Fixed my broken clutch cable for $1.97

Hello all. My clutch cable broke as I pulled into work yesterday. It was a bit of a rough ride home, but I made it. Got the weirdest looks when starting out after a light. Go figure.

Anyway, it was the little knob on the end of the cable where it hooks into the pull lever that came apart. I use my bike daily so I didn't want to wait for shipping and I hate to buy a whole new cable just because the knob came off. So I went to Home Depot and poked around. In the electrical department I found this little terminal lug. Snatched it up and came home. The round part fits perfectly in the lever and the opening is just big enough for the clutch cable!

I took my handy Dremel tool and cut off the tab and smoothed it into a circle. If you don't get the tab completely removed it won't fit. I then screwed it onto the end of the cable and inserted it into the lever. Fits like a glove.

I was worried that the screw wouldn't grip the cable tight enough to keep it from coming loose when the lever was pulled, but it has worked great so far.

Just thought I would share this fix since getting the job done while saving some cash makes me happy.

John

 

Can always try some solder too if it doesn't hold. I like this.

 

Nice tip! Thanks for sharing! I have some cable shortening to do over the winter, so this'll come in handy.

 

RE: RudieDelRude

I thought about soldering the connection as well, but I really stink at soldering with a torch. Anything that even resembles plumbing gives me the hives! But since it is a copper terminal soldering it shouldn't be too hard.

I was hoping I could fix my choke cable as well since there are 2 terminals in the pack, but the holes are different sizes.

John

 

Good work JLWD thats Mac Gyver at the best!

 

I carry a similar piece, made for the purpose, along with an allen wrench to fit its screw, in my toolkit on the Norton.

Don't consider it a permanent fix unless you can solder it, "fill" it with epoxy or JBWeld. But to get you back on the road quickly, it's a solid idea.

 

Yeah, epoxy or JB is what I was thinking, too.

 

Don't know why epoxy didn't come to mind earlier. I have some in the garage. It sits right there next to the duct tape and zip ties.

It's been a long week!

John

 

I carry a few of these in different sizes and made for this purpose, they are meant as a temporary repair though as after a while the salt and grime get into it and cause corrosion (well, in the UK it does) but soldering would solve that.
can't remember where I got them though
Another trick is when a cable breaks further from the nipple, use an electrical block connecter to clamp the broken ends together, you know the type -encased in plastic with two terminal screws, It got me home once when the throttle cable broke and lasted over a year.

 

Damn I love this site

Clutch cable broke just as I parked the bike at home tonight...
Trying to locate a replacement tomorrow, if not then will try thisfix as I order a new one, still a couple of weeks riding to get in,

Gotta keep the old hirl running until I put her up for the winter, then may see if Icxan swing a deal on a Seca 750 I spotted, if he has no takers, may be able to snag it in the spring

 

Well hell, wish I would have known about this when mine broke a little while ago, could have saved $80 on a ramp to get it in the back of a buddies pick up. Is there a quick fix section anywhere?

 

The END that breaks-off is called a "KNARP"

http://www.mopedshop.com/Moped-Cables-s ... s-s/38.htm

 

I have a different name for it. 8O

 

that fix is going to fail, at a red light when a open pipe Harley pulls next to you and you rev your engine just to see if it's still running. then you lurch forward, wedging the front wheel under the bar on the back of the semi, as he drifts back a foot starting out, your wedged wheel smashes and the forks bend back and the tire pops. the truck drives away and the texting lady behind you hits send about the same time she hits your tail light. the Harley guy thought that was pretty cool and drives off. you drop the bike and drag it off the road with miss text yelling the whole time then some old fart stops and tells you about the honda 150 he had back in '65.
buy a damm cable

 

Wow...the ultimate in glass half empty Polock, does that take some sort of special training?

 

knowing and caring how you feel, are two different things

 

Dang, P; I think that was the most words I've ever seen you type in one post.

This one's true:

I broke a clutch cable once on the "Seney Stretch" a 30-mile long completely straight and level and quite deserted stretch of M-28 in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, just as I shifted from third to fourth on my old Triumph 500.

Old Triumphs' clutch adjusters didn't screw into the perch, like the Yammies, it slid in. And no rubber boot. So when the end came off and the cable sprang loose from its position, it flung the cable adjuster in a nice high arc into the roadside weeds. I watched it go and tried to "memorize" where it landed as I stopped the bike. Riiigght.

Watching it sail through the air and finding it afterward were two different things. I HAD a spare cable with me; but without the adjuster at the perch, it was useless.

It took a little over two hours to find it. Do you have any idea what people throw out car windows when they're out in the middle of nowhere? I found a poopy diaper, fer chrissakes.

(My Norton's cable adjuster is wire-tied to the perch.)

Lesson to be learned: Had I not had a spare clutch cable, I would have been much worse off. I've since learned that properly maintained and inspected cables generally don't fail. As soon as you see ONE frayed wire break away from the end, replace the cable.

 

imho, its worth it just to spend the extra 10 bucks and buy a new one.

This is where i got mine, i replaced it just for shits when i installed new friction discs.

http://www.d2moto.com/p-30441-1982-1983 ... cable.aspx

 

I will be ordering a new cable, just looking for a temp fix while i wait..
None in stock locally so looking at a 3 days to a week probably.
Can't order until Tuesday.

Coudn't find a lug, so I'm in the process if trying to re tip the end, solder metheod.
So just looking to get this to last for 3-4 days, thien if it still looks go, can become a spare.

Prefer the piece of mind of a new cable, should've ordered a new one a week or 2 ago, when I noticed the end was starting to look a bit off (more flat than round)

 

Reporing in ......

Repair failure, finally got a new end on via the solder metheod,....\

lost a bit more of te cable than I had originally thought, couldn\t get it reattached withougt trinimd the casin...g..., while attempting to apply a bit more pressure to get it in place the end came off....so it wouldn't have held up to a day in traffic...

Sooooo grounded until I get a new cable.......

 

You have to be resourceful when you get challenged by a situation like the Clutch Cable failing.

Having a spare on-board would be ideal.
20/20 hindsight.
Not likely.

How well can you Up and Downshift without a the Clutch.
Being able to hobble-along, even slowly, would help rescue yourself.

Use ingenuity.
A Commercial Lawnmower Repair Site might be able to rescue you in a pinch.
A High-Line Bicycle Store with an A-1 Repair and Tuning Department could save you.

How close is the nearest MC Bone-Yard?

Having the phone number of a PARTS Outlet that will FEDEX your order to where you are broke-down waiting for the overnight-box would be smart.

Having a replacement Cable Wire with the Lower-end Knarp soldered-on and the Correct-sized Knarp needed to make a Repaired Cable Wire, ... on-the-list of stuff to take along with you before setting-out on a Cross Country adventure.

 

Agree withg the spare set idea, never a bad idea to have on hand....
Somethintg I think I'll look into.

No boneyards nearby, closest one is in New Brunswick, and I hear he is crazy expensive as well. I can check with my local shop, they do some minor scrapping, are open tomorrow, had nothing new instoc, but will order.

I like the kharl/inner cable idea. definately a potential butt saver.

JUst gotta keep her functional until I put her away, then I can get her fixed up more...
If I can get a deal worked out for the 750 in the spring, need to get her prepped for sale

 

Everyone knows how to ride a bike with no clutch, or should I do a how to?

 

I'd like to see a how to, something I've yet to try
I suppose a google search would turn up a lot of arguments

 

It's not real tuff to do, just a matter of timing. The challenge is starting from a dead stop. It one of those "have to" situations, and when you have to ride with a broken clutch cable, it should be the best route directly to your house or a place to stop and get the bike home. And plan your route while in route to avoid "full" stops uphill. I actually only use the clutch to start off in first, other than that it is not necessary to pull the clutch in to shift gears.

 

Dead stop starts and downshiting I'm thinking are the big trick.

 

The trick is avoiding a "Dead-stop & Stall"
Then, even if you have a 650, ... you need "Pushers"

I hobble along slowly.
If I hit a light, ... take a right and U-turn.
You can get through the gears by Coaster-shifting.
It's easier to Up-shift.

 

somebody on here a long time ago talked about vise-grips on the clutch arm and using their foot to work it.
thanks whoever you were

 

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... hless.html

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... grips.html

 

New cable ordered.... waiting........

 

Riding without the clutch only requires a rolling start. Everything else can be done without one. I shift over half the time without one and have been doing so for 30 some odd years. To call a truck for a tow is just wasting time that could be used riding.

Now takeoffs in town are a trick because of the traffic but in the country it is pretty easy if you are not going uphill. Just give a lil push roll and bump into first. The rest is easy cheesy. Now if you are on a mammoth of a bike then that may be difficult.

 

personal experience?

 

three times

 

Warm the bike up, then turn it off.

Put in first, push forward as you hit the starter.

 

for Polock

 

New cable installed, a bit of a PITA but done.
Would have been less of a PITA if wasn't cold and dark
LED flashlights with a headband rock