clutch cable recrimp

[jmstu76]

I've been searching but can't find the thread. I thought that I had read a while ago how some of the clutch cables need further crimping and/or soldering to prevent premature release of the cable strands.

I have again broke another clutch cable. I seem to go through 2 or 3 per year! I am tired of replacing them. I buy the kits from Scott at German supply, and I have also bought local replacement cables. Nothing is making a difference.

Any tips appreciated or if there is a thread on how to better prepare the aftermarket cables for extended use.
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James

'76 Deluxe Sage Green Westy
2258 cc GD case 78mm CW crank, 2.0 H-beam rods 5,325” 22mm pin, JE forged pistons with 15cc dish, JE rings, type 11 clearanced oil pump, CB Eagle 2205 Type-2 “Torque Special” hydraulic cam with matched lifters fed by CB Dual Weber 40 IDF MX with 6” foam air filters, currently 55 idle, 130 main, 200 air correction, 32 mm venturis. 27in General Grabber AT2 All Terrains, Berg Shifter, stock '76 exhaust HPC Ceramic Coated. 11/18/2020

[greenbus pilot]

Hmmm, in all my years of Bussin, I have never had a broken cable. But I have replaced it once or twice,just because.
Are you sure you do not have another problem, such as a clutch issue, which results in higher pedal effort?
Just guessin, here. I have used the run of the mill Brazilian cables on a few Dubs, no problems.
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Sent from a white van down the street.

[jmstu76]

[dti]

While you are down there putting in your next clutch cable, at the very least remove the transmission ground strap at both points of attachment, check it out, and if it looks good enough to put back, clean both ends and both attachment points to bright clean metal before putting some vaseline or conductive grease on the ends and retightening it. Smart people on here taught me to do that, as if the ground strap doesn't give a good electrical path then your clutch cable will do. Until all that electricity beats it to death, anyway...
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1970 Riviera 1600 DP
1996 Ducati 900 Monster

[jmstu76]

[ned]

If your clutch cable is fraying at the pedal end it my just be an adjustment issue. 3/4 in freeplay at the top so that when the clutch pedal is depressed you shouldn`t have to press the pedal to the floor. If you push the pedal to the floor you may be pushing the clevis pin attachment point past its fulcrum point and putting strain on the cable. I hope this makes sense. When I installed my big engine with a Kennedy clutch I had these kinds of troubles and I found just staying on top my adjustments was key to longer cable life. Its just a thought

[jmstu76]

I don't know yet where this one broke. All of the cables that I can remember have broke at the crimp on the wing nut side. And when I say broke, I mean, a few strands of the cable let go and it unraveled enough to make it useless. I just picked up another replacement cable. It is some brand by the name of Cofle or something similar.

Are there cable manufactuers to go with or stay away from with clutch cables?
_________________
James

'76 Deluxe Sage Green Westy
2258 cc GD case 78mm CW crank, 2.0 H-beam rods 5,325” 22mm pin, JE forged pistons with 15cc dish, JE rings, type 11 clearanced oil pump, CB Eagle 2205 Type-2 “Torque Special” hydraulic cam with matched lifters fed by CB Dual Weber 40 IDF MX with 6” foam air filters, currently 55 idle, 130 main, 200 air correction, 32 mm venturis. 27in General Grabber AT2 All Terrains, Berg Shifter, stock '76 exhaust HPC Ceramic Coated. 11/18/2020

[ned]

If you cant bet a German cable ask for Italian then Mexican then last Brazilian. Have you changed your boden tube? It may be that the angle of the bowben tube is off. Check your Bently. they give great instruction on that. Good luck

[Randy in Maine]

Suggestion:

The last time I ended up replacing a clutch cable, I squirted a bunch of WD-40 in the tube from the front and rear and then blew it all out using compressed air. Lots of crud came out and most of it was dead grease and rust.

Perhaps something in there is causing the cable to kink in there and subsequently break.

Also when installing the new cable, it pays to get a pair of vise grips on the forward side of the cable when you adjust the wingnut to avoid the cable from twisting in there. But you probably knew that already....

[jmstu76]

[Wildthings]

The wing nut needs to be able to swivel smoothly in the socket of the end of the clutch release arm. It also only locks in two positions. You might inspect the arm to see if there are any burrs or anything that might keep the arm from swiveling. I would suggest applying some grease to the nut and socket to help smooth out the action.

I coat my cables end to end with moly grease when I install them, including the threads and the nut.

[jmstu76]

[Randy in Maine]

[jmstu76]

[germansupplyscott]

[dti]

A couple of things, then I would first either grind a hemisphere that is a good lubed fit for the clutch release lever "socket" end onto the last nut you are using to make up the extra length of cable, the cable adjuster end needs to be able to slide and roll in there or it will kink right at the end, where you see the frayed cable strands.

Then make up a piece of weldable or brazeable tube to fit snug over the ends of your cut/broken clutch cable tube, the tube itself has to be rigid as its what the cable gets resistance from, if that resistance isn't there the bowden tube isn't really going to do anything and the clutch will have a very weird soft mooshy feel, won't be accurately adjustable either. If the tube is still welded to the crossmember so its immobilized somewhere between the break and the bowden tube this wouldn't be as critical, but still probably a good thing to do by the way you have described it. Definitely fix the cable adjuster end, either with the right length cable or a better hack than a short stack of nuts, if you could make up a solid sleeve to take up the slack and grind a good ball end on to make a working fit on the release lever you'd be miles ahead...
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1970 Riviera 1600 DP
1996 Ducati 900 Monster

[Vamstad]

I figured out that a faulty piece in the front by the pedal caused my cable to break. The metal piece that the clevis pin locks (and rotates in) into the cable had "ovalized" . Because of this, the clevis pin was not working like it was supposed to (binding) and caused the cable to bend back and forth rather than move freely on the pin. After like a thousand or so uses, the metal became brittle and broke. With the new piece (fabricated by bus boys IIRC), I have had no problems.
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Fear is the mind killer.
1979 Federal Westfalia
2.0 FI

[SGKent]

I have read that sometimes when the trans ground cable is missing or corroded the clutch cable can act as the engine ground and shorten the life to months due to damage from the electrical current heating it and sparking it.

Also - there are so many donors around, I would think that housing could be pulled out of one with a minimal of grinding.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[silverside61]

the part about the stack of nuts and washers makes me wonder. i would think that the cable is not too long, but its path is too short. could your bowden tube be incorrect? could it have been cut short? if the bowden tube does not have the proper pre-load in it, that can lead to different strange occourances, not to mention a clutch adjustment that will never be just- right. do you have the bracket on that holds the end of the bowden?

[Desertbusman]

This is a cool thread. Every potential problem and solution has been well addressed. And those are all potential problems that should clearly be considered. Only 3 others that might be worth thinking about. Bowden tubes can get wear and get bad so check the I.D. At the rear end of the steel tube where the Bowden tube slips on there is a welded tab that holds and positions the steel tube. Those do break or can get bent. Check that there is a straight transition and not a bend. Seems like BusDaddy had a great photo quite a while back. Also cleaning the tube like Randy says. I use an old broken cable with the broken strands flaired out. Chuck it in a drill and run it thru the long tube doing the roto-router thing. Then plenty of solvent and run a rag swab back and forth thru the tube. Any long wire twice the length with a tight loop in the center to hold a swab to pull it from both ends. Keep doing it 'till the swab comes out clean. Then plenty of new grease. And a new boot on the front. Also do the accelerator cable tube the same way. That cable wears and breaks also.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy