer" review of these brakes. After hundreds of miles on these brakes without issue, I spent yesterday riding at whistler bike park and I experienced the full on "pump up" as described here on both brakes 2-3 times each. It seemed to only happen in the high speed chatter like braking bumps. It completely jacks the ergonomics of the levers when it happens and it seems to stay that way until you can let the brake rest for a bit, which is not always an option at whistler. 

I'm going to send these back for warranty but I'm wondering if this problem is just endemic to the design. Anyone used these at whistler with no problems?

Edit: For reference, my brakes were mfg in March 2016 (KE/OC)


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Was the first time using those brakes at Whistler?

If yes, maybe you just got them hot and faded them. They're not exactly DH brakes.

Would think with OC date code to have whatever fix Shimano implemented. But honestly don't know what exactly is the cut off date between good and bad ones. My replacements are OE and so far so good, although rebled the rear after 5 rides (I don't think I had a completely perfect bleed first time round after shortening the hose).


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

LCW said:


> Was the first time using those brakes at Whistler?
> 
> If yes, maybe you just got them hot and faded them. They're not exactly DH brakes.
> 
> Would think with OC date code to have whatever fix Shimano implemented. But honestly don't know what exactly is the cut off date between good and bad ones. My replacements are OE and so far so good, although rebled the rear after 5 rides (I don't think I had a completely perfect bleed first time round after shortening the hose).


I don't think it was brake fade. I know the XTs are not DH brakes but I am running on 203/180 rotors and I don't tend to ride the brakes (short hard bursts then off the brakes until the next corner). My experience with brake fade at whistler in the past is that the brakes lose stopping power completely. What happened to me was simply the effect of the bite point moving way way way out. Basically to the very beginning of the lever pull. A few turns later the bite point resets and feels normal again the rest of the way down. It really only happened when applying the brakes while riding through braking bumps at high speed. I just bled both brakes before my trip as well.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

I see brake fade and pumping up two different scenarios.


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

jminus said:


> I don't think it was brake fade. I know the XTs are not DH brakes but I am running on 203/180 rotors and I don't tend to ride the brakes (short hard bursts then off the brakes until the next corner). My experience with brake fade at whistler in the past is that the brakes lose stopping power completely. What happened to me was simply the effect of the bite point moving way way way out. Basically to the very beginning of the lever pull. A few turns later the bite point resets and feels normal again the rest of the way down. It really only happened when applying the brakes while riding through braking bumps at high speed. I just bled both brakes before my trip as well.


Ah ok - wasn't clear to me that your bite point was moving *out*. Sounds like the original issue with the XT M8000's. Odd that it would be with OC's.

I'm sure Shimano will take care of.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

that is rather disappointing...

guess i need a few more months before shimano releases the 'real' fix.

any news on the 'lil brother m7000 brakes?


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## ermporshe (Jan 7, 2015)

Agreed rather disappointing..
I was thinking in buying the Xt or the new SLX but with the new design the SLX may have the same problem...


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Just got my second warranty replacement set... ke/OE also (as was my first replacement set).

(PS - I had 2 sets, not replaced twice).


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

How do you guys think Shimano would act if I needed to warranty brakes that I bought from overseas? ie, that weren't purchased in my country of residence.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^^ Instead of asking everyone here for a warranty opinion on how Shimano would act, why would you not just submit your question and/or claim directly with Shimano and get a straight response?


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

Fair enough...

In case anyone else is wondering the same thing I just got off the phone with Shimano. They have an international warranty so no need to return them to the place of purchase.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

Mine are going back to Jenson today. The guy I spoke to in the warranty department sounded surprisingly skeptical about the issue, which is strange because it sounds like lots of people have been sending these back for warranty.

For the people that called Shimano directly for warranty, did they just refer you back to the place you bought the brakes from or do they manage the process themselves?


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

bataleon said:


> How do you guys think Shimano would act if I needed to warranty brakes that I bought from overseas? ie, that weren't purchased in my country of residence.


I can speak to this issue first hand. Shimano North America will NOT honor warranty claims on product from Shimano Europe. As soon as you tell them this is the situation, they will refer you to the dealer you bought them from originally. In my case, I think it was Bike-Discount. There's a work-around but you need to read between the lines to figure it out.



jminus said:


> Mine are going back to Jenson today. The guy I spoke to in the warranty department sounded surprisingly skeptical about the issue, which is strange because it sounds like lots of people have been sending these back for warranty.
> 
> For the people that called Shimano directly for warranty, did they just refer you back to the place you bought the brakes from or do they manage the process themselves?


If you refer back a page or two to my warranty claim info, I spelled it out pretty clearly. I dealt with Shimano Warranty directly and carefully and succinctly explained my squawk with the product. The tech immediately knew what was up and told me the absolute fastest way to deal with the issue was to "take" them to ANY dealer that handled the Shimano parts and let them know that I had a set of brakes with a warranty issue with a production code of XX. I wrote down the important parts of that conversation including the tech's name and attached it to the boxes when I carried it in to the dealer. The dealer/shimano relationship allows for a faster transaction between those two entities. Otherwise, you have shipping time on your end, added to shipping time on the dealers end, etc. Fortunately for me, I have a great relationship with Art's Cyclery here and they're big on Shimano. I took mine into the Service Mgr on a Monday and I was strapping a new set onto my bike by Friday afternoon.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

bataleon said:


> Hi guys, is it safe to say that the new batch of M8000's are back to their usual high standard? (enduro-mtb even went as far as saying "we can no longer recommend them" in their review earlier this year!)
> 
> I'm looking for a some well priced brakes to replace my SRAM DB5's and the XT's seem to fit the bill.


Been using XTs for many years.

My DH bike came stock with Guides. They did suprisingly well in this application, but the hill I ride requires a lot of brake so went with Saints.

The Guides got moved to my AM rig. They are very nice and are rigtht up there with a properly functioning XT brake. I think the Guide is a very good alternative to the XT. Biggest issue with the Guides is the bleed proceedure. But, I can say that even with a lot of air in the system the Guides still worked well. (Mine were running ok before I bled them. Upon bleeding a lot of air pushed out. I was suprised the brake work as well as it did. After bleeding the Guides feel great.)

My biggest issue with the XT is I like very little lever throw. Even after a good bleed, and "re-setting" the pads without the bleed block or rotor, the lever eventually developed excessive "throw".


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

Oh My Sack! said:


> If you refer back a page or two to my warranty claim info, I spelled it out pretty clearly. I dealt with Shimano Warranty directly and carefully and succinctly explained my squawk with the product. The tech immediately knew what was up and told me the absolute fastest way to deal with the issue was to "take" them to ANY dealer that handled the Shimano parts and let them know that I had a set of brakes with a warranty issue with a production code of XX. I wrote down the important parts of that conversation including the tech's name and attached it to the boxes when I carried it in to the dealer. The dealer/shimano relationship allows for a faster transaction between those two entities. Otherwise, you have shipping time on your end, added to shipping time on the dealers end, etc. Fortunately for me, I have a great relationship with Art's Cyclery here and they're big on Shimano. I took mine into the Service Mgr on a Monday and I was strapping a new set onto my bike by Friday afternoon.


Thanks, I did read your post, I just wasn't sure if you received some sort of reference number from Shimano.

It is nice that you are local to Art's Cyclerly. I buy lots of stuff from them.


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## oo.viper.oo (Jun 15, 2016)

Just wanted to share that I purchased the brakes in August 2016 and received the NH levers and calipers with white pistons. I have now clocked 350 kilometers on them and no problematic symptoms as described in this thread so far. However I'm running 200/180 rotors on my AM bike so maybe I'm not overheating them.

XT levers go quite well with X7 shifters:


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## mo6500 (Feb 14, 2011)

I'm running M8000 XT brakes with X9 shifters and I like it!


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## mtnbiker4life (Sep 19, 2005)

jminus said:


> Mine are going back to Jenson today. The guy I spoke to in the warranty department sounded surprisingly skeptical about the issue, which is strange because it sounds like lots of people have been sending these back for warranty.
> 
> For the people that called Shimano directly for warranty, did they just refer you back to the place you bought the brakes from or do they manage the process themselves?


Mine went back to Jenson last week and the warranty guy was well aware of the issue.....maybe he did some research after your claim. Until I found this thread I thought it was my needing to bleed them correctly. I watched endless amount of videos and read all the Shimano tech docs and still the problem. After applying my front and rear brake the lever would just pump out big time to the point it caused major hand fatigue on slightly downward pointing trails. I had an extra set of 785's for a future build.....I put those on my Flux and they actually performed better than the M8000's. I may sell the warranty brakes and look for another set of 785's for my up coming build.


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

Despite all the reported issues I ordered a pair today. What can I say, I'm an optimist.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

bataleon said:


> Despite all the reported issues I ordered a pair today. What can I say, I'm an optimist.


now this is interesting... wonder what you'll get... let us know if things changed


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## northvanguy (Sep 24, 2010)

My warrantied pair are perfect... suspect the problems are well sorted now


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

mtnbiker4life said:


> Mine went back to Jenson last week and the warranty guy was well aware of the issue.....maybe he did some research after your claim. Until I found this thread I thought it was my needing to bleed them correctly. I watched endless amount of videos and read all the Shimano tech docs and still the problem. After applying my front and rear brake the lever would just pump out big time to the point it caused major hand fatigue on slightly downward pointing trails. I had an extra set of 785's for a future build.....I put those on my Flux and they actually performed better than the M8000's. I may sell the warranty brakes and look for another set of 785's for my up coming build.


Did they give you an ETA on the warranty replacements? I haven't been able to get in touch with them for a week. I know they received my brakes because of the tracking number.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

northvanguy said:


> My warrantied pair are perfect... suspect the problems are well sorted now


What is the date on yours? Mine were March 2016 so I'm a bit skeptical about some of the reports that the issue has been resolved. I wonder if people aren't putting them through severe enough conditions. I did not experience the pump up for months of hard riding. It took Whistler braking bumps to expose it.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

yea pump will only be felt on rough stuff like rocks and features whose effect is jackhammer type


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

Yeah I'm not too fussed. We'll see how things go. 

There's a 2 year warranty period and I'm sure the pumping will raise it's ugly head somewhere within that time period if it's going to at all


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## mtnbiker4life (Sep 19, 2005)

jminus said:


> Did they give you an ETA on the warranty replacements? I haven't been able to get in touch with them for a week. I know they received my brakes because of the tracking number.


I was told it would take a week for Shimano to make the decision. I'm going to email the warranty person tomorrow.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

mtnbiker4life said:


> I was told it would take a week for Shimano to make the decision. I'm going to email the warranty person tomorrow.


Just sent you a pm.


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## Marc2211 (Aug 6, 2013)

I just ordered a pair too for my new (to me) DH bike. I'll report back with findings.


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

My brakes arrived yesterday. I got codes KE/OP and DI/OE.

Test ride will have to wait until next weekend unfortunately, but I'm stoked to finally have them on the bike.


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## marek_k (Aug 2, 2016)

bataleon said:


> My brakes arrived yesterday. I got codes KE/OP and DI/OE. [/IMG]


Are you sure that you have OP? O is 2016 but there is no P month in shimano code table, just A to L from jan to dec.


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

You're right! I must've had too many beers while installing them and misread "d" as "p."

The codes I have are KE/OD and DI/OE. Ordered from Bike-discount.de on the 27th of September.

Cheers mate.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

bataleon said:


> You're right! I must've had too many beers while installing them and misread "d" as "p."
> 
> The codes I have are KE/OD and DI/OE. Ordered from Bike-discount.de on the 27th of September.
> 
> Cheers mate.


how's it?


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

They feel fantastic, in saying that though I haven't been able put them through the conditions that made the earlier codes susceptible to pumping. 

That'll have to wait until next weekend unfortunately.


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## mtnbiker4life (Sep 19, 2005)

jminus said:


> Just sent you a pm.


 I got my new set of brakes on Friday 10/14.......lucky I had a set of 785's so I wasn't down any riding time. I'm happy that Shimano stepped up......glad I saw this thread otherwise I would still be bleeding and cursing those brakes. cheers


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

mtnbiker4life said:


> I got my new set of brakes on Friday 10/14.......lucky I had a set of 785's so I wasn't down any riding time. I'm happy that Shimano stepped up......glad I saw this thread otherwise I would still be bleeding and cursing those brakes. cheers


I've still not heard back from Jenson. Pretty nuts that we had such different experiences getting the same brakes warrantied for the same reason with the same store. I'm wondering if they forgot about me or something. Guess I'll call in again tomorrow and if they keep giving me the run around, I'm going to file a dispute with my CC.

Luckily I bought new brakes (Hopes) the same day these went back for warranty. No missed riding either.


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## Marc2211 (Aug 6, 2013)

KE/OD, KE/NF here, again from bike-discount.de 

Won't be able to install them for another couple of weeks, but will post results asap.


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## NWRyder (Jul 28, 2012)

My XT brakes never had the changing bite point, but I still did not like the feel of them. I like my brakes to engage real close to the bar which might not work well with servo wave. I replaced the levers with XTR Race and really prefer the feel. They still seem to have the same power but the modulation is so much better. I wish shimano make a lever without servo wave that was cheaper as I really don't care about the few grams saved, but I am real happy with the feel of my brakes now.

I went down a long rocky trail and pulled and released the brakes a lot to be sure I did not get a bad pair of levers. When they warmed up they engage about an eighth of an inch further out, but I guess that is normal as my XTs and Avids did the same thing. Could be a few air bubbles of course.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

laws of physics. Things get hot they expand.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

Just to close the loop on my experience, I did finally get the warranty replacement brakes from Jenson. They were marked ke/og, so pretty new. Unfortunately, I won't be able to report back on whether the issue is fixed. I'm quite happy with the Hopes and I've already sold these.


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## pringles21 (Dec 7, 2015)

After going through 3 sets of pads since I got them in February and 5 full bleeds trying different free stroke settings, really hard to turn adjustment knob, sticky piston on the front and still getting inconsistent bite points I called Jenson yesterday to start the warranty process on my set with date codes ke nd and ke ni. I left a message with their warranty department. Ill post an update once I get my new set.

This just came out today: 
Not All of Shimano?s 2016 Deore XT M8000 Brakes Provide the Reliability the Brand Is Known For ? A Long Term Review | Singletracks Mountain Bike News


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## danny.mendes (Mar 11, 2013)

pringles21 said:


> After going through 3 sets of pads since I got them in February and 5 full bleeds trying different free stroke settings, really hard to turn adjustment knob, sticky piston on the front and still getting inconsistent bite points I called Jenson yesterday to start the warranty process on my set with date codes ke nd and ke ni. I left a message with their warranty department. Ill post an update once I get my new set.
> 
> This just came out today:
> Not All of Shimano?s 2016 Deore XT M8000 Brakes Provide the Reliability the Brand Is Known For ? A Long Term Review | Singletracks Mountain Bike News


That article is pretty worthless and doesn't offer any new info. The tested brakes are an early version with all of the known problems. Everyone seems to be happy with the warranty replacements they are receiving from Shimano.


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## jokaankit (May 4, 2014)

My front brake reads Ke OA
It worked ok on the first ride, required pumping to grip on the 2nd, and now it just doesn't work. The lever reaches the bars.

The rear brake works much better but it reaches my fingers. The lever feels squishy compared to previous generation xts. It doesn't have any stickers I can see. These came stock on my New Ripley LS from Jenson.

Do I just need to rebleed?
Do I warranty through shimano and a LBS or Jenson directly?


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ Sounds like you could simply use a bleed.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Agreed. Sounds like a bad set-up when installed.


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## jokaankit (May 4, 2014)

Thanks I'll give it a try and update with any changes.


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## DangrussDan (Dec 7, 2015)

I'm thinking about buying the M8000 brakes from Jenson. Do you think it is worth the gamble for M8000 vs M785? It looks like they successfully revised them. I like the dimple, modulation, and hate the chrome to death. I know, frivolous but still!


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

DangrussDan said:


> I'm thinking about buying the M8000 brakes from Jenson. Do you think it is worth the gamble for M8000 vs M785? It looks like they successfully revised them. I like the dimple, modulation, and hate the chrome to death. I know, frivolous but still!


My 'new and improved' XT 8000s are flawless. Just check the codes before mounting and if they are older then return them, but with as much volume as Jenson does I'm sure they will be the current model.


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## DangrussDan (Dec 7, 2015)

Exactly what I gathered. Whew! Thanks for the prompt reply. How long have you had your set? I will definitely check the codes to make sure. Last thing I want are bad brakes!


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

I ordered a set from bike-discount.de nearly 2 months ago (27th September) and got codes KE/OD and DI/OE. Like D Bones, mine perform flawlessly.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

what do the first 2 letters of the code mean?


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## DangrussDan (Dec 7, 2015)

Great! I will hopefully order them this Black Friday on Jenson. I'm making sure to stay in the US in case something bad happens. Doesn't sound like it will, thankfully


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

spyghost said:


> what do the first 2 letters of the code mean?


Good question mate, I have no idea.



DangrussDan said:


> Great! I will hopefully order them this Black Friday on Jenson. I'm making sure to stay in the US in case something bad happens. Doesn't sound like it will, thankfully


Judging by recent feedback I'd say that the gremlins are well and truly gone by now. My logic when I ordered mine was that there's a 2 year warranty anyway


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

spyghost said:


> what do the first 2 letters of the code mean?


This doesn't really answer, but bumping it up.


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## chuggboy (Jan 10, 2005)

Here's my experience, might add a bit to the timeline questions, maybe?

I have a set with NJ on the sticker, white pistons, and so far seem to be ok. Coming in to summer here, so will get more rides in and let you know if they play up at all. 

C


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## P155 TOF (Nov 23, 2016)

Hi all,

I've been following this thread with interest after experiencing the back pedal issues, and it lead me here.



Oh My Sack! said:


> Nope. I wasn't privy to that information. A ways back in this thread (I believe it was this thread but it may have been another on the same subject), there were guys getting warranty replacements back well past the 'NE' codes but still in the N's and they were suggesting no problems with the replacements.


I can elaborate a little further - After speaking with Shimano USA (No EU/UK contact!) I was informed that the lever internals were revised from month 'F' onwards.

On another note/warning - I purchased the M8000 groupset from a very large UK based online retailer (not the one based in Ballyclare but the 'other one'), it was all sent back on 16th November. After much waiting for replacements I've received an email back from them today telling me that their buying department has stated:

'There's no known issues with these at all so I'd suggest it's definitely a one off! In the future if anyone did have a problem like this again, it's something that could be sorted quickly and cheaply by a local bike shop.'

Worrying to say the least......


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## DangrussDan (Dec 7, 2015)

Are you sure you're on the right thread? This thread is about brakes and the "pump" issue. Nothing mentioned about the back pedal issue...


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## Marc2211 (Aug 6, 2013)

Marc2211 said:


> I just ordered a pair too for my new (to me) DH bike. I'll report back with findings.


Finally got round to installing them, bedding them in, and going on a DH day today.

The brakes performed flawlessly. No issues.

Much more bite than I was expecting compared to my old XTs and Magura MT7 on another bike.


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## DangrussDan (Dec 7, 2015)

Great! I ordered a 1x11 XT setup with sunrace CSMX8 11-46, and a new set of brakes. I will report back with the results too.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Hey everyone... Just got my set in a couple of days ago and the code is KE OG... Please tell me these are the newer ones. LoL I have googled this and can't seem to find the answer Thanks


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## jokaankit (May 4, 2014)

New, they should be fine. The last two letters are what you want to look at. If it's N=2015 O=2016 IIRC they were fixed around fall of 2015. I bleed mine twice and it didn't help. I used the trick on GMBN, where you leave the lever depressed over night and then top off. It's working fine now. You don't need to sleep on your bike, just use a few ruber bands, remove them, then top off


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Thanks ! Hopefully these will work right out of the box. I'm still a tad uncomfortable messing with my brakes and with my gears. The only 2 things that make me nervous to work on


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

Hey guys, I read through and couldn't find a definitive answer. What codes/serial numbers am I looking for to know I got the revised/fixed/newest brakes? Is there a safe cut-off?


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

ejewels said:


> Hey guys, I read through and couldn't find a definitive answer. What codes/serial numbers am I looking for to know I got the revised/fixed/newest brakes? Is there a safe cut-off?


 From what i gather, anything made in 2016 is good. I'm installing mine this weekend. Can't wait


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

How do you know if its made in '16?


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Unless your buying from a super-low volume dealer, I seriously think the chances of getting an old series set is pretty much zero. The issue was solved in the later N series and now we are way into the O. So...to give you a firm answer, I'd say anything with Ke-O*


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Yepper... the "O" code sez it all.


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

thanks guys... I bought from Amazon. Are these issues over hyped or did the first batch (where most reviews are done) prove really bad? I know that on forums usually the people with issues are the first to post. You never hear about the good ones out there.


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

Guys, where do you locate these letters? I see VIA on the caliper but nothing else with 2 capital letters


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

ejewels said:


> thanks guys... I bought from Amazon. Are these issues over hyped or did the first batch (where most reviews are done) prove really bad? I know that on forums usually the people with issues are the first to post. You never hear about the good ones out there.


I had a set of 2016s that seemed totally fine all season until I rode the bike at Whistler and experienced the pump up problem several times quite severely. I think many people don't put the brakes through the right conditions to trigger the issue and never complain.

Since there was never an official acknowledgment or statement about what the problem was and when the fix was rolled out, I decided to switch brands and skip this generation of shimano brakes.


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

ejewels said:


> Guys, where do you locate these letters? I see VIA on the caliper but nothing else with 2 capital letters


Should be a sticker on the bottom of the lever. I had one brake that didn't have a sticker though.


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

Jminus- I got the same march 2016 code you had. Dammit I should return them. Which hopes did you get and would they be good on a giant trance?


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

I gotta say though, with all the tons of new bikes coming stock with the new xt's, maybe these all don't represent many of the brakes? Especially the "O" models?


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

ejewels said:


> Jminus- I got the same march 2016 code you had. Dammit I should return them. Which hopes did you get and would they be good on a giant trance?


I got the Hope Tech3 V4s which are full on 4 post downhill brakes. They were a bit trickier to set up but once I get used to the totally different lever feel, I was very pleased. They are probably overkill 90% of the time, but I live and ride for that last 10% 

I don't know if I would return the XTs. Or maybe you can return them and get a newer set. The situation that seems to trigger the pump up is when you are going through high speed chatter (braking bumps at Whistler) and have to apply, release, then reapply the brakes in quick succession. Lots of riders may never experience the conditions to trigger it.

Do you notice that the bite point moves around a lot during use?


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

ejewels said:


> I gotta say though, with all the tons of new bikes coming stock with the new xt's, maybe these all don't represent many of the brakes? Especially the "O" models?


Not sure what you mean? Just that we only hear that about the problems? If so, I agree.


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## dynamicz (Sep 14, 2007)

Purchased from CRC 12/2016. OEM version. Are these good? Not even sure if these are the identifiers.


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

Yeah it's tough because technically oc should be new enough no? Maybe yours were just bad luck? Is it true they have a 2 year warranty? I could always use that I guess. Also, I'm only a XC/trail rider so not sure I'd ever put them through the paces like that...

Oh and I haven't installed yet.


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## bataleon (Jun 28, 2015)

dynamicz said:


> Purchased from CRC 12/2016. OEM version. Are these good? Not even sure if these are the identifiers.


They're the later N codes. I'd say they'll be good.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

ejewels said:


> Is it true they have a 2 year warranty?


Shimano XT's have a 2 year warranty and XTR's have 3 years.


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

I wonder if the pump jmil was referring to was using the brakes for DH at whistler, which maybe isn't what XTs are intended for? I have no idea, just wondering how hard you used them.


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## dynamicz (Sep 14, 2007)

bataleon said:


> They're the later N codes. I'd say they'll be good.


Thank you good sir!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jminus (Sep 4, 2008)

ejewels said:


> I wonder if the pump jmil was referring to was using the brakes for DH at whistler, which maybe isn't what XTs are intended for? I have no idea, just wondering how hard you used them.


I certainly agree that XTs are not designed for downhill use and if they had faded and lost power, I would not have been surprised or upset. However, they never lost power or faded at all, just occasionally throughout the day, they had massive changes in the bite point. Letting off the brakes and reapplying a second or two later would let the recover and be fine the rest of the way down. Definitely a design or manufacturing problem.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Do you guys think using bigger very light weight rotors would help those having problems with them? Is it the heat making them lose power? I just started using mine and haven't had any problems but if that problem should arise would this be an option? i am running 180F/160R but thinking about going 203F/180R.

PS i mainly do XC/ AM here and there


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

Has anyone had a newer set of xt's without issues or these bite point changes where they put them through DH like conditions?


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## Marc2211 (Aug 6, 2013)

ejewels said:


> Has anyone had a newer set of xt's without issues or these bite point changes where they put them through DH like conditions?


I bought a set (I posted the codes earlier in this thread) from bike-discount.de and used them for moderate downhill for about 2 months (8 or 9 days of DH) at the end of last season. I didn't have any bite point issues at all - they were solid throughout.

I did however have issues running them with the Shimano J04A sintered pads... at the very same point of every run, without fail, the pads became terribly noisy. Really extraordinarily loud. In the end I had to change back to resin pads was it as so annoying.

To confirm though, I had no issues with the brakes themselves at all.


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## ejewels (Jul 16, 2009)

Thanks. To that point, has anyone given them an actual good review in the press?


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## danny.mendes (Mar 11, 2013)

Marc2211 said:


> I did however have issues running them with the Shimano J04A sintered pads... at the very same point of every run, without fail, the pads became terribly noisy. Really extraordinarily loud. In the end I had to change back to resin pads was it as so annoying.


I just recently change the pads on my M785s from the original F03C to the new J04A pads. I had the same problem you had, they howled on certain parts of the trail. The original metal pads never did. I got tired of the noise and put on some Galfer 1554 Semi-metallic pads. rode today and they worked really well. Power is on par with the J04A pads, but NO noise at all. You might want to give them a try.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Cleared2land said:


> Shimano XT's have a 2 year warranty and XTR's have 3 years.


I had a problem a week ago with a 2 yr old M987 lever going to the bar when it was cold out (usually they stiffen, the opposite of this). Brought brake to LBS, they called shimano. TWO new XTRs were shipped out and arrived a couple days ago for my bike. That's some good customer service.


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## happymedium (Sep 29, 2007)

Dynamicz, I had the same code youhave on my M8000 brear brakeset, which I bought from CRC around December 2015 (as new in the box set). Mine had the lever pump-up issue and I recently got them warrantied by CRC (replaced) with a new set with code ke OI. I don't know for sure if yours will be like mine. I only noticed an issue when I was carrying speed through bumpy sections while I was feathering my rear brake. In hard braking it wasn't an issue that I recall, rather only when the brake lever was partly pulled going over really bumpy stuff, and then the lever slack just disappears, and it starts to activate the brake immediately with any lever travel. I also didn't notice it for a while when new, it seemed to take maybe more than a couple months before I noticed it happening. Perhaps it was just me learning how to ride the new bike hard enough to cause the issue!

It didn't happen to my front brake, and that's because that one was an M785 older XT brake.

By the way, my old M8000 rear set came with the metallic pads, the warranty set has resin pads.

Dynamicz, I hope yours work out okay for you.


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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

Marc2211 said:


> I bought a set (I posted the codes earlier in this thread) from bike-discount.de and used them for moderate downhill for about 2 months (8 or 9 days of DH) at the end of last season. I didn't have any bite point issues at all - they were solid throughout.
> 
> I did however have issues running them with the Shimano J04A sintered pads... at the very same point of every run, without fail, the pads became terribly noisy. Really extraordinarily loud. In the end I had to change back to resin pads was it as so annoying.
> 
> To confirm though, I had no issues with the brakes themselves at all.


Interesting find, been struggling with noise from my rear brake with XTR Races and I will probably revert back to resin pads, the metallic ones are squealing like crazy. Same brake, front caliper, zero noise...


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

ejewels said:


> thanks guys... I bought from Amazon. Are these issues over hyped or did the first batch (where most reviews are done) prove really bad? I know that on forums usually the people with issues are the first to post. You never hear about the good ones out there.


I ordered a full XT8000 set the first week they were available worldwide (I ordered from some obscure company in a small country) and have been riding it ever since. I haven't noticed any problems with my brakes.

So now you've heard.


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## dynamicz (Sep 14, 2007)

happymedium said:


> Dynamicz, I had the same code youhave on my M8000 brear brakeset, which I bought from CRC around December 2015 (as new in the box set). Mine had the lever pump-up issue and I recently got them warrantied by CRC (replaced) with a new set with code ke OI. I don't know for sure if yours will be like mine. I only noticed an issue when I was carrying speed through bumpy sections while I was feathering my rear brake. In hard braking it wasn't an issue that I recall, rather only when the brake lever was partly pulled going over really bumpy stuff, and then the lever slack just disappears, and it starts to activate the brake immediately with any lever travel. I also didn't notice it for a while when new, it seemed to take maybe more than a couple months before I noticed it happening. Perhaps it was just me learning how to ride the new bike hard enough to cause the issue!
> 
> It didn't happen to my front brake, and that's because that one was an M785 older XT brake.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the heads up. I will keep my eyes on it once I get them installed and running. These were purchased from crc Dec 2016 so let's hope they are the updated ones.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cycloholic (Dec 27, 2015)

Damn, i got a brand new "O" set and i got the pumping up on my rear brake. Front is great. I called shimano and told me that all the "O" brakes are ok and i have to send it back to them to check it.


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## pringles21 (Dec 7, 2015)

Update, I got my warranty set back in early December 2016 from Jenson. Its been working fine since!


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## ermporshe (Jan 7, 2015)

Do you know the letters of the set?


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## pringles21 (Dec 7, 2015)

ermporshe said:


> Do you know the letters of the set?


Nope, it didnt have the stickers on it but they were new, my old ones had some scratches.


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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

Has anyone had this problem with newer Zee brakes? I was thinking XT for my second bike but might go with Zee's if the problem isn't there.


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## marek_k (Aug 2, 2016)

I just received my replacement set, code OK - 2016/11 , and I can confirm nothing has changed . Even if something has been updated on newer sets , it did not helped at all. Brand new with new pads, lever pump for 1cm (acceptable) , but put slightly worn-down pads in and the bite point shifts 1 cm closer to the grip(to close to be comfortable for me) and they pump for 2cm.

And even worse my 4y old M785 just started to behave exactly the same . Talking about rear brake in both cases.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

So today my 8 month old XT 8000 right hand front lever felt a little weird, and as I was pulling it in fluid squirted out the end of the lever/master reservoir, and then the lever pulled all the way to the grip..... They had been bullet proof before this catastrophic event, but still it's very disappointing.

I called Shimano and they advised me to download the US Consumer Warranty Claim Form, fill it out and include a copy of my original CRC receipt and mail the brakes to them, and they would take care of it for me. Supposedly it will be a 100% new brake system as "they don't repair brakes". 

I went ahead and bought another right hand front brake from CRC as I don't feel like waiting weeks to ride again, and will probably just sell the warranty replacement.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

D Bone said:


> So today my 8 month old XT 8000 right hand front lever felt a little weird, and as I was pulling it in fluid squirted out the end of the lever/master reservoir, and then the lever pulled all the way to the grip..... They had been bullet proof before this catastrophic event, but still it's very disappointing.
> 
> I called Shimano and they advised me to download the US Consumer Warranty Claim Form, fill it out and include a copy of my original CRC receipt and mail the brakes to them, and they would take care of it for me. Supposedly it will be a 100% new brake system as "they don't repair brakes".
> 
> I went ahead and bought another right hand front brake from CRC as I don't feel like waiting weeks to ride again, and will probably just sell the warranty replacement.


You sure it's going to be weeks? I had a new wheel in a week when I had to warranty it.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

TwoTone said:


> You sure it's going to be weeks? I had a new wheel in a week when I had to warranty it.


No, I'm far from sure.... just going by my past experiences with warranty stuff from other vendors. My brake will be here Friday from CRC and I'll be riding this weekend, and that was worth the $80 to me.

Hopefully you're right, and it will be quick.... I'll update this post when it comes in to help someone else down the road.


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## ermporshe (Jan 7, 2015)

I have a previous Gen Shimano SLX and i really wanted to put the new XT on my other bike but after following this thread for a long time i don´t feel it.
What are the best options under 140 for the set, the new SLX share the same system has the new XT so not the best option as well.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

D Bone said:


> I went ahead and bought another right hand front brake from CRC as I don't feel like waiting weeks to ride again, and will probably just sell the warranty replacement.


Yepper, I'm with you. That's exactly what I would have done. Cheap insurance to ensure that you'll get to ride while waiting on a warranty replacement that offers no guarantees when it will come through. I have needed warranty replacement on very few occasions, but one of them took almost 6 weeks from the time they received it. It was not Shimano, but it was a major player.


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## cycloholic (Dec 27, 2015)

I can confirm that some of the new version of m8000 still got the same issue. I got an O version and my rear one pumping on every descent. I return the levers to shimano and now i got some m9000. I hope i ll finally got a working brake...


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## cycloholic (Dec 27, 2015)

Btw i cant find a sticker with date on my new m9000 :O


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## LaXCarp (Jul 19, 2008)

Does anyone have a source to purchase the bolts that mount the calipers to the frame? Is there something I can get from a hardware store?


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

^^^ Standard metric hex head bolt that can be acquired locally. I don't have the bolt size, but someone might jump in with the thread pitch and diameter.


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## cycloholic (Dec 27, 2015)

First ride on my brand new m9000 levers replacement and my rear caliper is leaking... Let's talk about luck!!😕


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

cycloholic said:


> First ride on my brand new m9000 levers replacement and my rear caliper is leaking... Let's talk about luck!!


Damn bro, im sorry to hear that. I've been beating the **** out of my 8000 and they are working flawlessly. "KNOCK ON WOOD" but if i do start having problems and after all I've read on here.i am just going to go with Hopes. A bit more money but i guess **** it. My friends had his hopes maintenance free for almost 6 years.


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## cycloholic (Dec 27, 2015)

Shimano was too like this before some years, got a long time without maintenance. But the latest servo wave system mess things up. I think i will stick with a non servo wave levers from now on! Actually my m9000 comes without and got excellent and steady feeling so far! I'm looking forward to my caliper replacement and i hope my brakes will work finally!!


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## hece (Feb 27, 2017)

Cleared2land said:


> ^^^ Standard metric hex head bolt that can be acquired locally. I don't have the bolt size, but someone might jump in with the thread pitch and diameter.


M6 with 5mm hex head. Though I had regular silver philips head screws for a while. Works okay, but hex head is way better. Replaced it one as soon as I visited by LBS.


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## JackieTreehorn8 (Mar 12, 2016)

Can someone list Shimano brake options that are currently being sold that don't have this problem in their design?


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

JackieTreehorn8 said:


> Can someone list Shimano brake options that are currently being sold that don't have this problem in their design?


Be more specific. Almost 300 post on this thread that have addressed multiple issues.


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## beerdles (Aug 22, 2016)

i'm pretty sure my solution is listed somewhere above, but it's all very confusing. I have the 2017 Ispec-II M8000 shifter and the 2016 Ispec-B M506 brake levers and they're not compatible. Is there either A) an after market adapter or B) a direct-to-handlebar mount for the shifter?


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

D Bone said:


> No, I'm far from sure.... just going by my past experiences with warranty stuff from other vendors. My brake will be here Friday from CRC and I'll be riding this weekend, and that was worth the $80 to me.
> 
> Hopefully you're right, and it will be quick.... I'll update this post when it comes in to help someone else down the road.


Shoot, I forgot to update.... Sorry. I had a brand new, in retail box brake from Shimano USA 8 days after I shipped mine off. I do live in SoCal myself, so shipping was 2 days both ways, but still darn impressive............ that leads me to this story:

The right hand/front XT 8000 lever I referenced above and bought from CRC in March 2017 failed in June 2017 the same way as my 1st brake did. So I sent it back to Shimano with the form filled out and a copy of my CRC receipt, and per my tracking #, they received it only a day later.

I then bought a set of SLX 7000s from JensonUSA which come in a retail box instead of CRC's bubble wrap being an OEM product that they sell...... Just thought maybe that had something to do with it - probably grasping for straws. I also hoped that the SLX 7000s already had the 'pump up' issue fixed from the very first batch, since they are the latest design from Shimano.

Back to my warranty brake.... I hadn't heard a peep from Shimano in almost 3 weeks and started to get a little worried, so I called them yesterday. I asked the CSR for a status update and he confirmed that they did receive my brake and I am slated for a replacement, but there is a problem on their end as the right hand XT 8000 levers are currently back ordered "indefinitely".

He then got quiet for a couple of seconds and then asked "Would I like a PAIR of XTR 9020s instead", which of course I then said "Hell yes!" to. He gave me a confirmation order # and said they would ship out the same day.

So while it's frustrating that there has been 'pump up' problems for some users, and at least for me personally, failure problems too, it is incredible customer service to upgrade me like that, and they did it on their own without me even asking..... They now have a customer for life that's for sure.

Just thought I'd share me experience.


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## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Wow, so that really happened!

View attachment 1147327


Not sure I need XTRs and am thinking about selling them for $360 shipped......  Pretty damn awesome from Shimano.


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## 98 special (Apr 10, 2011)

I know this thread is over a year old, but I just stumbled upon it. Iv'e had issues with my XT M8000 brakes needing to be bled every month. Purchased in Nov 2015. Going to contact Jenson and see if they can replace them.


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## Doug (Jan 12, 2004)

Another post to dig up this old thread. Are the problems with the M8000 still present? Or does this thread going quiet mean that Shimano fixed the issue and new stock is improved?

I may just get the M7000 SLX if those don't seem to have the issues.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

Over 2k miles on mine and i just now have to change the pads that came with it. Love these brakes !!!!


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## cycloholic (Dec 27, 2015)

Doug said:


> Another post to dig up this old thread. Are the problems with the M8000 still present? Or does this thread going quiet mean that Shimano fixed the issue and new stock is improved?
> 
> I may just get the M7000 SLX if those don't seem to have the issues.


Well, i got the same issue both in first version and also with the "fixed issue" version. I changed the levers with 9000 XTR's under warranty( i paid the difference), but XTRs was too weak for me. Then bought 785 and so far i think are my favourite(well, are ugly though)


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