Clutch cable connection

[jonshutt]

Hi there.

The other day, the clutch cable on my suzuki gs500 came loose. On inspection (removing the section that covers the front sproket) i found that the cable is fine, but the wee metal clip/fastener that the end of cable lodges into has snapped. This clip is rivitted into the lever that pulls the clutch.

Now, I can probably drill out the old broken fastener, and bend a peice of metal to the right shape, and hold it in place with a bolt, but my metal working tools are a bit limited! And I'm wondering if a bolt will hold, or if it'll just come loose. Replacing the rivet would be ideal, but i don't have the tools

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions on how to fix it, or if parts are available i'd love to here from you...

Cheers


Jon (wellington)

[imdying]

Use a nylock.

[vagrant]

Can you put up a photo? Easier to offer advice if we can see what your talking about.

[jonshutt]

yes, will try and get a photo tonight...
Thanks

[imdying]

Can you put up a photo? Easier to offer advice if we can see what your talking about.

There's an actuator, think of it as a mechanical slave cylinder... it has an arm that rotates through about 90 degrees, and translates that into push rod movement to operate the clutch. That arm has, riveted to it, a sheet metal 'clip' that takes the end of the clutch cable. They had to make them individual parts as that clip won't go through the threaded portion on the front sprocket cover that the clutch cable outer adjuster threads into. That clip is made from simple sheet steel, and sometimes gives out like this one has. A nylock will let him replace the rivet, without having to do it up too tight, as it needs to keep rotating. Given that the clip is riveted onto the arm, I don't think it'll be available by itself, but Suzuki would be the first port of call.

Make yourself a heavy duty sucker and forget about it

/edit: I've attached a pic with the clip circled in red. Most notable thing about the clip is the small retainer tab that stops the cable inner end piece from falling out of it. Wire that sucker in to your new one (unless you have plenty of spare time and are happy to craft a new clip with that tab )

[imdying]

Had someone ring me at work on Saturday asking me about the exact same thing... talk about deja freakin vu!

[jonshutt]

Thanks for all the info.

What I ended up doing is going to the tip, finding an old wrecked pedal bike. I realised that the clip that holds the end of the clutch cable is almost exactly the same as the clip that holds a bycled brake cable to the brake lever. So I grabbed the brake lever off the old bicycle, prised off the clip, and bolted it to the arm of the acuator, and voila - it all works!

in the process I also cleaned out a stack of tar/oil/crap that had built up around the front spoket, and everything now runs nice and smooth....

[imdying]

Good thinking! Now that you mention, yes indeed many bike brake levers have a piece almost the same!