Spudalumps
Senior Retro Guru
Do they swap between 8 and 7 speed with like a limiter? As noticed they’re highlighted or do you limit then just with the limit screw on the mech?
Xc pro accurshift
- Thread starter Spudalumps
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when you move the cover on top between 7 and 8, you limit the movement of the selector arm (bit that looks like a bow tie) that sits on top of the bearing..which in turn sits on top of the holes in the selector plate. This stops you from using one of the holes.
I've always used these shifters and did a rebuild step by step on here, including a swap between 7/F and a 7/8/F plate. That plate is the only difference between the two models ( and the cover has a different decal!)
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/suntour-xc-pro-thumbshifter-rebuild-and-upgrade.449386/
I've always used these shifters and did a rebuild step by step on here, including a swap between 7/F and a 7/8/F plate. That plate is the only difference between the two models ( and the cover has a different decal!)
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/suntour-xc-pro-thumbshifter-rebuild-and-upgrade.449386/
Spudalumps
Senior Retro Guru
Thank you for bestowing your wisdom 
Spudalumps
Senior Retro Guru
Cheeky to ask too but I’m so new to suntour as only used shimano in the past I have a accurshift cassette that I’m installing too how do you tighten is it with a chain whip and then guessing two to remove?
Yep.
The 7 to 8sp on the shifter is just a switch as above. There's a plate in the shifter with indents that a ball bearing clicks into to give the indexing. The switch either allows or prevents an extra click from 7/8 clicks. Unlike Shimano thumbies, there's no ghost click over-run to get the extra gear, the suntour ones stop at the last click and go no further, the 7sp Shimano have no hard stop, allowing the lever and cable to pull more through to achieve the extra gear. If you had 7sp suntour, that's all you'd get, hence the clever 7/8 speed switch.
It's great quality gear, arguably better both mechanically and aesthetically compared to xt.
The biggest challenge is if you are using suntour hubs as you are tied to suntour cadettes which are hard to come by and limited in ratio options. You can use non suntour hubs and cassettes. I think the difference in the gap between sprockets is marginal. I think I read somewhere the pace race team ran Shimano gearing with suntour shifters, I've done that myself in the last and could not tell much difference.
Spudalumps
Senior Retro Guru
Thanks for the messages! Luckily months back I landed a front wheel with xc comp so instead of chasing a xc pro set I managed to buy a xc comp rear hub with cassette which was NOS all for the low low price of £20! Super proud so I’ll flick the thumb over to 7 speed as the cassette was 7 and then build up the wheel 
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Suntour thumbies shift Shimano mechs nicely too, I run a mismatched XC/XC Pro set with a Deore II rear mech/ 8spd cassette
Spudalumps
Senior Retro Guru
it’s all going on a 92 Zaskar currently I have xc comp wheel set, deore m730 mechs with xc pro thumbs and break levers I haven’t tuned it up or anything so who knows if I’m capable of getting it running smooth and I’m not he best mechanic but I’ll give it a college try 
old-school
Retro Newbie
can i simply drill a hole on the selector plate to make it a 8 speed shifter?
according to the pic you took the dimpled hole pattern is a little bit different between the two, so i guess it's not that simple.
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Ive been down that road...it didn't work, as you essentially need 2 holes, where 1 is at the moment . You cant add a another hole further round as your spacing will be out.
Also they are seriously hardened steel and will probably laugh at a standard hss drill bit I should think.
Best option is to buy a cheap set of xc range shifters and swap them out.
Also they are seriously hardened steel and will probably laugh at a standard hss drill bit I should think.
Best option is to buy a cheap set of xc range shifters and swap them out.
