How to shorten a throttle cable... carb end.

[Arronduke]

I shortened my throttle cable on my bucket and used an aluminium crimp from a bike shop... they said it would hold... and no it did not. Broke 25m of the start line...

So looking on the net I found this old dude and a cool trick.

I would have NEVER thought of this... being a bit simple and all...:facepalm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y27QZOCl50

[all4A50s]

I always solder the ends on after spreading the end of the cable inner (wire). Take it back (with throttle grip and carb) to the shop and explain what happened. They should sort it for you, hopefully for free, we would.

By taking the carb and throttle grip it should guarantee the correct length.

[Ocean1]

I see he says to use silver solder 'cause ordinary solder won't work.

I've always used ordinary solder. I found years ago that if you use hard solders the higher temperatures hardens the cable and it breaks.

Like the man says, first slide the ferrul up the cable, then gently spread the cable and degrease it, (I use sulfuric acid). Tin the cable, make sure all of the wires are tinned, but not too far beyond where the ferrul will cover. Pull the ferrul up, (heating the cable to soften the solder if nescessary) so it's flush with the end of the cable. Spread the wires as much as possible and finish soldering it. Don't overdo it, just enough heat to melt the solder and then get outa there.

With lever ends I use a wee brass pin to spread the wires. It stays there with the solder forming a good tapered plug.

Poured solder plugs used to be the only acceptable termination for lift cables. This is just a smaller version of the same thing.

[Henk]

With the cheap nasty cables I got from Thailand I've pulled the standard end off and made a new one by spreading the cable end, winding 5 turns of 10 amp fuse wire around the cable and hitting it with common or garden electrical flux cored solder, no problems (Yet)

[Arronduke]

Cheap Thailand cable... and when I mean bike shop I mean push bike shop...!

Cheers Henk... your on to it... I will give this a go, sounds perfect.

[F5 Dave]

(Didn't watch the vid) I use half an old piston held in the vice with a blowtorch below it. Put some silver solder in it. Use some nasty flux (Duzel from M10) & plop her in to the makeshift solder bucket (having spread the frayed end with pliers). I often countersink drill the end bit to get a bit more in. Hold it verrry still till solder dries. Touch up with grinder.

[koba]

Because I'm a bit un-co on the soldering I found it helpful to put a tiny bit of oil on the cable where the flux and solder don't go to stop the solder climbing up the cable and making it stiff around the soldered bit. (Is that capillary action?)

[Arronduke]

Well its done... how long will it last?

Wound copper wire around the cable 5-6 times heated it and dunked it in flux then heated it again... tried silver solder (not sure if it was as it was lying around at work) but it was a no go... like henk... standard old solder and it looks mint.. I could not pull it off which is more than I can say about the cripped on ali thing.

Also purchased a butaine gas tourch today which rocks..$45 ..

thanks all.