Clutch cable snapped

[superjackal]

Help!

Coming into Countdown carpark this evening the clutch cable snapped on my Kwaka ER-5.

The service manual's not too helpful as it only covers adjustment.

Are these a specific part or can you just buy the right length cable and fit?
Will the replacement cable simply slide back through the cover?

Any help appreciated

Thanks

[jellywrestler]

Help!

Coming into Countdown carpark this evening the clutch cable snapped on my Kwaka ER-5.

The service manual's not too helpful as it only covers adjustment.

Are these a specific part or can you just buy the right length cable and fit?
Will the replacement cable simply slide back through the cover?

Any help appreciated

Thanks

should be able to put a new cable in the old housing, did you keep the nipple from the short end as a sample?, although why did it snap, had it been maintained poorly, routed incorrectly? make sure the outer cable isn't damaged so a new inner won't work. why did it snap at countdown, is that bit of imformation key to the story here, or am i missing something?

[superjackal]

should be able to put a new cable in the old housing, did you keep the nipple from the short end as a sample?, although why did it snap, had it been maintained poorly, routed incorrectly? make sure the outer cable isn't damaged so a new inner won't work. why did it snap at countdown, is that bit of imformation key to the story here, or am i missing something?

No idea why it snapped but it's snapped somewhere in the middle as I still have both ends. Countdown's nothing of interest, just where the cable snapped. As for maintenance and routing - no idea about ownership before me and I have never touched it save adjusting at the lever end and not that for months.

[Akzle]

I hate oiling cables.

[Ocean1]

No idea why it snapped but it's snapped somewhere in the middle as I still have both ends. Countdown's nothing of interest, just where the cable snapped. As for maintenance and routing - no idea about ownership before me and I have never touched it save adjusting at the lever end and not that for months.

It's likely both ends are forged onto the inner, which means a repair isn't easy. You could take it in to see Melbar cables in Wingate, he'd probably make you a new one. But price a new OE one first, there probably won't be much difference.

[Ocean1]

I hate oiling cables.

It's a piece of piss. Although there's not much point with a lot now, they run in a Teflon liner.

[imdying]

Are these a specific part or can you just buy the right length cable and fit?
Will the replacement cable simply slide back through the cover?

Yes, they are a specific part. The adjusters on the cable will be specific for your model, as will the length. That is not to say that other cables for the same manufacturer will not work, it is just that they will not be ideal.

Yes, you can put a new inner through the old outer. This may or may not be the best course of action; cable outers also wear. Anywhere that can replace the inner, can also replace the outer.

In a perfect world, you would order a new one from Suzuki, and have it in two days.

A cable will only break because it has been poorly adjusted and/or maintained. There are many many bikes and cars out there still using there 30+ year old cables. This bit is important, because it highlights the importance of lubricating and adjusting your replacement cable.

Check that the barrel end at the perch rotates freely in the place where it locates. A touch of grease in there will be sufficient. If it does not rotate as it needs to when the lever is pulled, it will cock the barrel over on the end of the cable. Do that a few thousand times, and the first strand will let go. Once that happens, total failure is only a matter of time. It also makes the inner run out of line with the other. You can see this worked out as the end of the outer no longer being a small round hole; it will oval.

Generally the bottom end doesn't suffer from that sort of fault, but it's entirely possible for it to do so, so when you have the cover off, check that whatever it connects to swivels as it should.

A cable that runs straight, as is oiled periodically (WOF time is good, it comes around every 6 months and they even send you a reminder in the mail. It's also handy to link your oil changes to this).

Sterling Brake and Clutch should be able to repair your cable for you. There is another place, but the name escapes me. Look up the NZ Brake and Clutch Specialists Association, any of there members should find it a trivial task.

My advice would be, regardless of if you repair it or not, is to use an OEM cable when it becomes availble. They're better made, come with new adjusters, and will fit perfectly; i.e. they're worth the asking.

If they replace the outer with a plastic lined one, be careful of what you lubricate it with, some of those plastic liners swell with the wrong oils. Generally speaking, motor oil is fine. Too light an oil, and it will run down through the outer, leaving you with no lubrication. In theory, when they feed a new inner through, they will lube it with a waterproof grease, which is nice because greasing a cable is a piss of a job (thus why we all use oil). You can get white lithium grease in a spray can. Out of interest, I'm going to give that a go next time I have to fit some new cables. I have a cable luber device like a lot of guys on here will have in their toolbox, which works well for the cables that have the right outer OD to suit it. I never normally use it, but I might drill the inlet hole a bit larger to get one of the lithium grease nozzles in it. But as they sit, chain lube works fine. It's oily and sticky.

Azkle, just do it the easiest laziest way possible. Pour some oil into the oil bottles lid. Take the outer top end out of the perch of whatever. Pull the inner all the way out. Get your first finger cured up around the end of the outer. If you've any meat on your bones at all that'll create a natural funnel. Pour oil from the cap in so the end is submerged, then push the inner in. Repeat till you think you've done enough... a lighter oil will work it's way down faster (or at all), but needs replacing earlier.

Fixing cables I miss. Such a simple device, even somebody with my rough skills can sort one out... Lots of peewee bikes and go-karts have I rescued for a father on a Saturday morning. Don't get those sort of rewards in my current job.

[jellywrestler]

No idea why it snapped but it's snapped somewhere in the middle as I still have both ends. Countdown's nothing of interest, just where the cable snapped. As for maintenance and routing - no idea about ownership before me and I have never touched it save adjusting at the lever end and not that for months.

try buckets and bits for a second hand one and best you learn how to give your bike a bit of maintenance as you can't always rely on it having been done before, and it'll need maintenance as you own it too, might be a litle of hassle to do, but so's getting stuck at countdown, woolworths, pak and save or any other supermarket really

[jellywrestler]

In a perfect world, you would order a new one from Suzuki, and have it in two days.

but it's a Kawasaki, wot you bin smokin?

[FJRider]

I hate oiling cables.

Pressurized grease gun with a needle tip.

Done ..

[Akzle]

i would have expected more from you regulars. Disappointing.

[superjackal]

Awesome post- thanks! Have called Motomart (local) to source a complete OE part (hopefully)...

Yes, they are a specific part. The adjusters on the cable will be specific for your model, as will the length. That is not to say that other cables for the same manufacturer will not work, it is just that they will not be ideal.

Yes, you can put a new inner through the old outer. This may or may not be the best course of action; cable outers also wear. Anywhere that can replace the inner, can also replace the outer.

In a perfect world, you would order a new one from Suzuki, and have it in two days.

A cable will only break because it has been poorly adjusted and/or maintained. There are many many bikes and cars out there still using there 30+ year old cables. This bit is important, because it highlights the importance of lubricating and adjusting your replacement cable.

Check that the barrel end at the perch rotates freely in the place where it locates. A touch of grease in there will be sufficient. If it does not rotate as it needs to when the lever is pulled, it will cock the barrel over on the end of the cable. Do that a few thousand times, and the first strand will let go. Once that happens, total failure is only a matter of time. It also makes the inner run out of line with the other. You can see this worked out as the end of the outer no longer being a small round hole; it will oval.

Generally the bottom end doesn't suffer from that sort of fault, but it's entirely possible for it to do so, so when you have the cover off, check that whatever it connects to swivels as it should.

A cable that runs straight, as is oiled periodically (WOF time is good, it comes around every 6 months and they even send you a reminder in the mail. It's also handy to link your oil changes to this).

Sterling Brake and Clutch should be able to repair your cable for you. There is another place, but the name escapes me. Look up the NZ Brake and Clutch Specialists Association, any of there members should find it a trivial task.

My advice would be, regardless of if you repair it or not, is to use an OEM cable when it becomes availble. They're better made, come with new adjusters, and will fit perfectly; i.e. they're worth the asking.

If they replace the outer with a plastic lined one, be careful of what you lubricate it with, some of those plastic liners swell with the wrong oils. Generally speaking, motor oil is fine. Too light an oil, and it will run down through the outer, leaving you with no lubrication. In theory, when they feed a new inner through, they will lube it with a waterproof grease, which is nice because greasing a cable is a piss of a job (thus why we all use oil). You can get white lithium grease in a spray can. Out of interest, I'm going to give that a go next time I have to fit some new cables. I have a cable luber device like a lot of guys on here will have in their toolbox, which works well for the cables that have the right outer OD to suit it. I never normally use it, but I might drill the inlet hole a bit larger to get one of the lithium grease nozzles in it. But as they sit, chain lube works fine. It's oily and sticky.

Azkle, just do it the easiest laziest way possible. Pour some oil into the oil bottles lid. Take the outer top end out of the perch of whatever. Pull the inner all the way out. Get your first finger cured up around the end of the outer. If you've any meat on your bones at all that'll create a natural funnel. Pour oil from the cap in so the end is submerged, then push the inner in. Repeat till you think you've done enough... a lighter oil will work it's way down faster (or at all), but needs replacing earlier.

Fixing cables I miss. Such a simple device, even somebody with my rough skills can sort one out... Lots of peewee bikes and go-karts have I rescued for a father on a Saturday morning. Don't get those sort of rewards in my current job.

[imdying]

but it's a Kawasaki, wot you bin smokin?

My bad... all the cool kids have Suzukis, you just start to expect it after a while