Clutch cable replacement . . . .

[Redman]

GK had been having some trouble downshifting into first and finding netural after stopped, for a few weeks. . . . . thinking should look at adjusting clutch cable.

THen one evening got worse real quick, like bike still pulling forward when clutch pulled in.

Okay, okay, I should have known that is clutch cable failing.
So proceed with the clutch cable replacement



Yep, the cable was failing fast. THat round/cylindrical thing on end of cable not rotating in the lever. Havent lubed that in a long time.

Huh, existing cable has some collar around that round/cylinderical thing.
Hum, my replacement cable doesnt. (And Apparently isnt OEM like I remembered.) (I have had this spare for years, dont recall what specific brand, and it doesnt say. I probably got from Dennis Kirk, years and years ago.)

While replacing the cable I had some difficulty, and thought maybe I don't have the proper cable, or this aftermarket cable is deficient or something.
I take a quick look at some part supplyers and they all say NLA.

After a while, I realize that didnt have the cable sheath seated down all the way inside the adjuster at the clutch end. Dooaah.
I get the replacement cable installed (yes, with some grease on round/cylindrical thing in lever). ANd I think I routed it the same as was existing.
ANd oh, man, the lever pull is terrible hard.

So I take it partailly back off. Get some gear lube down it (maybe not enough). And reinstall being concerned about any tight bends. Were it comes up between the carbs and go straight up into frame takes a turn along the frame seemed like the only tight turn, so I round that out by going up and then a slighter turn going more forward toward the ignition coil then in between the frame. Clutch pull is a bit easier, but still lot more than it was, is difficult.

But, yah, took care of the other shifting problems.

Any comments on OEM clutch cable not available, and what supplier might be good these days???
Any comment on the hard clutch pull with this new cable installed???

>>>Later note: Two years ago I did replace friction plates and springs. Springs not Heavy Duty, but did say 10percent stronger than stock. Clutch pull was a bit harder after than, but not terrible. Now is terrible.

[Rob S.]

I think I routed it the same as was existing.

Always route the new cable next to the old before removing the old.

[Grimly]

I'm fairly cautious with what I lube cables with, after lubing a nylon-lined cable that swelled up and became nearly unusable.
If I'd known at the time I'd have used the proper lube for it.

[Brendan W]

What angle is between the cable and the clutch arm?
Anything much away from ninety and you lose mechanical advantage.
Are new and old the same length?
How does your route compare with the service manual?
Up between inlets 1& 2, forward under the coils and under the tank hanger rubber?
There is a diagram in the manual on page 13-20 on the bwringer archive.
I saw a collar on the cable nipple of my Z650 back in 1980.
I assumed it was teflon and haven't seen one since.
Replaced the 850G cable with a Slinky Glide which are supposed to be rubbish but it never caused me any bother in eight years of service.
I put a dab of Moly grease at the cable ends and not since the cables are lined will I put anything down there.
Broke a cable myself a few months back on the R1100R and got a good looking replacement from Venhill in the UK. Heard lots of good stuff about them.

https://www.venhill.co.uk/

[Dogma]

Brian schooled me on this a couple years ago. Lube the lever pivot and socket for the knob on the end of the cable. If that's dry, knob can't rotate in the lever. It makes the lever harder to pull, and accelerates failure of the cable right there at the lever. The rest of my problem was routing. My bars are lower than stock, so I had a couple inches of cable that needed to go somewhere. I thought I had a good routing, but it was really just leading to a sharp bend. Brian convinced me of a better routing by just doing it. I think he could tell I didn't believe him when he said it could go where he put it. I have a nice, light clutch pull now. The lube at the pivoting points made a surprising difference. Dielectric grease was all we had on hand. The light was fading, Walmart was closing....

[Redman]

What angle is between the cable and the clutch arm?
Anything much away from ninety and you lose mechanical advantage.
Are new and old the same length?
How does your route compare with the service manual?
Up between inlets 1& 2, forward under the coils and under the tank hanger rubber?
There is a diagram in the manual on page 13-20 on the bwringer archive.
I saw a collar on the cable nipple of my Z650 back in 1980.
I assumed it was teflon and haven't seen one since.
Replaced the 850G cable with a Slinky Glide which are supposed to be rubbish but it never caused me any bother in eight years of service.
I put a dab of Moly grease at the cable ends and not since the cables are lined will I put anything down there.
Broke a cable myself a few months back on the R1100R and got a good looking replacement from Venhill in the UK. Heard lots of good stuff about them.
https://www.venhill.co.uk/

Yep about 90degrees, arm pointed just a little bit out from straight ahead.

Did compare existing to new cable.

Yep, up between carb1&2 (is a sheild there to keep away from engine I suppose) ... makes turn along frame (that seems like sharpest turn)..... hum.. but goes over coil ... hum.... maybe that makes for tighter turn up by neck to head towrds handle bars... hhum....

Has lightend up some , with use, i think maybe the lube (80-90 gear oil) got to where it needed to be .

I can now hold at stop light, but dont want to, and is difficult to operate, say, turn signal while holding clutch......

[Redman]

Brian schooled me on this a couple years ago. Lube the lever pivot and socket for the knob on the end of the cable. If that's dry, knob can't rotate in the lever. It makes the lever harder to pull, and accelerates failure of the cable right there at the lever. The rest of my problem was routing. My bars are lower than stock, so I had a couple inches of cable that needed to go somewhere. I thought I had a good routing, but it was really just leading to a sharp bend. Brian convinced me of a better routing by just doing it. I think he could tell I didn't believe him when he said it could go where he put it. I have a nice, light clutch pull now. The lube at the pivoting points made a surprising difference. Dielectric grease was all we had on hand. The light was fading, Walmart was closing....

Yep, know about lubing that knob cylindrical thing on end of cable. It needs to rotate as pull the lever else it bends the cable strands... and, yah, now understand that would add to pull force needed if that didnt rotate.

I'll review routing (always listen to anything Brian has to say).

[Suzukian]

My bike has the original clutch cable. I check both ends regularly and they are solid. I don't understand why it has lasted this long, 40 years.

[Rob S.]

Cycle World once stated that with proper maintenance (and excluding tires, brakes, oil etc), every part on a motorcycle should last 100,000 miles. And that includes clutch cables and the clutch itself.

PS When you say the words "Cycle World," genuflect.

[hank2]

Thank for this thread, Redman. It reminds me that I have ignored the fraying clutch cable on my GS for way too long. Today, the tach cable started going wonky at anything but idle. I've only had a clutch and tach cable in the parts pile for about 3 years now.

I've probably lubed the ends once, four years ago. Mileage is at about 29k miles.

[Suzukian]

Cycle World once stated that with proper maintenance (and excluding tires, brakes, oil etc), every part on a motorcycle should last 100,000 miles. And that includes clutch cables and the clutch itself.

PS When you say the words "Cycle World," genuflect.

I got 40K out of my clutch, but I did pull a sidecar (it had quick disconnects) on and off for 6 years.

[Redman]

My bike has the original clutch cable. I check both ends regularly and they are solid. I don't understand why it has lasted this long, 40 years.

I suspect cuz you check regularly, and I suspect you lube that end in the lever.

Thank for this thread, Redman. It reminds me that I have ignored the fraying clutch cable on my GS for way too long. Today, the tach cable started going wonky at anything but idle. I've only had a clutch and tach cable in the parts pile for about 3 years now.

I've probably lubed the ends once, four years ago. Mileage is at about 29k miles.

Ha! Yep.
I too put off doing what know need to, but then something reminds me that should do it (or should have already).

[Redman]

Got pondering my clutch pull some more.
THought about the fact that what is happening is compressing some springs, and really compressing the springs very much.....

THen noticed how much force is needed to just to hold the lever at, say, 50%, and how much force is need to move it to say 75%, and then how much force to hold it at the 75%.
ANd thinking that are just compressing springs, so if it takes too much more force to move the lever than it does to just hold the lever the difference is the cable drag. . . . . and it did take a lot more force to move it than it did to hold it. . . . . OKAY!

.
.
.
How does your route compare with the service manual?
Up between inlets 1& 2, forward under the coils and under the tank hanger rubber?
There is a diagram in the manual on page 13-20 on the bwringer archive.
.
.]

Yep, I got FSM, and section for the GK has cable routing (I doubt clutch cable different than G, but are other cables that are different)......

Checking my routing. . . .


I see where clutch cable come up between carbs and then turn along the frame is something of a 90degr turn, that I was concerened about, so I made that turn a little wider and ran cable along upper part of the frame (which is above the coils),
But that is where the manul shows run along lower part of the frame (which is below the coils). . . . Huh ? That makes that 90deg turn a little tighter.

Ah ! Oh! But that makes the turn in front of the steering neck back to the handle bar narrower, and that is a 180degr turn.

If run cable along the bottom of the frame (below coils) like the FSM shows, that makes the 90 degree turn above the carbs just a little tighter, but then the 180degr turn up in front of the steering neck is lot wider.

So it sat for a few days cuz had other things going on, and another bike ready to go......

But yesterday I got it disconnected and rerouted.

Lot better. And smoother. Doesnt take much more effort to pull the lever than it does to hold it. Took for my moring ride today.

[bwringer]

*sniff*... I just love a happy ending!


Thanks for the kudos, Dale. Sorry if your left hand's Thor-like grip is fading with the lack of exercise.

One other thing I'll note: It's hard to tell whether this is an issue in the photo, but it is very common, inevitable in fact, that the hole in the lever wears slightly egg-shaped, and won't allow the round barrel at the end of the cable to rotate easily.

Especially in cases like this where the cable was just about gone, I always recommend a new OEM clutch lever. That should get you a factory-fresh clutch pull. Aftermarket levers can work if that's all you can get, but they're soft; OEM levers last many times longer.

Another small protip is that the aftermarket springs tend to be way too heavy. You might try installing three aftermarket springs with three OEM springs to lessen the lever effort somewhat while still preventing slipping.

[Who Dat?]

Yep, up between carb1&2 (is a sheild there to keep away from engine I suppose) ...

Some of those "shields" are flat steel, some are a bent wire. Either way, they are designed to hold the clutch cable away from the CARB LINKAGE, not the engine.

I have seen what happens when the cable gets caught by the carb linkage. Happened near full-throttle. The young lady on the back seat was NOT impressed.
Fortunately, the rider (not me) knew how to use the kill switch.