Upgrading Throttle Cable

[kangaboy]

This topic comes about due to my throttle cable busting last night in the beginning of my 30 mile commute home through traffic. I was somehow able to channel my inner MacGyver and use a ring terminal clamped to the broken end of the cable by the pedal, which was then zip tied to the roller pedal. I babied that thing home for 30 miles hoping and praying it would stay clamped on the cable. Thankfully it did.
Bottom line is, I need something a little more robust. That throttle cable was 2 years and maybe 6000 miles old. Shouldn't be busting. I kinda wanna just get a piece of appropriately sized cable and make my own set up, but I was wondering if anyone had ideas about how to attach/connect it to the roller pedal. I have a barrel in back holding it to the throttle body, but I need some ideas for the front/pedal.
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-74 Standard - "CaliBug" 2084T, MS3X w/FI and Crank Fire
-76 Westy - "Gandalf"
-18 GTI SE

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

I applaud your skills of getting home!


Although throttle cables don't normally fail so quickly. I would be suspicious that something is bent or rubbing/wearing the cable at an abnormal rate. A heavier duty cable may give you more time between breakages, but I would thoroughly investigate any possible causes to the throttle cable breaking before I would simply go to a heavier gauge cable.
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1973 Standard Beetle
1600DP AK case
Solex 34PICT3 Carb
Bosch DVDA 205AJ Distributor

[60ragtop]

You can try something like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/THROTTLE-CABLE-Universal-...SwZW5aAI6i

and use a self locking nut on a bolt like this but make sure your roller is not bent like this one

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Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986

[Tim Donahoe]

You didn’t happen to install the fairly new “S”-hook end of the cable from the left side of the pedal pivot arm? If so, installing from the left can cause the end to wear rapidly. The S must be installed from the right side of the pivot arm. And grease it well, including the hole in the pivot arm.

I use needle nose pliers to install, since the area there is kind of small next to the tunnel.

Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[cbeck]

Try cardinal door down the street from the vet. Might have a assortment of cable ends you might be able to adapt to your pedal.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[Frodge]

[Cusser]

A stock accelerator cable goes in this way !!!!

I've not tried the newfangled type of accelerator cable. My 1970 VW has over 260K miles on the original cable; my 1971 Super is on its third (150K).

[kangaboy]

One of the reasons it has accelerated wear is because I have a big ass spring on the throttle body cause the one it came with is a dinky lil thing.
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-74 Standard - "CaliBug" 2084T, MS3X w/FI and Crank Fire
-76 Westy - "Gandalf"
-18 GTI SE

[Max Welton]

Here you go. 1/16" "wire rope" control cable I got at a local farm supply store.

Max
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1967 Type-3 Fastback
Under the Knife https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=151582
Home Stretch https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=767836

[Multi69s]

I use a heavy duty universal cable in all of my VWs,

https://www.mooreparts.com/heavy-duty-9-foot-universal-throttle-cable-vw-baja-dune-buggy-sandrail/

This is just an example, and you usually have to fab up the attachment at the pedal. But if you go this route, and grease the cable well as you install it, you can kiss broken cables good bye.
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69 road Bug 2110
73 Squareback - 2L, T4, Automatic W/ AC
Gone, but many fond memories 69 Baja Bug 2010 - 5 Rib Bus Transaxle
Gone but not forgotten 72 Baja Bug 2010
My builds
T4 into Squareback http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458944&highlight=
Auto Trans Rebuild http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516066&highlight=
AC in Squareback https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=

[Chris333]

I bought the heavy duty one, it works good. My car came without one and I put a stock cable in and it felt like the cable would come un-hooked from the pedal if I looked at it wrong.

The heavy duty one I got from J-bugs was just an Empi part and since the clevis is so much longer than stock you have to cut your tube back a little.

Here is a video showing the tube cutting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcVp5BdV1zw
Mine is just like the one shown in the vid.

I also bent the clevis to match the angle of the pedal so there was no angle on the cable.

https://www.jbugs.com/product/4862-7.html

Somehow the 16' cable is $1 less than the 9' cable. I wicked a bunch of solder onto mine at the carb and then trimmed it off.

[cbeck]

To take max's garage door cable one step further, there are thimble's available for the loop. That is a small metal piece that is fit inside the loop before it is crimped that acts as your wear surface. While ln that dept look for a chain master link (45 or65?) to make the connection to your pedal. Cardinal door in your zip code should have that and more, should be able find something that will get you going.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[kangaboy]

Some really good ideas here gents. I'll prolly do a spin off of Max's idea there, and then incorporate the thimble as cbeckmentioned to prevent excessive wear.
I do like the heavy duty cable that was linked as well too. We have one of those on our buggy that has been there for 15 years.
Thanks for the ideas all.
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-74 Standard - "CaliBug" 2084T, MS3X w/FI and Crank Fire
-76 Westy - "Gandalf"
-18 GTI SE

[Cusser]

Likely Max added some grease to his loop and area before putting into actual operation.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Ricksurfin]

With the wire, do you just run it through the barrel nut on the carburetor and clamp directly on the wire, or do you put some kind of end on the wire?

[Cusser]

[mark tucker]

[Chris333]

That photo is how mine would have been, but I bent the end to match the pedal angle.

[Max Welton]

[Meiang]

"One of the reasons it has accelerated wear is because I have a big ass spring on the throttle body cause the one it came with is a dinky lil thing"

Long term I would be concerned by putting a stronger return spring than standard on the carburettor. This puts additional load on the throttle butterfly shaft which cannoot be good from a wear point of view.