Thread: X9 shifter install help

Okay, I'm confoozed.

This is it, the last piece that needs to get installed on the bike to make it rideable. So what am I doing wrong? I shifted the shifter up to "9", threaded the cable through little hole on the back, pulled it until it seemed to stop going anywhere, ran it down to the rear der., pulled the thing tight, tightened the screw, and ....

Nothing.

When I shift, there is literally zero effect on the cable or the derailleur. What am I missing? Everything I found on the web says "installation was so easy!" Great, thanks.

when you shift does the shifter numbers move? but the cable does not?

without the cable in, can you see the internals of the shifter move when you press the lever?

Yup, numbers move, but nothing on the cable. Can you elaborate on seeing "the internals" of the shifter move? Also, right now, the cable doesn't want to back all the way out.

sounds like you put the cable in with the shifter in the wrong possition. (eg 1 not 9 or 9 not 1)

Now the cable is jammed in the shifter.

Is it this years X9 or last years (spinny nob on the top of the shifter?)

this years open the knob, and try not to loose any parts, springs etc, remove the cable, and close the shifter.

if it is the older one, flip it over (upsidedown) and you have to remove about 3 small screws (or hex/allen keys) and do the same as above.

now when you install the cable (use a new one, the old one has kinks to it) make sure that you can see light thru the hole that you are inserting hte cable thru (clear shot) you should not have to jam, force, pull hard. just "slip it in"

I just did this about 10 minutes ago.


But yeah like mtlion said, figure out how to take the top cap off (depending on year) and all will be revealed.


Sram shifters kind of suck like that........what with that whole having to put cables in them thing.

Yeah, somehow I obviously screwed this up. As I sat there pondering how the thing must work, I decided that putting the cable in with the shifter in the wrong position must have been what I did. I have an uninstalled front shifter and I was playing around with that and I can see light at the other end when it's in the "1" position, so of course now I understand what you're talking about.

Damn. Guess I have to take the top off.

BTW, these are your shifters woo, so if I screw this up I'm blaming you

Originally Posted by Big E

BTW, these are your shifters woo, so if I screw this up I'm blaming you

Sweet! I'll buy them back from you.


Turns out I kind of need them

Sweet, got them working. I guess I must have pulled the cable without having it shifted into 9, because the cable had actually pulled all the way through. The only thing keeping it from coming out the other side was the actual shifter housing. Took the housing apart, blew out some dust bunnies, redid the cable while it was apart, and voila, I'm shifting. Woohoo.

Regrettably, inauguaral ride was postponed due to threat of "heavy rain, and the chance of 70mph winds and 1.5" hail." Yeah. Sounds like we'll hold off until tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Big E

Regrettably, inauguaral ride was postponed due to threat of "heavy rain, and the chance of 70mph winds and 1.5" hail." Yeah. Sounds like we'll hold off until tomorrow.

Alright Sally