Stupid clutch cable

[ZeroIndex]

Well.. got back to Hamilton.. and BAM.. my clutch lever goes limp.. GRRRRR another broken clutch cable..

..yup so now I gotta try get a replacement clutch cable.. although i kinda hope the place that repaired it last time will fix it for free, considering the clutch cable only got replaced just under 2 months ago

[Karma]

Hahahah

What were we saying about Hyosungs?

[ZeroIndex]

Hahahah

What were we saying about Hyosungs?
I don't know.. what was I saying about Hyosungs?

[inlinefour]

Well.. got back to Hamilton.. and BAM.. my clutch lever goes limp.. GRRRRR another broken clutch cable..

..yup so now I gotta try get a replacement clutch cable.. although i kinda hope the place that repaired it last time will fix it for free, considering the clutch cable only got replaced just under 2 months ago

A bit of preventative maintianance and this will be avioded. A well oiled cable will not break. If you have not oiled the cable and kept in good condition, then "they" would not need to. However if the inner was replaced and its just a fault then yes. Used to snap a few cables as a preteenager until I was shown how to oil a cable using a oil squirt can.

[ZeroIndex]

A bit of preventative maintianance and this will be avioded. A well oiled cable will not break. If you have not oiled the cable and kept in good condition, then "they" would not need to. However if the inner was replaced and its just a fault then yes. Used to snap a few cables as a preteenager until I was shown how to oil a cable using a oil squirt can.
dude.. it's still oily as hell.. i had a better look at it, and it was just badly put together.. nothing i coulda done in the 'preventative maintenance' department..

you know how the cable meets the clutch lever with the little cylindral type thing that the clutch cable goes through? it wasn't welded (or whatever they do) properly, and it came out..

[inlinefour]

dude.. it's still oily as hell.. i had a better look at it, and it was just badly put together.. nothing i coulda done in the 'preventative maintenance' department..

you know how the cable meets the clutch lever with the little cylindral type thing that the clutch cable goes through? it wasn't welded (or whatever they do) properly, and it came out..

They crimp them on I believe. Can't say I've ever had a bike cable refurbished. Maybe getting an original cable for your bike would be the go? Had a few made up for the commercial fishing boats I worked on and they where all good.

[ZeroIndex]

They crimp them on I believe. Can't say I've ever had a bike cable refurbished. Maybe getting an original cable for your bike would be the go? Had a few made up for the commercial fishing boats I worked on and they where all good.
sorry to sound a bit :stupid: , but have you even heard of a Kinetic, let alone seen parts for them?

but yeah, thanks for the 'crimping' advice.. will tell them to do that tomorrow :)



*Edit: back on the 'refurbished' bit.. i don't think it's fair to pay $30 for a new clutch cable that's gonna break 2 months later..

[inlinefour]

sorry to sound a bit :stupid: , but have you even heard of a Kinetic? the bike shop i went to last time actually did a new cable, reason i know, is: the little end (which you say needs to be re-crimped) is slightly smaller than the hole that it fits into..

but yeah, thanks for the 'crimping' advice.. will tell them to do that tomorrow :)

and I'm the naki. Don't know a thing about your sort of bike eh. Is it the one in your pic? Dunno which one though...:laugh:

[ZeroIndex]

and I'm the naki. Don't know a thing about your sort of bike eh. Is it the one in your pic? Dunno which one though...:laugh:
yeah, the one without the front fairing is mine..
couldn't help myself with that bmx.. (ghostrider 2) ..i want one..

[Bonez]

They crimp them on I believe. Can't say I've ever had a bike cable refurbished. Maybe getting an original cable for your bike would be the go? Inserting new cables in existing liners is not uncommon. Most good motorcycle workshops do it. Also there are emergency repair kits available like this - http://www.imoto.co.za/maaknplan-1.htm

Cable can eventually frayed at the lever end. I've only had one fail but to be fare the cable was near on 30 years old, which I thought wasn't bad.

[imdying]

Cables are generally soldered when repaired, not crimped. There's a few secrets to stopping them from pulling out, but it's pretty easy stuff. As an aside, if the cable isn't running straight, it'll snap pretty quickly.

[ZeroIndex]

Cables are generally soldered when repaired, not crimped. There's a few secrets to stopping them from pulling out, but it's pretty easy stuff. As an aside, if the cable isn't running straight, it'll snap pretty quickly.
..ok.. so what are the secrets?

[imdying]

Aw come on, a niggers gotta make a buck!

[imdying]

Tell you what though, I'll get a camera at some stage and make a step by step guide. I'll also try to compile a list of places in NZ where you can buy the fittings (although and decent motorcycle shop should carry at least the basics).

[ZeroIndex]

Tell you what though, I'll get a camera at some stage and make a step by step guide. I'll also try to compile a list of places in NZ where you can buy the fittings (although and decent motorcycle shop should carry at least the basics).
meh.. i'll try fix it myself.. does a pair of pliers and a soldering iron sound like a good or very bad idea?

[imdying]

Use a wee butane or lpg torch... a biggish soldering iron will work with patience though :)

[ZeroIndex]

since i don't have butane or lpg torch, i will have a go at the soldering iron..

[T.W.R]

Cables are generally soldered when repaired, not crimped. .

??? broken cables when repaired are crimped, or to be exact star crimped when their fed through the new nipple.
the cable is fed through the new nipple, its slid down the cable slightly then the cable end is star crimped then pulled into the cavity in the nipple then it's soldered into place.

if the cable isn't star crimped it'll pull through the nipple in next to no time.

Seen it done & had the whole process explained

[ZeroIndex]

??? broken cables when repaired are crimped, or to be exact star crimped when their fed through the new nipple.
the cable is fed through the new nipple, its slid down the cable slightly then the cable end is star crimped then pulled into the cavity in the nipple then it's soldered into place.

if the cable isn't star crimped it'll pull through the nipple in next to no time.

Seen it done & had the whole process explained
finally.. some real help.. thanks.. will take it to the bike shop and tell them FIX THE DAMN THING PROPERLY.. or something like that..

[Ixion]

I made my own cables for years, then decided they were cheap and I had better uses for my time. Then Ratty broke a throttle cable, and I was quoted $80 odd for a new one. Once I picked myself up and confirmed I was hearing correctly I decided to go back to making my own!

An ordinary soldering iron of the 25watt electronics type will NOT work.

You need either a big 100W plumbers iron, a soldering gun (at least 100W) or a torch.

*DON'T* use electrical solder the stuff you need is plumbers or tinmans solder, sold in the form of large sticks from good harware stores and ships chandlers (no I don't know why they sell it, they sell lots of useful stuff, go wander round sometime) . And some plumbers flux, comes in little green bottles, tis a liquid and acidic you *must* remove all traces of it after use.

The nipple should have a little "well " in the end. If it does not , it is one of the cheap and nasty mass production ones used on Asian cables, which will pull off. In that case,you will have to use a drill to make a little well .

Assemble the cable (don't forget the ferrule, I usually do), and tin the end of the inner cable. Push the tinned end throught he hole in the nipple so the end sits about a millimetre above the nipple end. Heat the nipple and inner cable and run some solder into the gap. Make sure it is hot enough, and a good joint. Do NOT fill the little well with solder.

Now heat the very tip of the (tinned) inner cable. When the tinning is soft, push a centre punch or other spikey thing into the inner cable end and splay it out, pushing the splayed out ends into the well. Now heat the nipple and cable and fill the well with solder.

Sweat the joint until you see the solder sweating through to the far side.

Clean all up, and that cable will last for years.

[imdying]

I've repaired, made the odd cable before, never crimped anything on a bike though... only a car clutch or handbrake cable. Never had any pull the ends off either (take a certain amount of pride in that, which'll be my downfall no doubt!) Wouldn't really want to crimp such a tiny piece of brass myself (altough I guess I could).

Ixion is on to it:
- 100w soldering iron FTW
- Ends without the wells are cheap shite, either drill them back, or avoid like the plague. I just send that cheap crap back it the suppliers send them too me. 6mm ones that are slotted are the only ones you want for carbs... to much hassle to slot your own with a hack saw.
- Electrical solder will work at a pinch, make sure you use some flux like Duzall (the green bottle Ixion speaks of) though if you're stuck with it. Something with a high lead content works better.
- Don't normally tin the cable till after splaying myself, but it's worth doing either way

When you add the final amount of solder, it's a good idea to have the cableside up, nipple side down. That way the excess solder doesn't run down the cable, making it hard and unflexible.

I'll post a guide when I get a chance :)

[Motu]

If you have broken a cable on a new bike,then it's a faulty cable or routeing,most cables last the life of the bike.Ditto the making of cables,my addition is that I sometimes use a flux paste,then you don't get the liquid flux running down inside the cable.

[T.W.R]

Imdying & Ixion your both calling it splaying which is general term, but exactly the same principle as star crimp bar the fact that, the star crimp is a doubled splay which is torsionally far stronger than just spreading the cable end (single splaying).
I was shown by the cable repairer/manufacturer for Safe'R'Brakes that used to be on Fitzgerald ave in ChCh, plus also came across it while doing a motorcycle engineering course.

Having had clutch cables part company on serveral Early 80s/late 70s italian beasts (which have notorious Heavy clutch actions) repairs had to be of the heaviest construction possible.

And at least Zeroindex finally got hear what he wanted to find out

[imdying]

Imdying & Ixion your both calling it splaying which is general term, but exactly the same principle as star crimp bar the fact that, the star crimp is a doubled splay which is torsionally far stronger than just spreading the cable end (single splaying).
I was shown by the cable repairer/manufacturer for Safe'R'Brakes that used to be on Fitzgerald ave in ChChThey're still there ;)

[ZeroIndex]

YAY!! My bike is now fixed.. I also took of the side stand (I can lean more on left corners now :) ) only problem is ALWAYS having to use the center stand now.. I'll have to get my friend to make me a new centre stand that doesn't sit lower than the left footpeg..

[onearmedbandit]

I know a guy who rides an SV1000 who worked at Safe'r'brakes, made me a couple of cables for my modified clutches. Never had a problem either. He still works there on weekends, as he is now a computer geek. Shit I think he is a member here too, might've even posted on this thread......

[T.W.R]

I know a guy who rides an SV1000 who worked at Safe'r'brakes, made me a couple of cables for my modified clutches. Never had a problem either. He still works there on weekends, as he is now a computer geek. Shit I think he is a member here too, might've even posted on this thread......

Ha well I'm going back to the late 80s early 90s so the person I dealt with has either found the fountain of youth or had some wicked cosmetic surgery :no: more likely I think is the fact that the bloke that i dealt with was most likely the person who taught the mystery KB member :sherlock: because going on displayed ages the certain someone would have been still at primary school :done:

[onearmedbandit]

Oh I never suggested he was the same person, my bad if that was what you took from it!