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Clutch cable lubricate?


jbird

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Okay so I lubricated my clutch cable, removed the lever and applied directly into cable housing and hose, and moved the cable up and down several times, by hand..after checking in the morning, residue had trickled down to the opposite end as expected, this usually works for abt 100 m or less, before the clutch lever begins to freeze up again making it a real bear to pull back, and it's getting aggravating, any ideas, or thoughts, am I lubricating this right, please inform

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What are you using for cable lube?
 

Okay so I lubricated my clutch cable, removed the lever and applied directly into cable housing and hose, and moved the cable up and down several times, by hand..after checking in the morning, residue had trickled down to the opposite end as expected, this usually works for abt 100 m or less, before the clutch lever begins to freeze up again making it a real bear to pull back, and it's getting aggravating, any ideas, or thoughts, am I lubricating this right, please inform
 
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bmwpowere36m3

You definitely have to do it every so often, but 100 miles seems crazy. Are you washing the bike a lot or riding in rain? I use a Motion Pro cable luber and Champions Choice lube. Put a rag at the cable on the engine-side and squirt for about 5 seconds. Leave the rag in place for a while, till the lube stops dripping down. Lubricate the lever, pivot and metal-end of cable that goes into perch adjuster with Belray waterproof grease.
 
I haven't done it yet on my FZ-07, but on my other street bike I do it once or twice a year…. so about 3k miles. On my dirt bike, its a much more frequent affair.
 
I would inspect the cable and ends to make sure its not fraying. Also make sure the clutch free-play is properly adjusted. Finally make sure it's properly routed and has no kinks. When I do an oil change, I find it makes the clutch effort easier as well…

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I have never lubricated my cables in 3,300 miles. They feel the same as they always have. I probably should do it though.

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Maybe I didn't use enough, I don't know...how would I tell if the cable is frayed, how does that even happen

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It's clear to me how the problem developed, it's just aggravating that it should be an easy fix, and as of now doesn't appear so

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Maybe it's lubricantion in the lever pivot area, how about lithium Greese for that or any other suggestions

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Maybe it's lubricantion in the lever pivot area, how about lithium Greese for that or any other suggestions
 
 
Wouldn't hurt to lube the lever pivot. Lithium grease is suitable. Inspect the length of the cable for splits or cracks in the outer sheath.

Everything went braap.

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If the cables are teflon lined, then you pretty much never have to lube them unless they are subjected to pressure washers and get rusty inside somehow . Had a 14 year old R100RS that was a daily commuter and saw rain routinely as well as road salt far too many times. Never once lubed those cables and they were fine when I sold the bike.
 
BTW, neither the pivot bolt nor the lock nut underneath have to be super tight. Does the lever pivot freely w/o the cable?
 
Have you replaced the bars with ones that are lower? I've noticed in picts of bikes where the bars have been swapped out that both sets of cables have to take on sharper bends.
 
Valvoline makes a synthetic wheel bearing grease that has moly (it's quite dark grey) in it that's perfect to lube those pivots ( as well as shift lever, bra lever etc) . As for the cable, if I was to bother, think I'd just use silicone from a spray can. Believe it or not, Liquid Wrench is a decent cable lube. It also has molybdenum.
 
 
 
 

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Okay disassembled, the lever once again, and regreased with cable life and pivot portions with lith grease, I did, and was surprised to see a small fray between the free play dial adjuster and lever, abt and inch to the butt end of cable, but I don't think it's anything that will cause friction
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8 years and 43k miles on my old bike and never once lubed the throttle or clutch cable. Seems like the only people with issues are the ones using lube lol

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Replace the cable.
Period.
 
Make sure it's routed correctly.
 
Sometime, the bike will be dropped on the clutch lever, bending the lever in a way that the hole where the end of the cable connects to the lever gets pinched down over the end of the cable.
This prevents the cable end from pivoting in the hole in the lever as it should when you pull the lever.
This eventually fatigues the cable wire and it frays.That's why the end of the cable has that funny gray-colored nylon-like cover over it - to aid in the pivoting of the cable end within the lever hole.

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thomascrown

I'd rather replace the cable once every couple years than deal with lube getting sludgy, messing w the cables operation.

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Yes I did remember dropping my bike in a tip over, and bending the lever it probably frayed over time and I never noticed it

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bmwpowere36m3
I have seen one other case of a frayed cable on the MT it was replaced under warranty.
If its within 1 yr... maybe. Clutch (throttle as well) cables wear and more so if not properly lubricated, especially at the ends (like YZEtc mentioned).  The barrel-ends need to pivot in either the lever, throttle wheel or throttle tube.
I'd get new cables from MP for $20 or so and be done with it.
 
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How much is a cable and how easy is the install, anyone done it
 
 
Looks like you'd just have to pull the panels and tank to route the cables, maybe the headlight too. Not technically difficult, just a little time consuming.

Everything went braap.

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Yeah, gotta agree, it's really hard to ride these thing home with a broken clutch cable - replace it
 
Unscrew the barrel adjuster and look for any sharp edges - especially where that split is cut.

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Just ordered one...removing the gas panels is not nessisary the cable runs just behind the headlights shroud behind the radiator, you can pull it out by hand. What I'm not sure of is how the cable is fed thrugh its insulation sheath if the butt ends are already crimped on from the factory
 

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the butt end at the engine case is smaller than the one at the lever end, which appears small enough to run through, but cant be sure until i actually go to work on it

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