Forum

[grunda 12]

niether do i edward but electra owners and efi owners do by the way,im sure i said it was down to soldering but i may be wrong will speak to a metalurgy expert we need to get to the bottom of this i see

[Noel (ogri)]

Johnny singles take a chill pill and consider this. Your cables may be made with brass nipples and decent cable of a suitable size but modern cables that I have bought have nipples of solder cast onto the cable which funnily enough have not been spread at the back and your bars might be set at such an angle as to give an easy curve though the nacelle . Lucky you lol
My leanburn has completed 5000 miles since december and now has a total of 15k from new oh and it lives in the open air and on dirty roads but is lubricated . Truth is its the cable size that has much to do with this .Also should you read a previous post the supplied english cable was a full 9 inches shorter than its predecesor.Perhaps if you do indeed have a magical method for routeing and that it is the problem then post it in the technical notes and share your luck with us all.

[Bullet Whisperer]

Both our racing Enfields still have the clutch cables I built them with in 2005 [ish] for the 500 and the 350 built a bit earlier recived a new cable only when I fitted the 5 speed box about 5 years ago, making it neccessary to use the type suited to the new box. These came new from Hitchcocks and none have broken, although we have changed a throttle cable or two. I don't know what they have done in miles, probably several thousand each, but they get some pretty rough treatment while going about their buisiness. My 350 Indian Bullet had one clutch cable break and this was badly frayed when I bought the bike as a non runner.-- Paul.

[simon]

There seems to be a need to take offence at various peoples opinions and claims which is counter productive and unpleasant lets keep it polite chaps there is simply no need for rudeness. I've no doubt that at least 50% of my numerous cable failures are due to poor soldering. Getting decent tinning on the cable and avoiding killed spirits of salts as a flux has made a big difference so too has using harder nickel solder but where its the combination of repro levers and possibly that the vast amount of my mileage being in a built up city environment I do tend to get through a few cables. This is only a mild inconvenience and provides opportunities for experimentation. One thing I have discovered is that thicker cable doesn't seem to last any longer as a clutch cable. Happy days!

[Midge]

I can never understand why a cable adjuster is fitted in the middle, right above the chain case. They never have a smooth curve and it seems to me a place where strain can occur. I keep a spare clutch cable in the toolbox with a spark plug and tools as it would get me out of trouble if it ever broke. I haven't needed it yet though!

[grunda 12]

this thread was about poor quality clutch cables and what could be done to raise the quality ,then you get the school that have never had a clutch cable problem
(i belong to that school) although there are some owners not so fortunate!! electra and efi men,and some classic bullet owners, so telling them youve never had a problem doesn,t help ,the statement that a poor workman blames his tools is unjust and a sneery clever remark ,a clutch cable is a wearing part operated by a lever NOT A TOOL (wearing moving part sometimes prone to failure depending on quality)morale of this story is don,t raise awareness of poor quality parts as there is always someone who trys to tommy top the origional contributor!!

[Norm]

My little trick is to use 2&1/2% silver solder and a propane torch. Little blob on the end for carby end, bigger blob for twistgrip end if you don't have the nipple and a bit of filing/grinding to get it to fit. Brake/clutch, use the standard nipple, drill a recess in the nipple, bolb of solder and then it can float in the recess. Again grind/file the end to allow it to fit into the brake/clutch levers. Same deal on the other end

[Dennis C]

Clutch cables,clutch cables, clutch cables. How on earth do people get so het up over them?. ------- Prior to having to register to use this message board there where many people falling out and hiding behind a variety on names, I thought this had all come to and end, come on Guys Simon says, ------- "There seems to be a need to take offence at various peoples opinions and claims which is counter productive and unpleasant lets keep it polite chaps there is simply no need for rudeness." and I do agree with him, If what you have to say is sarcastic, unpleasant or non constructive please don't post it.

[JOHNNY SINGLES]

Grundy 12, if you had taken time to read my post properly you see that I said that the cable should be routed the best way and not that I had my own way of doing this! By the way all my bikes have been iron barrelled, kickstart, electric start, four speed and five speed. All my cables have been factory fitted ones.

[Riggers]

Well I'll throw in my two pennyworth. Good manners cost nothing. Simply voice your opinion and let others take from it what they will; nothing is gained from trying to get one over on another contributor. Are we not all trying to simply achieve the same thing here? ie sorting out problems with our bikes by pooling our knowledge? For what it's worth, starting in 1970 I've ridden thousands upon thousands of miles on BSAs, Triumphs, Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and yes, Royal Enfields and NEVER, EVER had a cable failure of any description. In all cases I've taken the trouble to lubricate them, and find the best route. Maybe I'm lucky (like Eddie?), or maybe taking care pays off.