I picked up a pair of used Simplex retrofriction gear levers (braze-on type) recently but they are a bit grubby to go on my new restoration. What I would like to do is take them apart and give them a good clean and check, but there is no obvious way of doing so -- except that it looks like the center screw might be retained by a circlip and holding them together. Does anybody know if there is a way of taking them apart and whether it is desirable to do so or whether I am likely to wreck them? Failing that, would immersing the whole lever in degreaser followed by cleaning and lubricating be a viable alternative, or could that cause damage too?
Looking in the CR archives, I did find reference to an exploded diagram of the levers which gave a good idea of how they work, but it didn't show anything holding all the bits together. I read that these levers can fail mid-ride. Has anyone had experience of this and what is the cause?
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England