[Closed] XT Brake 4 Piston Upgrade on Older Levers

We are still running a couple of sets, one with XT levers and saint calipers, one XTR levers with Saint calipers.
Hard to differentiate between them and the Saints we have.
When we did ours we needed new banjo bolts as the calipers didn't come with any

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brakes/shimano-deore-brm555-banjo-bolt-oring-y8h098010/

They use a different banjo bolt. I can't remember if the calipers now come with them (they didn't used to)

As others have said, the newer calipers use a different banjo. You'll need to buy new hose to get the banjo & bolt.

We didn't need new hoses, just the shorter banjo bolts

Tracey

We didn’t need new hoses, just the shorter banjo bolts

Normal times ... I was looking and availability is pants.

As it happened mine came with Banjo's (from Germany) .. they look like a Saint or Zee one would fit anyway though.

Never had a problem getting the banjos from SJS and are still in stock. No problems getting the callipers but do have spares bought at a discount just in case.

What Tracey said.

I got mine from Germany, thought they came without banjo so ordered one from SJS only to find there was a banjo in the caliper box when I got it. Just used existing hose.

We didn’t need new hoses, just the shorter banjo bolts

I don't know if this is relevant (or even correct) but since there may be safety issues, it seems worth mentioning.

I contacted Shimano support about connecting some new SLX M-7100 calipers to old SLX levers using BH90-SB hose (as the recommended hose for the 7100s is BH90-SBM) and got the following reply:-

" I have checked in with our tech team on this and can confirm that there is a difference in the banjo between the SB and SBM that allows for greater heat dissipation.

If you are using the 2 piston caliper then either the SB or SBM hose will be suitable
If you are using the 4 piston caliper then please only use the SBM hose.

Hope that helps and any other questions please do let us know
Shimano UK"

Now I believe that the banjo on SBM hose is black, so there is a difference (the SB's is silver) but whether is actually makes a difference isn't something I can comment on. It seems odd that there may be a heat dissipation issue between the banjos when Deore and the E-bike 4 pots both use a straight connection and work perfectly well.

Equally though, having been told this "from the horse's mouth" so to speak, it seems worth a mention in case it is problematic.

I also contacted Shimano support to as if I could run the XTR levers with Saint callipers and use the existing hoses. Their stock answer was that Shimano do not recommend mixing parts between any of their different types of brakes, they also confirmed that using after market brake pads could invalid their warranty. I have saved some old pads just in case. I also asked the same about the drivetrain and got the same answer. Does make you wonder

In my case it would have worked out cheaper to sell the full XTRs and fit Saints however I didn't want to reroute the rear hose.

Pjay the last SBM hose I bought had the long banjo bolt so it wouldn’t fit the 4pots. IIRC from when I looked into all this last year, the ‘M’ in SBM stands for magnesium to help the heat dissipation. Whether you really need it or not I don’t know as I run mine on my existing 2 pot XT hose.

The calipers now come with banjo bolt (have just opened a box to look)

The calipers now come with banjo bolt (have just opened a box to look)

Ah thats a releif was about to give up if I had to buy new hoses.

Will confirm with the vendor before I buy.

Thanks All

Did the same upgrade myself, absolute massive improvement in power and modulation

Never had a problem getting the banjos from SJS and are still in stock

They weren't a few weeks ago ...
I did...exactly this.

I got mine from Germany, thought they came without banjo so ordered one from SJS only to find there was a banjo in the caliper box when I got it. Just used existing hose.

I was getting in a right panic (well disappointed) then they arrived with banjo's. Wanted a 11sp XT GS cage as well.. no stock.

Can't remember if the other set from Taiwan did or didn't come with Banjo's anymore. To be fair could have nicked them off another bike barely used either FS in months till Sat aft after 3 days riding park on a HT then remembering 50th was a distant memory.

Ordered a pair from

https://www.deporvillage.net/shimano-xt-m8120-post-mount-brake-caliper

Will update about an included banjo bolt.

Now I believe that the banjo on SBM hose is black, so there is a difference (the SB’s is silver) but whether is actually makes a difference isn’t something I can comment on. It seems odd that there may be a heat dissipation issue between the banjos when Deore and the E-bike 4 pots both use a straight connection and work perfectly well.

Worth mentioning though the silver banjo bolt is much longer so would presumably suck out more heat?
On the other hand the 4 pots have nearly double the surface area of pistons ... and aren't the SLX and better ceramic?

Ordered a pair from
> https://www.deporvillage.net/shimano-xt-m8120-post-mount-brake-caliper < Will update about an included banjo bolt.

Arrived today, retailed boxed with finned pads, bleed block and the banjo bolt all included.