Hi

Just wondering if i upgrade my Shimano SLX M675’s to XT 785’s (levers only not calipers) can i just disconnect the hose from the existing SLX’s and install into the XT’s without having to bleed. Is it a straight swap or will i need different like olives etc? Im assuming it should be a straight swap but i want to be sure. i dont really want to bleed to bleed them after im sure they are designed to have the hose taken off without letting air in.

Ta

In theory yes, you should be able to just swap them over.
Top tip would be to pump the pistons out a little before removing the hose, reconnect the hose & tighten, then push the pistons all the back back into the caliper. This should push any air back into the reservoir.

I shortened my hoses without needing a bleed. As long as your careful it should be ok, but saying that won’t the new levers be empty of any oil so will need a bleed anyway?

Shimanos are so easy to bleed i’d give them a bleed just to be on the safe side

In general if you have all the kit ready to do a brake bleed your more likely to not need to. If you have nothing and it’s after closing time on a Friday things will go wrong 🙂

Sound advice thanks guys, i dont have the bleed kit so maybe i should invest in that at the same time as the levers…i assumed the levers would come with the oil in them, but ill check that as well.

thanks

No oil in the separate new parts, it’d leak all over the place in the packaging.

Ok then thats sorted that out, bleed required….just looking for the kit now!

all you need is the funnel (~£4), shimano oil, and maybe some new olives and inserts

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the XT will not really be an ‘upgrade’ on the SLX. The XT levers use all the same parts as the SLX except have a forged rather than stamped lever blade, and have a ‘free-stroke’ adjustment screw, which most people agree does bu@@er all anyway. In fact, the SLX has a blanking plug where the free-stroke screw is on the XT, and if you remove this and fit a standard bolt you get the free-stroke function – more proof if you needed it that they are the same internals.

Its even worse with the calipers, they are exactly the same units but just painted a different colour – oh and the XT gets a screw-in pad pin instead of a split pin. But again, as they are the same parts the SLX caliper has the thread for the pad pin machined into it and you can fit it aftermarket.

So unless its just the bling factor of having those magic ‘XT’ letters on your levers, I’d save your money for something else that is a worthwhile upgrade – like shifters – where there is a real difference between SLX and XT.

The free stroke adjustment screw does work, but you need to bleed the brake with it screwed out.