Clutch cable - how tight?

Mig21

Mig21

Well-known member
I took my clutch cable off, to make sure it's not a routing issue and it's not. Pulling the cable all the way in one direction or the other requires measurable effort. The clutch release lever has quite a lot of force so I'm sure it can pull it, but I wonder if that's normal.

There's one almost-90 degree angle in the cable housing (by design I'm sure) so maybe all it needs is some lube? Will regular grease work or should I use something special?

Or should I just replace the thing? Bike is a Vulcan 500 with 35k on it.

Thanks in advance.
 
If you can get one for a decent price just replace it. If you do lube it use somthing thin that will run down the cable, not grease.
 
35K and it's never been serviced? It's probably toast and there's high potential for an end to come apart and leave you stranded. I would replace it and buy a cable luber.
 
Cool, I'll get a new one then, thanks for the advice!

Any recomendations on what cable lube to get? Or are they all the same?
 
Mig21 said:
Cool, I'll get a new one then, thanks for the advice!

Any recomendations on what cable lube to get? Or are they all the same?
Click to expand...

Regular chain lube for lubing is fine. They were talking about a luber - device that clamps onto the end of the cable, then you put a straw in the small hole and it runs lube down the entire cable in seconds. Make sure you lube up the new cable before putting it on. Here's a how-to http://www.scootertherapy.com/clubepage.html Some come with 2 screws, operate the same, BTW.
 
Does anyone know where I can get a cable luber? I hear Princess Auto but I can't find it on their website or their catalog. And any chance there is a place closer to the north side of the GTA?
 
Use a plastic freezer bag rubber banded to the clutch end of the cable. Hang it overnight with some transmission fluid or any light oil. It will run down the inside of the cable and lube it up.

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A cable luber tool plus a can of official Cable Lube is around $15 bucks at any serious bikeshop.
(Chain lube can harden up over time and make that cable feel pretty heavy.)
Remember: clutches will use up the free play in the cable as time passes and they wear.
You must keep adding it back in, otherwise your clutch can slip...
Make sure the clutch lever is always limp and 'free' no matter which way the handlebars are turned.
 
Apparently not quite every serious bikeshop sells the cable lubers, but I found one at Z1 Cycletech :) I probably should have bought can of cable lube too, but I used the chain lube and for now it's as good as new. Maybe next time I'll put in cable lube.

Too bad so much of it sprayed out of the cable luber, didn't go in, I'll try to use it on some bicycle cables too, see if that works better.
 
Mig21 said:
Apparently not quite every serious bikeshop sells the cable lubers, but I found one at Z1 Cycletech :) I probably should have bought can of cable lube too, but I used the chain lube and for now it's as good as new. Maybe next time I'll put in cable lube.

Too bad so much of it sprayed out of the cable luber, didn't go in, I'll try to use it on some bicycle cables too, see if that works better.
Click to expand...

You just gotta get it on tight.. As long as you saw a stream coming out the other end, you're good to go.
 
Make sure you only use wax-based chain lube (if you must use chain lube). Anything sticky/tacky will ruin your clutch cable quick.

Of course cable lube works best, heck I'd choose WD40 over chain lube.

Also try to pull/push the cable inside the housing while you lube to free up any clogged sections.
 
WD-40 is only 5-10% lubricant.
 
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