New clutch cable, what's the secret?

[LAB3]

Finally got the clutch cable that broke at The Brown County GS Rally swapped out for a new one. The consensus seems to be that you should always carry an extra but I only ordered one, no biggie since I plan to pick up a few more things soon and will get it then. In the meantime, what is the best care and feeding practices for a new cable? It's supposed to pivot at the lever end so I hit it with some chain oil. Any other advice is welcome.

 

[Nessism]

Removing the actuation helix, cleaning it, and lubbing with some good waterproof grease is a good idea. Also lube the cable and use grease on the cable ball end helps too. Other than that your cable should live for a good many miles.

 

[bwringer]

Take a close look at the lever and make sure the hole is round. Any visible wear here will bend the cable back and forth rather than allow the cable stop to pivot, and the cable will break again shortly.

I've lost all patience with crappy aftermarket (Motion Pro, Parts Unlimited, etc.) cables and levers. OEM parts are surprisingly reasonably priced and superb quality.

I generally replace cables with new OEM and install a new OEM lever at the same time. The old lever can become a backup if it's not too hashed up.

 

[LAB3]

Take a close look at the lever and make sure the hole is round. Any visible wear here will bend the cable back and forth rather than allow the cable stop to pivot, and the cable will break again shortly.

I've lost all patience with crappy aftermarket (Motion Pro, Parts Unlimited, etc.) cables and levers. OEM parts are surprisingly reasonably priced and superb quality.

I generally replace cables with new OEM and install a new OEM lever at the same time. The old lever can become a backup if it's not too hashed up.

Used a Suzuki cable and it's the best it's ever ****ed. Haven't inspected the lever, that's on this mornings list after I run through the event site and wake people up for the end of the world in about an hour, a tongue-in-cheek UFO doomsday cult is awaiting saucers to take us to planet X.

 

[Guest]

I've lost all patience with crappy aftermarket (Motion Pro, Parts Unlimited, etc.) cables and levers. OEM parts are surprisingly reasonably priced and superb quality.

+1. You always know what you are getting if it comes from the manufacturer.


Mark

 

[850 Combat]

Except for the clutch, I'm ok with aftermarket cables. I had a Motion Pro clutch cable, and you could see the sheath compress when you pulled it. You can't have much compression in the sheath. You are just that much closer to clutch drag and hard to find neutral. I'm back to motor oil as cable lube.

 

[Boriqua]

Removing the actuation helix, cleaning it, and lubbing with some good waterproof grease is a good idea. Also lube the cable and use grease on the cable ball end helps too. Other than that your cable should live for a good many miles.

I never thought to grease the ball ends. Makes perfect sense. Mine came crimped and assembled so best I could do was use silicon spray and slowly and painfully add a little at a time until it leaked out the bottom. Took a good 30 minutes since the cable is in the housing. Having a nice new lubricated clutch cable was a thrill though the moment I pulled that clutch.

 

[Guest]

Mine came crimped and assembled so best I could do was use silicon spray and slowly and painfully add a little at a time until it leaked out the bottom. Took a good 30 minutes since the cable is in the housing.

This is what you need to solve that problem: https://www.amazon.ca/Motion-Pro-08-0182-Cable-Luber/dp/B0012TYX9W


Mark

 

[aclaytonb]

Or ditch the clutch cable entirely and add a hydraulic clutch.

 

[Redman]

......................... the end of the world in about an hour, .....................

Well, then, dont worry about the clutch cable too much.

If you are still here, or if and when you do get back from planet X......
Pull back any rubber boot there may be, and look and see if that cylinderical lugg thing on the end of the cable in the lever, if that does rotate when the lever is pulled. You and others have mentioned that this needs to be lubed, but thecritical thing is that it rotates when the lever is pulled and when released so that the iner cable is not being bent right there.

 

[LAB3]

Well, then, dont worry about the clutch cable too much.

If you are still here, or if and when you do get back from planet X......
Pull back any rubber boot there may be, and look and see if that cylinderical lugg thing on the end of the cable in the lever, if that does rotate when the lever is pulled. You and others have mentioned that this needs to be lubed, but thecritical thing is that it rotates when the lever is pulled and when released so that the iner cable is not being bent right there.

Yeah, that rubber piece threw me for a loop. Was going to try silicone spray on it to be safe but was just about out so I opted for chain lube instead. Am wondering if grease or petroleum jelly might be better in the long run. As to the end of the world coming, I've endured the same let down every year since 1998. When we met at the rally I sensed that perhaps you also carried the Yeti gene, there was also that one guy that mentioned he knew some folks on the board too.