[ultraNoob]

this is the continuation of the disassembly portion

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206672

And now for the hard part.

In the interest of being thourough, I'm going to take you through the assembly step by step. I'm going to use some of the photos you've seen already so you may experience deja vu. This may be a good time to take a break, wash your hands, or take a quick nap.... cuz you may get frustrated in a minute or two.

Assemble the upshift lever (long lever). Install the weird looking black pin with the flat side up. Then install the corresponding spring. Careful as this is one of the springs that likes to fly away.

Install the black symmetrical washer and then the non symmetrical washer. Make sure to line up the protrusion on the washer to the notch on the lever body. Install the lever cover. Make sure to line up the exposed ends of the black pin to the corresponding hole before you press the cover in all the way and set the assembly aside.

Lay the index actuator spring on the shifter body and then lay the index actuator on top of the spring. Make sure to line up the bolt holes. Carefully tighten the bolts for the index actuator. Make sure not to over tighten the bolts or else the actuator will be stuck in place. After you install both bolts (flat top bolt next to spring and post top bolt next to barrel adjuster), make sure the index actuator slides smoothly.

Install the little black spring bushing under the index actuator spring. Make sure it sits in the little hole and that the spring sits on top of the bushing. Insure the halfmoon section of the bushing sits evenly on against the shifter body and the spring.

Install Bottom Spring 2. First set the un hooked end on the shifter body. Make sure it pushes the index actuator spring toward the black bushing.

Make sure the spring sits in the grooves and put it back into the hole at the end of the index actuator.

Install the down shift lever making sure to set the tip of the index actuator spring into the little slot on top of the shift lever and install the pin. Push the pin in until it barely protrudes out of the other end.

Install Bottom Spring 1. Insert the end of the spring into the shifter body. You're going to have to tilt it 45deg, slide in, push down, and then bring it level.

Make sure that 90deg bend of Bottom Spring 1 is neatly wrapped around the screw hole.

Install the sprint retaining cover. Make sure that Bottom Spring 1 can wiggle when the cover screws are tightened. Also check to make sure that the downshift lever moves freely and springs back to its original position.

Slip the exposed end of Bottom Spring 1 into the slot of the upshift lever (long lever). Do not use the V-shaped slot, use the rectangular slot.

Now comes the most frustrating section. You may have to repeat this several times to get it to sit correctly. The important concept to keep in mind is that the spring cannot be squished inbetween the lever cover plate and the shifter body. You need to coax the coils of the spring around the inner round portion of the lever body between the lever cover plate and the nonsymmetrical washer.

While GENTLY pressing the lever into the shifter body, rotate the lever so that bottom spring 1 becomes smaller (opposite direction you rotated when you removed the lever... refer to part 1... note to self make "part 1" a link). There are limit nubs on the shifter body that limit the rotation of the lever. A good indication that you are in between these nubs is that the flat end of the black pin (inside the lever body) shows up in the channel on top of the shifter body. When you're in the correct position, you should be able to pinch the upshift lever against the shifter body with your index finger and thumb, and actuate the lever. It should move smoothly. If not, wiggle it a bit and try again until it does move smoothly. Do this gently so you do not damage bottom spring 2. If you feel too much resistance, lessen your grip. If you still feel too much resistance or the upshift lever does not sit flat on the shifter body, remove the lever and try again.

Install the pivot nut while keeping the upshift lever firmly pressed against the shifter body.

Install the indexing disc and the pivot bolt. Make sure to line up the flat part of the protruding black pin with the smiley channel on the bottom of the indexing disc.

While keeping assembly together, tighten the pivot nut.

With your fingers taking the place of the top springs, actuate the shifter levers. You should be able to down and upshift 8 clicks in either direction. If everything is going smoothly, then you're golden. If not pull the indexing disc off and try again. If everything is working well, go ahead and tighten the pivot bolt and nut.

Actuate the levers again and make sure everything is clicking crisp and well. If not, look for something that is out of line or looks wierd. If something is not right, you'll have to work backwards till you find the problem. If everything is peachy, rotate the indexing disc as far as it will go so that the slot for the shifter cable is as close to the barrel adjuster as possible. You can now thread the shifter cable through.

Install top spring 2 into the corresponding slot on the indexing disc. It's the slot closest to the barrel adjuster. Make sure the spring sits under the little overhang over the slot.

Install top spring 1 to the pivot bolt. This will help keep top spring 2 from flying away. Rotate top spring 2counter clockwise (quarter turn to the left, toward the barrel adjuster) and set the first bend against the bolt post and the hook end in the channel by the barrel adjuster.

Set Top Spring 1 on the little post ontop of the downshift lever. After you set it, remove your hand slowly so it does not slip off.

Install the cover and the cover bolt, and install the bar adapter.

Tug on the shifter cable and actuate the shifter to make sure it shifts smoothly and the levers return to the rest position unaided. If not, you will have to move backwards and find where something is binding. If you're having a hard time, relax with the knowledge that IT CAN BE DONE.

On a comical note... one of my friends dismantled an X9 and lost one of the springs. Without a diagram, it took a mechanical engineer, a 5th grade teacher, and a grease monkey 3 hours to assemble a shifter from a box of parts.

Good luck out there. Hope these two threads helped somehow. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message or simply post a question/comment. THANKS and happy riding!

 

[moff_quigley]

Again...props.

 

[profro]

Awesome Thread! WE need more of these.

 

[Ganit]

Perfect just what I needed. Haven't had a chance to try putting them together yet. I'm having technical difficulties (spilled coffee in my laptop oster_oops. Any ways I'll let you know how it goes. hopefully yes, seeming how I'll miss a big ride if I don't.. wish me luck.

 

[SCN31]

Great thread!

It took the top off to replace the cable and the bottom portion came off; so I was left with a puzzle.
Its a bummer I found this thread after I figured out how to reassemble the shifter.

Sadly, I did lose the spring that "likes to fly away". I thought I can just go get another at a LBS. That is not the case. One LBS told me flat out "Need to buy a new one" because the shifter was not meant to be taken apart. Another told me they did not know if they can order it, but can try on Monday.
The third LBS called SRAM and was informed that the Shifter was not meant to be taken apart. To add, SRAM said that I cannot order one. However, SRAM did offer to repair it for $15.00 plus shipping both ways. Hmm!

Let me recap, this spring cannot be ordered but I can send in the entire shifter for repair to SRAM. Time for some math, a spring that couldn't cost more that $1.00 will cost me $30.00 to $40.00 to make the shifter work properly

A bit of salt on the wound: I was informed that shimano's have little access hole just for cable maintenance.

 

[ultraNoob]

...

Let me recap, this spring cannot be ordered but I can send in the entire shifter for repair to SRAM. Time for some math, a spring that couldn't cost more that $1.00 will cost me $30.00 to $40.00 to make the shifter work properly
:

PM me which spring went flying away. I have some spring steel at work. I can try fabricating one up. If all else fails, I can fab any of those springs with grade 5 and just cryo the damn thing to make it springy. Dunno how durable it would be but it would make for a nice experiment.

 

[SCN31]

ultraNoob,

I PM'd you back.

I was able to fabricate the v-shape spring (First picture of this thread). I made one with an writing pen spring and the other with a package of extension springs that costed me less than $4.00.
They both were able to solve my problem.

 

[TKCastle]

Noob, I think Rich has a x9 reassembly project for you. I tried and it ruined my whole morning

 

[ultraNoob]

Noob, I think Rich has a x9 reassembly project for you. I tried and it ruined my whole morning

If you wanna mail me the shifter and all the parts, I'd be happy to put it together for him. PM me and I'll give you my addy.

 

[DesuL]

Awesome thread!!!

Heh, I just had to take apart my front and back. I was pissed. It took us about 30 min to do the front. I bent the large thumb lever crashing and had to take it apart to straighten the thing out. Mine was a bit older and had a white geared wheel not a red one with a flat spring.

Just to add to the thread I bent the lever up and into the black lever just enough that it would not want to stay in gear. Once I pulled it apart and have the lever I grabbed two pairs of pliers and my blow torch (if I was at work I would have used my Tig welders torch) The lever is cast aluminum or atleast acts like it. I slowly heated the bent area, VERY slowly. Not like getting iron red hot. Tried to SOFTLY bend it. It took a few trys till it was hot enough to move but taking this step slow is the most important thing or you may melt your lever.

So yes you can fix your Sh*t if you take the time and care. Try to have a digital camera to take pictures of each step so you know how it goes back together.

 

[slowitdown]

I needed to rebuild one of these X9 triggers today and was frustrated until I found this walkthrough. Major props to you ultraNoob. There were a couple of others I found, including a pretty good one at Sicklines, but this is way better than even that one.

 

[nim388]

Great post. There is no way I could have figured this out on my own. Saved me $90.

The hardest part was assembling the spring to the up shift lever to the body. I ended up winding the spring around the shift lever then inserting spring into the body. Once I had the lever on the body I gently installed the sprint retaining cover. Also, it helped to put a thin layer of grease on the asymmetrical washer so it was stuck to the lever rather than sliding off while trying to assemble.

 

[TWeerts]

The wound spring that goes on top of the red disc and under the clip actually clips into the red disc. if you leave it the way you have in your picture, it will bind. all you need to do is center the wound spring on the disc, and push the center of the spring down, and it should pop right on there.

 

[ultraNoob]

The wound spring that goes on top of the red disc and under the clip actually clips into the red disc. if you leave it the way you have in your picture, it will bind. all you need to do is center the wound spring on the disc, and push the center of the spring down, and it should pop right on there.

The reassembly pics in this thread are the same pics in the disassembly thread, just in reverse order.

I disassembled a factory new, fresh out of the box shifter just so that I could document the disassembly step by step. So what you see is what the shifter looked like upon first disassembly of a 2008 X9. There may have been updates to the design since (e.g. repositioning/redesigning the coiled spring).

Keep the comments coming, the more we put on this thread the more likely it will help more frustrated tinkerers like ourselves. I've come across some skipping probs with the X0's & X9's and have found out why. Next X0 that I find with the same problem will motivate me to post a tech fix for the X0's and newer X9's. Stay tuned.... get it... tuned.... ah nevermind.

 

[TWeerts]

The reassembly pics in this thread are the same pics in the disassembly thread, just in reverse order.

I disassembled a factory new, fresh out of the box shifter just so that I could document the disassembly step by step. So what you see is what the shifter looked like upon first disassembly of a 2008 X9. There may have been updates to the design since (e.g. repositioning/redesigning the coiled spring).

Keep the comments coming, the more we put on this thread the more likely it will help more frustrated tinkerers like ourselves. I've come across some skipping probs with the X0's & X9's and have found out why. Next X0 that I find with the same problem will motivate me to post a tech fix for the X0's and newer X9's. Stay tuned.... get it... tuned.... ah nevermind.

nope. the little groove where the spring is supposed to be is there in your pics. but its cool. great post. does a very good job of showing the workings of these overly complicated shifters

if it is not, binding will occur when you put that thumb screw back in.

 

[slowitdown]

Keep the comments coming, the more we put on this thread the more likely it will help more frustrated tinkerers like ourselves. I've come across some skipping probs with the X0's & X9's and have found out why. Next X0 that I find with the same problem will motivate me to post a tech fix for the X0's and newer X9's. Stay tuned.... get it... tuned.... ah nevermind.

I just wanted to drop back in to say that my X9 shifter rebuild has been bomber. I've ridden the piss out of the bike it's on since the rebuild in late May 2009, and I am sure it wouldn't have worked out this way without your walk-through. Once agan -- major props to you! SRAM should hire you to do this sort of walkthrough for its drivetrain parts.

 

[ultraNoob]

I just wanted to drop back in to say that my X9 shifter rebuild has been bomber. I've ridden the piss out of the bike it's on since the rebuild in late May 2009, and I am sure it wouldn't have worked out this way without your walk-through. Once agan -- major props to you! SRAM should hire you to do this sort of walkthrough for its drivetrain parts.

Glad to hear! Keep riding the piss out of it.

FYI... I just got a PM about a failed XO shifter. I've fixed 3 of these since September 2009 all with the same problem, so if he decides to have me try to fix it; I'll put up a "how to fix your XO shifter" thread.

 

[canyon8.0]

..i spend a few hours of my saturday on this, cause i didn't read the manual and just wanted to change the cable.. instead i dismounted the hole trigger..

but i have a decent hint for the difficult part when placing the shifter:

just glue the small black plate with instant adhesive so the spring can't pull out the plate..

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3212/2717202744_4c1bbd11ca_b.jpg

 

[Freakystuie]

Hey this helped me heaps but it still seems to not return enough all the time. so i loosen the bolt on the bottom enough for it so swing freely but then it will only go thru the gears once of twice till it gets to lose. any ideas to lessen the stickyness and help it return all the way? but thats it made life heaps easier.

 

[vsong]

Wow what a pain in the ass! Finally got it though, never again will I take that apart.

Thank you for the guide though, it really really help alot!

 

[w00dy]

Fact:

This thread has helped more noobs than the search function.

 

[stingy]

Thank you sooo much for this amazingly well done thread! I accidentally unscrewed the bottom and.. yeah hell! Without this i wouldnt even have notice that two parts flew around and went missing until i knew i needed to look for them!

Tip: use a bit of glue to fix the top plate onto the lever. Otherwise it just keeps coming off when you try to reassemble the lever with spring. And that is hard enough as it is!! The plate can be removed aesily with a small screwdriver later if need (but no need anyway).

thanks

 

[stingy]

Ps: it is true that the spring (in my X-9 shifter) should NOT be in the hole of the red disk shown here on the site. It would put WAY too much tension. Instead the other hole has to be used!

May be differences in spring and/ or model as the spring I have is smaller than the one on the pics here.

The spring should fit in with minimal tension if you have the disk in the lowest gear (ie cable end as close as possible to the tension adjuster)

 

[Jojo10]

Hello All

I registered me for this forum just to say thanks to ultraNoob for his description and to inform you about my exprience after doing it. It helps alot after messing up my X.9 trigger yesterday during servicing. Without the pictures I wouldn't have any idea to get it together again.
I have to additional things which I want to share.
1. Like mentioned a few threads before, in my trigger the top spring 2 is assembled to the other slot in the red disc as well. The radius of the spring is than more "naturally" equal to the radius of the red disk, it is more sensefull positioned under the "little overhang" and the initial tension of the spring after hanging it in at the barrel adjuster makes much more sense. I think the spring on photo http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/2716382031_fb5a332796_b.jpg looks very weird, didn't you?
2. I tried to assembly the buttom spring 5-times after I give up. Then I tried the following: If you take the whole spring out of the housing (after disasembling of the sprint retaining cover) and than assemled it to the lever around and give it the right pre-tension so it alignes to the outer diameter and the coils are coaxial in the right order, it is much easier to bring it than to the housing by inserting the hook of the spring to the housing during holding the pre-tension by your finger. The danger of losing the black washer on the lever is much smaller. After bringing the two parts together it is still possible to assemble the spring retaining cover "under" the lever and screw it.
I hope I can help some people with this part of the procedure.

Thanks

Bye

 

[wppjeff]

fu@king **** hell.

i'll have to agree that the super glue method is helpful. I'm also moving to switzerland to be a watch maker. maybe sram should use something besides a standard allen bolt to help prevent mindless fools from opening up this end of the equation...

 

[jelbonius]

Hi, I have the same problem. I tried everything but it always loosens. Does anybody know the sollution ?

 

[gexas]

i went through this and first of all thank you so much for posting it. my shifters are 2006 and they are different in some subtle ways. it seems in 08 they did make some improvements. My hardents time was inserting that black dust cover. it would go between the metal waster and the spring from what i could tell but it would bind up the spring somehow when i tightened the little philips head screws. after futsing with it for a a good half hour i just left everything just barely snug and put some loctite on it. everything seems to work fine but after this experience i will never take that thing apart again...at least the bottom half. I really liked the idea of gluing the black plate on to the shifting body. i had the same issue where the spring would just pop off under tension and then it was back to square one.