# Replacement shifter



## paqman (May 25, 2005)

Hey, I just purchased an old Specialized Rockhopper for my wife, see this thread.

But the rear derailer does not work. I've found the problem, it's in the shifter. It's a Shimano Altus C10. One of the springs inside has lost it's coil, keeping it from grabbing onto the groove to pull the cable. I was just curious what my replacement options would be? I'm assuming they don't make this model anymore. If this were a car, I would head to the junkyard, and rip the part off another car, but I don't know of any bike junkyards!


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## ljsmith (Oct 26, 2007)

Ebay is the equivalent of the junkyard for bikes. How many speeds is it. You don't neccesarily need an Altus shifter. You just need to find a Shimano shifter for the same number of gears. I assume it is either 7 or 8, in which case you could look on ebay for an old Deore, LX or XT 7 or 8 speed shifter.


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

*Might be able to resurect*



paqman said:


> Hey, I just purchased an old Specialized Rockhopper for my wife, see this thread.
> 
> But the rear derailer does not work. I've found the problem, it's in the shifter. It's a Shimano Altus C10. One of the springs inside has lost it's coil, keeping it from grabbing onto the groove to pull the cable. I was just curious what my replacement options would be? I'm assuming they don't make this model anymore. If this were a car, I would head to the junkyard, and rip the part off another car, but I don't know of any bike junkyards!


The grease in the Shimano shifters hardens over time, overpowering the weak springs and not allowing the pawls to engage. I have resurrected literally dozens of old Shimano shifters by simply saturating the insides with WD40...REALLY

After saturating it, start to work the shifter. Soon, those pawls will loosen up and the shifter will begin to work. Once you get the shifter working, dry out as much of the WD40 as you can, then lube the shifter with a light oil like tri-flow

Give it a try before replacing
:thumbsup:


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## paqman (May 25, 2005)

mtnbiker72 said:


> The grease in the Shimano shifters hardens over time, overpowering the weak springs and not allowing the pawls to engage. I have resurrected literally dozens of old Shimano shifters by simply saturating the insides with WD40...REALLY
> 
> After saturating it, start to work the shifter. Soon, those pawls will loosen up and the shifter will begin to work. Once you get the shifter working, dry out as much of the WD40 as you can, then lube the shifter with a light oil like tri-flow
> 
> ...


Wow, great idea. Thanks! The spring really looks like it's unwound itself, and the grease seems thick, but not hard. But I'll definietly give this a try.


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## paqman (May 25, 2005)

ljsmith said:


> Ebay is the equivalent of the junkyard for bikes. How many speeds is it. You don't neccesarily need an Altus shifter. You just need to find a Shimano shifter for the same number of gears. I assume it is either 7 or 8, in which case you could look on ebay for an old Deore, LX or XT 7 or 8 speed shifter.


Thanks. I think you're right, I think it's a 7 speed, but I"ll count.


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## willhay555 (Jul 11, 2015)

mtnbiker72,

Despite being an ancient thread I registered with the forum to thank you for this.
This result was my first search result and it has worked perfectly.
Being rather a novice my attempt was to renovate a nineteen year old budget MTB for my thirteen year old to use for school.
My first thought was the local bike shop but all fixed now so again; thanks and best wishes.


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## Wendyd (Dec 5, 2020)

*It's not necessarily hardened grease*

The hair spring on the little pawl was out of place.
the end that's hard to see came off its proper perch and unwound
about a quarter turn, reducing the tension enuf so that even a well
lubed pawl would be sticky.

to fix you will need really good light and some slender needle nose pliers or a hook you can make out of some very thin stiff wire like that found in a ball point pen spring

i think but can't yet prove that what dislodged the spring was part of the plastic Cover. It may be necessary to trim the cover a little bit


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Wendyd said:


> The hair spring on the little pawl was out of place.
> the end that's hard to see came off its proper perch and unwound
> about a quarter turn, reducing the tension enuf so that even a well
> lubed pawl would be sticky.
> ...


Sherman, set the Wayback Machine to 2008.
=Mr. Peabody


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