Tacho cable lubrication

[Anonymous]

Couldn't see anything from a forum search on this.....

Getting a new tacho cable and wondering what (if anything) should be used to lubricate it?

cheers
David

[earlfor]

Re: Tacho cable lubrication

Most any light oil will do ok. I prefer to use chain lube. At risk of incurring another WD-40 war, I am still going to say whatever you decide to use, dont use WD-40 to lubricate a cable. It isnt worth a rat's uhhhh cheeks for that. :-)

Earl

Couldn't see anything from a forum search on this.....

Getting a new tacho cable and wondering what (if anything) should be used to lubricate it?

cheers
David

[Clone]

I use engine oil or spray grease depending on what I have on hand. Occasionally I use STP. 8)

[Anonymous]

I agree with Earl. Use chain lube. I just switched to chain wax but still have a can of PJ-1 chain lube that I've also always used for the tach (and other) cables. No problems so far.
Don't think I'll use the chain wax for cables though. I'll probably stay with the PJ-1 for that.

[Anonymous]

I'll throw in my two-cents worth. My bike was suffering from a stuttering tachometer this year and I lubed it with graphite powder that I had left over from my son's Pinewood Derby days. Tach works smooth as new! Dave J

[Anonymous]

Thanks all. Light oil or graphite powder it will be.

Synthetic or dino oil? :twisted:



sorry

[earlfor]

Baby oil if its a very young cable.

Earl :-)
Hmmm, which makes me wonder, would chain lube work on a baby?

Thanks all. Light oil or graphite powder it will be.

Synthetic or dino oil? :twisted:



sorry

[Hoomgar]

Earl is right. WD-40 is great for many things even lubrication of certain parts but mostly as a solvent. In a cable you want a more permanant type of lube which WD-40 is not. It disapates way to fast for an application like that. O-ring chain lube however works beautifully. It's also good for throttle cables and brake cables as well. My neighbor has an applicator for it that I am not sure where he got it but you plug the end of the cable in it and put the little red straw from your lube can in the opening made for it and spray while moving the cable back and forth inside (or turning it a little too in your case) until you see some start to come out the other end and then wipe off the excess. I like to do it once a year.

[Anonymous]

Sewing machine oil 8-[

[Anonymous]

Hoomgar: You can get those things at any bike shop for about 5$USD. It's pattent must be up since there are a few brands. It won't work for the tach or speedo cable and it's tricky to use for the throttle cable (even after removing it from handle as the carb pulls the end on you) but it's still a must have.

Somebody here said to make a playdoh funnel around the tach and speedo cables, then fill the funnels with oil and set over night. I think this is a pretty good way of doing it but I haven't tried yet.

Steve

[Hoomgar]

Yes that works. You can do the same thing with a balloon if you are using an oil. Fill a small balloon with the oil ( not presurized just pour it in) and then seal it with a really tight rubber band connection over the cable and do as mentioned. Hang it upside down over a pan and the oil will flow down through the cable over night. I got away from doing that because I like using the O-ring chain lube now. It just works way better for me than anything else I have tried. Makes the cables feel nice and slick. The adaptor my neighbor has works well for my throttle cables as that's what I use. It will also work for speedo and tach cables. His is adjustable. It is a small metal hinged c-clamp type thing with a rubber center. You open or close it as needed to accomadate differant size cables. I always just borrow his as we swap tools all the time to save money. I'll ask him where he got it and post it here if he remembers. It isn't new. It's an older item, I can tell you that much, but thats all the more I know about it without seeing it again.

[Hotblack]

A few people around here tout using motor oil for cables, even clutch cables. I bought some cable lube over the summer and doggone it the stuff looks and smells just like motor oil. Anyhow since the tach cable goes right on down to some kind of cam gear, motor oil seems like the best thing to insure you don't get unwanted chemicals in your crank case. And on your clutch plates. Better not use 'energy conserving' oil either *ducks to let the debate renew*

[HiSPL]

Finish line cross country lube.... Its bicycle specific but this stuff rocks for cables of all kinds. It sticks through all kinds of nasty weather......

[Anonymous]

Finish line cross country lube.... Its bicycle specific but this stuff rocks for cables of all kinds. It sticks through all kinds of nasty weather......

Finish Line has got my vote. I've used it with great success on bicycle cables for the past few years. I squirted some into my tach & speedo cables tonight after seeing this post. Good Idea!!