I've had some success keeping my campy barcon shifters adjusted by placing
the serrated washers used on campy brake lever handlebar clamps under the
barcon locknuts. Not kosher, but it works.
Dan Grosser, Phila. PA. U.S.A.
From: Barb and Dan Artley <hydelake@verizon.net> Subject: Re: [CR] barend control problems To: "Classic Rendezvous" <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 10:02 PM
I've also had experience with this Tom. Maintaining them for years, I've found that when adjusting tension (Campy T wrench and a short flat screwdriver on the road), there's a tendancy to just tighten the lock nut a bit more rather than loosen, adjust the screw and re-tighten. Both work for getting the right amount of tension to the shifter, but I guess I've tightened the locknut just a bit too much myself. The barrel that the screw goes into must deform it's threads a bit making it hard to turn, not sure goop will change that. I've just muscled it anyway, and have a couple extra shifters. Once it's out, run the adjusting screw into and out of the unit a bit both ways to loosen it up. I've even tried another screw to chase the threads with, which at least psychologically seemed to work. The screw is hardened, the piece inside doesn't seem to be, and it never seems to loosen up completely. The shifters will probably stay hard to tighten for the rest of their useful lives.
Slather the whole thing in grease when putting it back together and it should work fine. It's a pain to have to take them completely apart just to change a cable. The durn things really are not as easy to work on as Suntours or Shimano, but work far better to me, just buttery smooth when adjusted right. Line up the flats on the openings of the washers with the lever and slip them in without changing the rotation of the lever while keeping the lever parallel with the vertical flat of the opening. Then lining up the flat of the inside piece when installing it, I usually get it in either all the way or in a bit. It seems to pop in when you screw in the tightening screw. I try to adjust them so loose that the rear derailleur will just hold it in the biggest cog, makes shifting so sweet. That loose, you may have to tighten them just a tad when the cold weather seems to loosen them up just that much.
I've worried about the inner piece distorting/disintegrating myself and have gotten extra shifters when I could. I have at least one that's been cannibalized. The plastic expander also doesn't seem to hold up completely. Years ago, I had a set of the expanders turn to powder and break apart, but the others seem to be holding up fine.
Good luck and hope your ride makes it across country one more time.
Happy trails, See you in Westminster?
Dan Artley in Parkton, Maryland USA
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Anyone have experience solving the following problem with NR Campagnolo barend shifters: after removing the locknut, the screw will turn about twice before it tightens so that to continure turning it will damage the slot in the screw head, thereby making it even more difficult to turn. I have an appropriate sized screwdriver too. I was able to get one off, but the other is far more stubborn than the first. I have soaked it in "Goop" to no avail. And the one that I did remove, even out of the handlebars, it is difficult to turn, and does not show any damaged threads on the screw or the thingie that it screws into.
Help please.
Thank you.
Tom Hayes Chagrin Falls, Ohio "Eleven inches of snow today" USA