Seems my m8000 has given up after just 2 years.

Internal spring on the top of the jockey wheel arm isn’t returning fully when changing down.

2 years seems rubbish. Only ridden about once or twice a week too. Is this normal?

That’s weird, I was thinking about this today.  I have 5 years on an SLX 670, bit of wear on the jockey wheels but the shifting is fine.

Running two XTR and one XT mechs from 2007.  Ultegra circa 2010.  Never really had to retire one properly – had a few floppy ones but they still worked.

Yours might be gunked up, have you tried lube?

Iirc shimano warranty is 2 years? Might just be xtr though.

+1 for stripping it and giving it a clean out, I’ve never had to retire a mech that’s worn out

No rocks where you live then?

One unfortunate summer a couple of years back in did 2 mechs in 2 rides.

5 bikes mix of deore slx xt. 100 miles a week commuting…. Only mech that died was the m8000. Got too flacid and started to ghost shift. Could feel a shed load of play in the bushings. Pretty sure the clutch (I say clutch but it’s nothing more than a friction band) causes excessive wear as there is more force needed in the up-shift. My non clutch mechs from 7/8 years ago are running fine.

Mind you would prefer replacing the mech every few years than dropping a chain.

No rocks where you live then?

thats no indication of longevity though.

Ive got an old rapid rise XTR one on the HT that’s about 15 yr old, battered & wibbly but works fine & won’t die!

Have you tried servicing it?

Top tip….

When finished riding shift into highest gear on the rear. This takes the tension from the spring prolonging its life.

Lots off spares potentially available.

get part nos from link below, and order via LBS.

http://si.shimano.com/pdfs/ev/EV-RD-M8000-3859A.pdf

I recently killed a 105 rear mech ,spring gave up the ghost after 5.5 years and a lot of use.

Til I smash it off a rock- I don’t think I’ve ever actually worn one out. I neglected the Exage on my old commuter to death but it took decades. And all my SRAM 9 speed ones looked and felt worn out and wobbled in all the pivots but they still worked fine.

No rocks where you live then?

I live in Wales so yeah, plenty.  I know where my back wheel is going when I ride which is apparently quite something listening to you lot 🙂

Could it be a clutch issue? They’re silly easy to maintain.

I don’t think there is a set time, but accident aside I don’t think I’ve ever really killed one.

I did however destroy 3 very expensive super-short X9 mechs in 2 days in the alps a long time ago – the wounds heal, but the pain reminds! €130 each…

I have an XTR that I’ve been using since 2003 with a couple of years break in the middle, plus a bunch of other Deore and XTs ranging from 10 to 20 years old that have been swapped around between bikes numerous times. If you don’t smash them against rocks, they seem to last pretty well.

Yeah always keep it in pretty good nick. I took off the clutch cover and it looks brand new inside.

I wouldn’t be too upset if my rear mech died after 2 years, but of course it depends where you ride, what weather, and how much.

Sounds like a repair rather than replacement is possible – also I don’t think I’ve ever had  springs stop doing their thing, but I have had sticky and loose pivots. Sticky ones can be sorted, only ever had them on the pivot at the mounting bolt on non-shadow mechs, probably due to commuting on salty roads in winter.

Usually if it’s not shifting into the smaller sprockets it’s muck in the cables. Have you ruled that out?

My GX mech still shifts fine but the clutch is dying because it’s bloody noisey all of a sudden – chains aren’t dropping but it is clattering like a good ‘un. It needs new jockey wheels which are over half the cost of a new mech.

My old 05 X9 mech is floppy as a floppy think but still shifts fine once it’s on the bike.