Changing Wires in Shimano Ultegra Flightdeck c 2010

[Gearoidmuar]

Another job I did today. I've had various STI type levers in my day. This one looked tricky until I sussed it out.
When the brake is released or the cable cut pull the lever to the handlebar and you can look in. You see a little cylinder with the brake cable wire head in the centre. You can pop this cylinder out of its cradle. Be careful, there are two little rings on each end, you'll see what I mean.

To put in the new wire put the cylinder on the new wire near the head. Then you feed the end of the wire backwards along the bottom of the cavity, dead centre. If you use a light you'll see there's a little hollow plastic track there to guide it. Eventually you'll get it engaged and with a bit of persuasion and feeding of short bits, you'll get the wire to emerge from its housing. When you pull it tight the cylinder will click into its housing with a bit of luck. Mine did. Maybe it's possible to do it without popping the cylinder out, but I doubt it. I couldn't.