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Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:02 pm
by Mikey
Hi, I soldered up my own front brake cable 38,000 miles ago and intend to do a spare, as I do not know how much longer this one well last. No sign of fraing yet.
My question - what solder should I use for the nipples?
I was given some with the cable last time. Will ordinary electrical solder be OK?
Thanks.
Mikey
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:28 pm
by PeteF
Ordinary electrical solder will do the job. The most important part is to separate the strands and splay them properly. Everything must be completely grease-free and the barrels/nipples must be the correct size for the cable. The strength is not in the solder but in the way the strands are splayed.
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 8:46 pm
by Alan R
Might I just add}--- if you put a bit of a countersink in the end of the hole where the cables are to be frayed --it helps increase the strength a bit !!
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:47 am
by PeteF
Quite right Alan, decent fittings should be countersunk already.
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 9:01 am
by Dennis C
Don't forget this is the front brake, one day your life may depend on it working. Different solders have different tensile strength, electrical solder has quite a low tensile strength it may well look like it is doing the job but is it worth taking the risk?.
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:14 am
by Mikey
Thank you all for your replies,
I gently splay them around the countersunk hole and tap them with a centre punch to fully splay them and then solder, never had a cable pull out yet.
Seasons Greetings.
Mikey
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:21 am
by Alan R
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 10:24 am
by Alan R
What went wrong there ???-------------Oh well, try again}..... You could use one of those nipples with a built-in clamping screw to help set the length, then solder as well ??
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:26 am
by Dennis C
"Thank you all for your replies, I gently splay them around the countersunk hole and tap them with a centre punch to fully splay them and then solder, never had a cable pull out yet. Seasons Greetings. Mikey"
Then you had the answer before you asked the question?. I sincerely hope you don't have one pull out in the future.
Nipples - (on the bike silly)
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:53 am
by Dennis C
Just to show I really do care you can find an interesting discussion here.
http://www.classicmotorcycleforum.com/i ... pic=4224.0
and you can buy the correct solder and flux here.
http://www.carrotcycles.co.uk/index.php ... &cat_id=66