Best clutch cables?

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Carbonfibre said:
DogT said:
No, but you have to figure out exactly where you want the flare. Yeah, £75 for a tool is a bit rich for a few cables. Thanks for the hint.

Dave
69S
Click to expand...


Most people put the flare on the end of the inner cable..........and a tool to do this can be made for next to nothing, by anyone with a drill press, a set of sharp drills, and a couple of pieces of 4-5mm MS plate. However there is no real need for any sort of tool, if you solder the cable into the nipple, leaving the end proud by around 2mm, then hold the cable between soft jaws of a vice, with the nipple resting on the jaws, use a centre punch to flare over the end of the cable. Then put the flared cable into your solder pot, pull the nipple up to flared end, and thats it job done............perfect cable, and only tool required that most people dont have is a solder pot, which can often be found on Ebay for around £25.
Click to expand...
carbonfibre you've hit the nail on the head, I think that pretty much sums up how to put a nipple or a barrel on a cable, except my grand dad always used the edge of a half round file to tap the end of the inner rather than your centre punch, same difference really. It seems to me there's been some considerable "mystique" developed around what should be a pretty standard job. Cables almost always break close to one end or other & when I was younger (& skint) I used to shorten up the cable when it broke to get a second or even third life out of it, the limiting factor was how tight it got on turning (especially on a throttle cable!).
Dave, Edwardian is 1900s up to about WW1, my grand dad & his 3 brothers all had bikes.
Terry
 
Seems very strange that so few people are able to make cables nowadays! This is perhaps understandable if you ride a modern Jap bike, but would have thought making cables yourself is pretty much essential if you own an old Brit bike of some kind?
 
I have been putting off buying new cables because they are so expensive and I can't find the right ones for my '69. I would have to do with the newer styles. But now that you fellas have explained it all, sounds easy, plus I can use the Venhill lined ones, just a matter of finding the right parts. I have no problems soldering, I've done plenty of it. I would probably just use a large iron I have instead of buying a pot, at least I can try it. I brazed an end on my last clutch cable, just building up a blob on it and shaping it. It lasted a long time until it broke about 2" from the lever last autumn. Luckily I found a couple originals on ebay for $3 each.

I'm sill open to places to buy the nipples, ferrules and barrels in the US. I see Walridge has them, but it's hard to see exactly what they are like in his hand drawn catalogue.

Dave
69S
 
This may be a little off topic, but my dad said his clutch cables use to break all the time, then he put some molysulfide powder on them and he never broke one again. Maybe I'll try that when we get the bike running again and report back.

Matt
 
I am easily influenced by group think and peer pressure. I noticed a bit of fraying around the end so I ordered a Venhill clutch cable yesterday. I hope you all are right about the smoother pull. I was at a local charity ride and my buddy was complaining about the hard clutch pull on his Harley V-Rod. I told him to try my Norton clutch and his eyes bugged out. "Wimp!"
 
DogT said:
I have been putting off buying new cables because they are so expensive and I can't find the right ones for my '69. I would have to do with the newer styles. But now that you fellas have explained it all, sounds easy, plus I can use the Venhill lined ones, just a matter of finding the right parts. I have no problems soldering, I've done plenty of it. I would probably just use a large iron I have instead of buying a pot, at least I can try it. I brazed an end on my last clutch cable, just building up a blob on it and shaping it. It lasted a long time until it broke about 2" from the lever last autumn. Luckily I found a couple originals on ebay for $3 each.

I'm sill open to places to buy the nipples, ferrules and barrels in the US. I see Walridge has them, but it's hard to see exactly what they are like in his hand drawn catalogue.

Dave
69S
Click to expand...
Dave, you're probably better of with a big iron rather than a torch, less chance of overheating the inner (if it gets too hot it will get too oxidised & no matter how much flux the solder won't stick. I've never used a solder pot. just grip the inner in the vice with the nipple/barrel lowest & feed the solder in from the cable end of the nipple so it runs down through the nipple to the flared end, plenty of flux & don't forget to wash it well afterwards.
If you are really mean or skint you can warm up the old nipple pull out the old inner, drill out the old solder & re use the nipple.
Hope I'm not teaching grandma to suck eggs here, my apologies if it comes across that way.
Terry
 
Solder pot works far better than soldering iron, but obviously its only of use for making cables. Mine cost about £20 off Ebay, and means cables can be made in minutes.
 
I looked on ebay but I did not see the cable I want/need:
Venhill, T4spec (heavy-duty), front brake cable (no switch) for a 1971 Commando.

If I can find somebody that will take my $ I will buy one today!

Vince
 
Terry, no problemo. Yes, I know about the torches for soldering, you can even ruin a piece of copper pipe with them if you get it too hot. I have plenty of experience with large and small soldering irons, plus I have them. Should be not problem.

Dave
69S
 
Actually. Yours was the only one. I always load two to avoid the item disappearing before the person it was ordered for gets to it. I'm happy to order more, but it'll have to attach to our next order queue...

Thanks!

Chris
 
I was accidentally overcharged for the cable and I already got my refund, that's service!

Vince
 
Service is only beaten by delivery.
I ordered universal kit's early Saturday morning, they were in the mailbox on Monday afternoon. These guy's work weekends. Stunning.
 
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