Hi everyone!
Now that we've had about a year of using the new Shimano 12 speed derailleurs,
whether they are XTR, XT or SLX,
what's the deal with the new 12 speed clutch?
Are they any different than the 11 speed rear mechs?
Do they need any maintenance whatsoever?
Let's take a closer look.
SRAM uses clutches in their derailleurs as well,
It is version 3 here on the 12 speed, and it was version 2.1 on the 11 speed,
and if you look carefully here you're gonna see that this is a roller bearing clutch,
they are sealed, they're not supposed to be opened,
and they offer whatever is set from the factory.
If you read the forums out there, many people are going to complain
that these are too weak, the clutch is too weak,
and they get a lot of chain slap.
As opposed to that, Shimano clutch can be engaged or disengaged,
and they can also be adjusted.
If you have an XTR and XT
you can just open that cover, use a 2 mm Allen key and tighten it.
so when do I have to remove the cover on this clutch mechanism and take a look inside?
On my 11 speed XT derailleur the cage moves freely
and you can see the potential of a lot of chain slap with no clutch.
As soon as I flip that lever, the cage movement is not restricted.
However, it would be harder to move the cage from one position to another,
meaning that there is more chain tension at all times
preventing it from slopping around.
Looking at this XTR though, this is used for season.
As soon as I engage the clutch, take a listen.
So not only that it doesn't move freely, it's really notchy,
and it makes a little bit of noise as well
So that would be a clear indication
that this clutch needs a bit of TLC (tender love and care).
Shimano clutch maintenance is a must.
If you don't do it the shifting performance of your drivetrain
is going to deteriorate dramatically.
Luckily, you only need a large flat screwdriver,
a 2 mm Allen key,
but most importantly what you need is the Shimano special grease.
I'm gonna put this in the description and just give you the chance to buy it online.
I've tried different other greases as a replacement.
Don't use this, please don't use it because it's not gonna work, It's too light.
What I've had some level of success with
is this Dumonde Tech freehub grease.
You guys jump in if you had good experiences with any other type of grease.
This is something that can be done right on the bike which is pretty convenient.
To remove the cover, as the first step,
all you need is a 2 mm Allen key.
And three screws to be removed
one, two, and three, this was the same on 11 speed you can see the same three screws.
Use a good quality 2 mm so you don't strip them,
They are tiny with some sort of Loctite on them.
And here's the clutch mechanism
As you can see there was a little bit of dust here on the outside of your cover.
Inside it's nice and clean because of the rubber seal.
This is a good time to disengage your clutch.
The 11 speed clutch is no different than the 12 speed.
Actually this is the same clutch mechanism
used in all the Shadow plus derailleurs from Shimano,
so if you have a 10, 11, 12 speed, they're all the same
and this procedure would be identical for all of them.
The parts are the cam unit, the friction band, and this is the roller clutch.
Just grab them from the side, all three of them,
and they are just going to slide right out
Remove your rubber seal to clean it
and clean this area with a bit of alcohol and paper towel.
Next, the cam unit is going to slide right out
and use the tip of your flat screwdriver to open that up.
And here's your roller bearing clutch.
This is where we're supposed to see that white grease.
As you can see, this is dirty and very little left only in the grooves.
With a bit of alcohol clean the outside of this roller bearing clutch.
Don't throw alcohol or anything else inside here,
they use some sort of really fine oil.
Do the same with the inside of your friction band.
Next, get a bit of that grease on your finger and apply it to the outside.
Again don't spill it anywhere else,
and then slide it back into the friction band.
Try to center it perfectly to the band,
wipe out the excess from the outside,
and this clutch is ready to go back in.
Reinstalling the clutch is very simple if you remember this:
you see that flat surface there on the cam axle.
This cam axle is actually not nice and round,
it has a bigger surface over here.
It will put more pressure on the ends of your friction band
as you rotate or you engage the clutch so,
find that little flat surface over there,
make sure it's facing the friction band,
and still with a clutch disengaged,
you're gonna slide this over and push it all the way in.
If you struggle here with the axle a little bit just moving side to side,
it's gonna be tight.
And this would be a good time to make sure that you've installed that cam properly.
As you engage the clutch you will feel more pressure,
and you will see the two ends of that friction band
coming closer together.
If you have an SLX or Deore older clutch,
this is where you would adjust the tension
on your friction band using the 2 mm Allen key.
Use one quarter turn at a time, no more than that.
I rubbed the rubber seal with a little bit of grease and put it in its place,
and all that's left to do now
is to put the cover on
and reinstall the three screws.
And tighten them to snug or 1 to 1.5 Nm.
Shimano is gonna give you some specs on
how tight this clutch should be for perfect operation,
and by the way that's how you test that with the torque wrench.
But to be honest with you, I never had to do anything more than
play with the clutch a little bit.
Again, 1/4 turn at a time to fine tune your clutch tension.
Everything is new on this Shimano 12 speed derailleurs,
but as you could see the clutch is not changed,
is the same used for three generations now.
Smooth operation is what you're after, you can see my cage ovement being dampened,
but it's not restricted in any way.
It doesn't make any noises and this is gonna translate
in really smooth shifting, and that's ultimately what we're after.
Make sure you find the proper greased before you start.
You will have to do that maintenance a few times a year
Not complicated, but let me know in the comments below
if you have any questions.
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and until next time,
hope to see you folks on the trails.
Cheers guys, cheers!