Good or Bad idea to grease new speedo & Tach cable?

[Anonymous]

I am replacing my old speedo and tach cables because I am tired of having to grease them every 3rd or 4th fill up to avoid getting bouncing needles.

Should I grease the new cables? or leave as is?

Thanks
Jeff

[Anonymous]

What are you using to "grease" them? I've found that graphite speedometer cable lube works well, and I don't have to do it very often. Yes, I would lube the new cables.

[Anonymous]

udco, I am using lithium grease.
I read somewhere in here to use it.

[Guy]

Don't lubricate the top 3 or 4 inches, or it may work it's way up into the clocks.

[Anonymous]

I've always used the liquid graphite lube, and I apply it by unscrewing the top end at the meter and pouring it in bit by bit. I fill the end of the outer sheath and wait until it drains down into the cable. I repeat several times. I never worried about it getting into the meters, because gravity would prevent that.

By the way, I'm still using the original speedometer cable after nearly 33K miles, and I've got perhaps 20K miles on my current tach cable. Works for me.

[Tool]

Check out a bicycle shop. They will have a so-called dry chain lub which does the trick nicely. It'll come in a spray can or as a liquid in a flip top plastic bottle.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies and tips lads.
When I bought my GS, it only had 19,500Km's on it, but it had sat for 10 years. So I think years of neglet might be what got to the cables. I pick up my new speedo and tach cables today and I will look around for that dry cable spray.

udco, I find it really easy to undo the bottom end of the speedo and tach cable and just pull the cable out and grease it up, then slide it back in. Doesn't take more then a couple mins per cable. It maybe faster then trying to let the oil trickle down from the top.

[Anonymous]

udco: That is the harder, longer method to lube cables. Not to mention when I did it that way there was often mess and overspill everywhere. I picked up something like THIS from a local Honda dealer (yup, my other bike is a Honda) and I love it. Put the end of the cable in, tighten it, stick the spraycan tube into it and no dripping, running, mess.. it all goes into the cable.. with the force of the cans pressure, no trickling. A 'must have' tool in my opinion.

Rick 8)

I've always used the liquid graphite lube, and I apply it by unscrewing the top end at the meter and pouring it in bit by bit. I fill the end of the outer sheath and wait until it drains down into the cable. I repeat several times. I never worried about it getting into the meters, because gravity would prevent that.

By the way, I'm still using the original speedometer cable after nearly 33K miles, and I've got perhaps 20K miles on my current tach cable. Works for me.