clutch and brake cables

4shorts · Post by **4shorts** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:50 pm

Joe I've never had a cable like the ones your showing but I have repaired many cables in the past and present. When I was doing my Dream the clutch cable I got off of Ebay was almost twice as long as it should have been so I shortened it. I looked around my files and found pictures of how I did the shortening and it's done as follows.

Compare the length of the new cable to the original one.

Cut the end off the new cable and pull the inner cable out of it's casing. Keep the chrome end and if it's damaged use the shank off a small drill bit to put the shape in it again.

Cut the casing to the desired length and reinstall the chrome end back on the cable and insert the inner cable back into the casing.

Take a 1/4 bolt and if you have a small lathe machine the bolt down until it resembles the original end that was on the cable that attaches to the clutch lever on the engine side.

Drill a small hole down through the machined part and use silver solder (not Lead solder) and attach the end to the cable.

Soldering it with Silver solder will be very strong and will not pull out and if done properly will not put heat on the cable it's self. Here's pictures to show how I do it. hope this helps you out, Good luck, Paul

joeweir1 · Post by **joeweir1** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 8:11 pm

Thanks Paul-I like the ends you made.I'm not able to do that, so I was using an old end.To pull the small chrome end cap off I just hit it with my torch or lighter quickly and that was enough to slide it off the rubber housing and reversed to put back on.I was using my plumbing solder which I believe is silver solder, but am having trouble getting it to stick like yours shows.If you look at your original cable end you can see where the cable is bent over in grooves and then soldered in the end to prevent pulling out I presume.Pulling out is what is happening on the two piece end.The cable is pulling out of the little ball where it is soldered.thanks

4shorts · Post by **4shorts** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:32 am

Joe silver solder is much different than lead solder. Silver solder has a very high content of silver in it and is used for welding pipes that are high pressure and has a very strong hold. It is also used on bicycle frames and the like.

Lead solder is very soft and although It's been used for cables for many years I find the silver solder holds up much better and very easy to use and work with. Silver solder is very expensive compared to lead solder but you get what you pay for. As for making a new end. You could use a file to do it as well. Paul

piecutter · Post by **piecutter** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:42 pm

Funny, Paul, I was getting ready to post pretty close to the same instructions. I also used a bolt for the barrel as well, but without a lathe on hand, a steady hand and a good eye can do wonders with a drill in a vise to spin the bolt and a file. I also used silver solder, not that the regular plumbers solder won't work, just that the silver is more stable and won't corrode.
Make sure you cut the end of the cable neatly, I found that a dremel cutoff wheel works well and doesn't leave it frayed. To get the cable to bond quickly and well, (I'm assuming youv'e already cleaned the cable of lube with some carb cleaner) first use flux on the cable and tin it with solder, only allowing the tip of the cable to touch the flame. You only want solder in the first half inch of the cable. Now flux and tin your barrel. Insert the cable and start heating the barrel. Once the solder on the barrel melts it will quickly start transfering heat to the solder already on the cable, so have the solder ready to feed just a bit more into the hole. Now, let cool for a few minutes, grind the tip smooth and serve!

Phil-UK · Post by **Phil-UK** » Thu May 01, 2008 8:34 am

Only just spotted this .. I'm in the process of shortening some cables I picked up cheap ( £1.00 or $2.00 ) and adapting them to my CB72 and have bought some new ferrules ( cable outer ends ) and nipples from one of the cable making companies that turn up at UK autojumbles.
The nipples are available in 2 forms; one is like the photos were the cable is soldered into a sleeve,
but the other is like a traditional Brit bike cable.
There is a thru hole for the cable but the farthest side is dished like a crater.
You cover the end of the cable inner in solder with the nipple further down the cable.
Then you hold the inner in a vice and mushroom the end of it so you can pull the nipple down and
solder the mushroomed bit into the dished part of the nipple, finally filing off any excess.
This provides a much stronger mechanical way of locking the cable and nipple together.

hope this is of use,

Phil