UKH

Hi everyone, 

I'm servicing my SLX hydraulic brakes and I've noticed the rubber diaphragm / seal under the reservoir cover is split, so it is not sealing correctly. Does anyone know where I can get replacement seals? Its the big rectangular bit with cut-outs at each end for the screws. I've trawled the net looking for it, and a lot of sites seem to sell the metal cover, but not the actual rubber seal.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

Ignore this if you've already done it. Getting the Shimano manual docs is always a good port of call. If the seal is available as a spare then it'll have a part number. This could narrow down your search. SJS Cycles are excellent at holding all the small stuff that my LBS claim can't be ordered  

Good luck. 

Cheers, the exact part isn't mentioned in the manuals, but SJS sell the same part for a different model, just not this exact one.

SJS are great with the advice (I'm nothing more than a customer btw). Shimano parts are often cross compatible. Good luck. 

search this on ebay: 

Shimano BL-M785/M666/M640/M675/M615/M596/T785 Disc Brake Lever Separator Unit

Wont let me post ebay link here. is that what you are looking for?

John

Looks like it is the same as this from sjs, cheaper and in the uk:

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brake-levers/shimano-deore-xt-blm785-separator-...

John

You need the exploded view document: http://si.shimano.com/pdfs/ev/EV-BL-M675-3394.pdf

The diaphragm you speak of appears to be part of an assembly called the Separator Unit (as John Aisthorpe suggested).  The part number is Y8VC98060 and SJS list it at £2.99: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brake-levers/shimano-deore-xt-blm785-separator-...

The interchangeability chart on that document indicates that the same part is used on the BL-M785 and BL-M640 brake levers.  That may or may not be useful information (but see below).

The Shimano tech docs come in three main flavours for each product.  The user manual which is prefixed UM, the dealer manual which is prefixed DM and often has useful information about setting up and fettling components that is not in the user manual, and the exploded view which is prefixed EX and which is where the part numbers are listed.

Another really useful set of documents is the compatibility charts: http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/3.7?cid=C-432&acid=C-432 which show you which bits work together.  There is a set of charts for each model year so you sometimes have to go back in time a bit to find the bits you are looking to pair up with what - the archive link is at the top right of the page.

I can spend hours trawling through Shimano tech docs.  I'm sad like that.

All that said, they're not infallible, so sometimes you still need to do a bit of well-directed Googling to flush out discussions on cycling forums about the particular component that you are looking to fix/replace/upgrade.  Chances are that someone, somewhere, will already have found themselves in need of the same information as you, and sought help online.

Cheers for answers everyone. I've contacted SJS and they confirm what you say about the 785 part being compatible. However, on the ebay pictures and on the Shimano pdf the actual rubber part doesn't seem to be included. It is the same shape as the metal part but sits underneath it. As it's only £3 I'll order it and see what's in it.

For anyone interested, the part listed by SJS above, does not contain the rubber seal/diaphragm part of the reservoir. It seems it's a part that's impossible to buy separately. No doubt part of Shimano's plan to make people buy new equipment!