Snapped Clutch Cable

[BobR]

Clutch cable snapped while on a ride today. (91 K100RS)  In 3rd gear at the time.  Broke off at the clutch lever terminal end.  I put a new cable on less than 2 years ago (and less than 8k miles ago), so I am wondering why it failed so soon.  I have bar risers on the bike.  I bought the replacement cable from Beemer Boneyard and they advertise it as "German made", however not OEM.  It's cheaper than a OEM cable (~ $25 vs. $38).

So, couple of questions:

1.  Does having bar risers necessitate a longer cable than stock?
2.  Do these cables need to be lubricated (I never lubricated it).
3.  Are aftermarket cables to be avoided?

[mystic red]

My take:

1. OEM

2. Don't lube the cable.

3. Do grease the nipples

4. Don't think risers have a thing to do with it.

[Chaos]

I've had a BBY clutch cable for the last decade with no issues.  I have risers, but that should not be an issue if the cable is routed correctly.  Snapping at the hand lever end, at the nub, is usually a sign of the retaining barrel not being lubricated and not rotating when you pull the lever, bending the cable and causing it to fail prematurely. (never lube the cable itself)  I think I'm going to lube my barrel right now while I thinking about it.  Thanks!

[johnny]

i carry a peice of aircraft cable and brass cable ends in my bung... when my clutch cable broke i simply slid the aircraft cable down the existing jacket... slid the cable ends in the clutch levers and tightened the cable ends down on the cable... i rode like that for about 20,000 miles before finally swapping out cables...

i can scrape up photos if you wanna take a look... all parts can be had at the hardware store for about 5 bucks total...

j o

[BobR]

I've had a BBY clutch cable for the last decade with no issues.  I have risers, but that should not be an issue if the cable is routed correctly.  Snapping at the hand lever end, at the nub, is usually a sign of the retaining barrel not being lubricated and not rotating when you pull the lever, bending the cable and causing it to fail prematurely. (never lube the cable itself)  I think I'm going to lube my barrel right now while I thinking about it.  Thanks!

OK, I will make sure I lubricate the retaining barrel.  Is that something you do periodically as well?  Thanks

[BobR]

i carry a peice of aircraft cable and brass cable ends in my bung... when my clutch cable broke i simply slid the aircraft cable down the existing jacket... slid the cable ends in the clutch levers and tightened the cable ends down on the cable... i rode like that for about 20,000 miles before finally swapping out cables...

i can scrape up photos if you wanna take a look... all parts can be had at the hardware store for about 5 bucks total...

j o

I would definitely like to see pics of this, if  not too much trouble.  Sounds like a great idea.  thanks...

[mystic red]

i carry a peice of aircraft cable and brass cable ends in my bung... when my clutch cable broke i simply slid the aircraft cable down the existing jacket... slid the cable ends in the clutch levers and tightened the cable ends down on the cable... i rode like that for about 20,000 miles before finally swapping out cables...

i can scrape up photos if you wanna take a look... all parts can be had at the hardware store for about 5 bucks total...

j o

I would definitely like to see pics of this, if  not too much trouble.  Sounds like a great idea.  thanks...

yellow on a blue background.........

[johnny]

most ace hardware stores carry two types of hillman fastners brand what they call cable stops... thats what they call them anyway... they are generally used on older lawn mowers and other vintage power equipment as choke and throttle cable ends...

the hex unit fits perfectly into the hole on the handle bar clutch lever... the round one fits perfectly in the lower clutch lever down by the swing arm...

i would getts a couple of each and a couple lengths of the small diameter stainless aircraft cable they sell at ace... its the stuff on the red rolls... make sure its small enough to sit the holes in the cable stops...

warning... when in the bung... moto vibrations will back the screws out of the brass ends and unravel the ends of the cable... i screw the screws in tight so they wont back out and wrap the ends of the cable with electrical tape...



napa has these... im not sure if they will work... i think the diameter may be too large to fit the holes...



j o

[Snowy]

I went for overkill and have a second OEM cable already in situ next to the existing one so I can just swap them over if it fails.

[thebob]

Those solderless nipples are often used on Karts...

http://www.gokartsupply.com/thcable.htm

[mystic red]

I went for overkill and have a second OEM cable already in situ next to the existing one so I can just swap them over if it fails.

I have my old one in the bung but Johnny's and your method would get you back on the road quicker. :yes

[Inge K.]

The OEM clutch cable is a very reliable part, if you keep the nipples lubricated.
On my oldest K I have changed it one time during 26 years of ownership/+200K km.
And it wasn`t because of that it did snap, it just was stiff to operate after years in service.

Inge K.

[DRxBMW]

I went for overkill and have a second OEM cable already in situ next to the existing one so I can just swap them over if it fails.

I have my old one in the bung but Johnny's and your method would get you back on the road quicker. :yes

MotobricK store may be in order ?  I would buy a clutch repair kit.

FWIW, I've never broken a K clutch cable yet. Honda Moly 60 grease applied with a q tip every six months on both barrel ends is the mantra. 

Wunderbar Sping-Fling event sponsored by the Honda club this morning. Ha, I was the ONLY friggin BMW in attendance, piloting the GS too boot

[mac]

Where exactly do you all apply lube to the "nipples?"
I'm assuming between the end of the ferrule and the seat in the barrel adjuster at the lever end, and between the ferrule and the seat at the clutch end.
I'm not quite sure how this prevents a failure...why does the ferrule/housing need to be allowed to rotate?

[frankenduck]

why does the ferrule/housing need to be allowed to rotate?

Because the direction of tensile pull changes relative to the clutch lever when you pull in the clutch.  If that ferule isn't rotating freely and easily then you are bending and fatiguing that end of the cable every time you pull in the clutch.

[Photog]

I have found that super glue works well to keep the ends of a cut cable from fraying. Clean it with a fast evaporating solvent (brake cleaner is ideal), then put a drop or two of glue onto the end of the cable so that it wicks into the strands.

[mac]

why does the ferrule/housing need to be allowed to rotate?

Because the direction of tensile pull changes relative to the clutch lever when you pull in the clutch.  If that ferule isn't rotating freely and easily then you are bending and fatiguing that end of the cable every time you pull in the clutch.

Ahh! A different axis of rotation than I had been picturing. If I understand correctly, this is about "bending" perpendicular to the cable axis, rather than twist (as i had been picturing) along the cable axis. I can't remember: are these nipples kinda spherical on their ends to allow this "bending" motion?

[frankenduck]

The end of the clutch cable goes into the ferrule which is cylindrical.

The picture below shows why the ferrule needs to turn freely so that it's not repeatedly bending and fatiguing the cable.  The drawing I did is perhaps a bit exaggerated but you get the idea.  It's only a slight bend to the cable but do it enough times and it will eventually wear out and snap the cable.

[mac]

Sorry I'm having such a hard time here, but now i have maybe yet another understanding of where/why to lube, and I just broke a clutch cable myself, so I'm interested.
Are you talking about:

• lubing at the lever itself, (i.e. where your two angle leader lines meet in your nice diagram) so that the cylindrical cable end (the thing that people have posted emergency "cable stop" repair options for) can rotate in the lever as you diagrammed?  ...or...
• are people talking about lubing inside the barrel adjuster, between the ferrule on the end of the cable housing and the barrel adjuster itself?

[mac]

This post
http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,2533.0.html
may have added to my confusion. When people are referring to the "barrel", I was thinking of what we call the "barrel adjuster" on pedal-bikes.

I'm now thinking that people may have been referring to the cable stop itself, which I suppose is barrel shaped...

[frankenduck]

People use both names for it.  It is cylindrical.  The parts catalog name for it is a "nipple holder." :yow

[RobP]

Well, I wish I had read this thread earlier -  mainly the part about lubing the nipple connection on the cable ends.   I had replaced my clutch cable about 2 years - 5K miles ago and it broke during my ride last Saturday.  Had to use the kill switch to keep from getting launched into the highway intersection.  I pushed my bike about 100 yards to a farmer's yard for safekeeping while I handled the logistics for a recovery operation that took most of the day.

[Martin]

Iv'e added a grease nipple to my clutch arm. The occasional shot of grease keeps it lubed and stops water  and crap from entering. There has been a lot of debate over lubing OEM cables some do some don't. I also occasionally lube the clutch cable with a PTFE lubricant called Triflow which does not degrade the Teflon liner as does some other lubricants. Triflow is sold in bicycle shops for chain and cable lubrication. These modifications along with lubing the lever ball ends I believe have allowed my Brick to be still running the original 25 year old cable.
Regards Martin.

Clutch grease nipple 2.jpg (41.2 kB . 768x576 - viewed 546 times)

[johnny]

greetings...

with all that lubeing... you oughtta start a new site called lubetube...

j o

[Martin]

JO embrace the way of the lube. Lube is your friend especially if you end up in jail, a place where I have no intention of going.  :yow
Regards Martin.