How to Install a Shimano ST-M952 XTR

Shimano's ST-M952 XTR brake/shift levers are race-designed brake/shift combo levers that house both the brake lever and the shifter in the same component. This makes for faster braking and shifting, since it isn't necessary to move your hand away from the brake to shift, or away from the shifter to brake. The ST-M952 XTR lever is one of the first of these types of brake/shift levers designed specifically for mountain biking. Learn how to install a ST-M952 lever on your bike to replace an existing shifter/brake setup, or replace a broken ST-M952.

Things You'll Need

  • Shimano ST-M952 XTR brake/shift lever
  • 5 mm hex wrench
  • Cable cutters
  • Needle-nose pliers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the brake cable stop bolt, controlled by the brake lever that you will be replacing, by following the cable from the brake lever to the brake caliper. Loosen the brake cable stop bolt using a 5 mm hex wrench and pull the cable free from the brake caliper.

    • 2

      Locate the derailleur cable stop bolt of the derailleur, controlled by the shifter you will be replacing, by following the cable from the shifter to the derailleur. Loosen the derailleur cable stop bolt using a 5 mm hex wrench and pull the cable free of the derailleur.

    • 3

      Twist the handlebar grip off from the side of the bars on which the brake/shift lever(s) you are replacing are attached. Loosen the clamp bolt of both the brake and shifter levers using a 5 mm hex wrench, then slide the levers off the handlebars. Pull the cables out of the housing on the frame of the bike to separate the parts completely from the frame. You are now ready to install your new lever.

    • 4

      Slide the new ST-M952 brake/shift lever onto the handlebar. Hold it in place, making sure that it is level with the lever on the other side of the bars, then tighten the clamp bolt using a 5 mm hex wrench to secure it in place. Twist the handlebar grip removed previously back onto the handlebars.

    • 5

      Insert the end of the brake cable (the thicker metal cable coming from the brake side of the lever) into the housing from which the old brake cable was removed. Slide the cable through the housing and route it to the brake the lever is to control. Be sure the housing sits tightly against the new brake lever. Slide the cable underneath the cable stop bolt of the brake, then hold the brake caliper closed by hand and tighten the brake cable stop bolt to secure the cable in place.

    • 6

      Spin the cranks of the bike to settle the derailleurs. This will cause whichever derailleur you removed the cable from previously to shift itself to the smallest cog. Without doing this, you may not connect the cable with the right amount of tension for the new brake/shift lever.

    • 7

      Insert the end of the shift cable (the smaller metal cable coming from the shifter side of the lever) into the shifter housing from which you removed the old shifter cable. Route the cable through the housing to the derailleur that is to be controlled by the brake/shift lever. Slide the cable beneath the cable stop bolt of the derailleur, then use a pair of needle-nose pliers to pull the cable taut and tighten the cable stop bolt using a 5 mm hex wrench.

    • 8

      Cut off any excess cable from the brake and derailleur cable stop bolts using a pair of cable or wire cutters. Leave about 2 inches of cable for adjustment's sake, but no more, as excess cable can get caught in your wheels and derailleurs and cause damage to the bike. Take your bike out for a test ride, shift through all of the gears and brake a few times to get a feel for your new lever setup.