Clutch cable maintainance FYI

Just a quick note.

I'm pretty anal about keeping after the chain and clutch cable, maintainance wise.

The other day, my clutch lever started a "dry squeek", very annoying. I do use HD yamaha Marine grease in the lever pivot bolt, etc as well as pressure cable lube.

Later after I got home, I re-lubed (both methods posted above) which about fixed the issue (about 17,200 miles on the closk-original cable) back to normal.

Not satified, I put maybe a teaspoon and a half of Mobil one 10w30 full synthetic engine oil, down the curved part of the upper clutch cable (working the cable up and down some). I used a small spare syringe to apply it into the cable.

It made SUCH A DIFFERENCE in smoothness, it has NEVER been so smooth , probably soother than a new cable. Damn near stalled the bike the clutch feel was so different and easy. (about 200,000 bike miles under my belt total-lifetime). I suppose the difference between a cable lube(guessing 5 wt, vs 10 wt, makes a BIG difference)

I am familiar with a fellow members cable luber using oil (don't know the weight) but this was basicaly free and un-limited.

Anyway, if your bored, your left hand is considerably larger than your right, something to consider... :thumbup:

Its pretty much a night and day difference going from crunch - a - matic to butter smooth! I fully agree ^^!

I use a small a syringe with 0.030" Teflon tubing glued to it. Having a qt of Mobile One 10 - 40wt to use up, well the cable is happy! :thumbup:

Teflon tubing is 0.015" ID and 0.030" OD and with the cable end disconnected this tubing will slide down inside the cable sheath for a no mess application.

This *may* turn into a debate, but I have to share my experience and belief with you all:

I experimented with lubricating cables on mountain bikes. Initially, the improvement in feel was drastic.. smooth and frictionless. However, within 3-4 rides, they would begin to feel worse than they felt before lubing them. I was fairly certain this was due to dirt mixing with lubrication and gunking up the housing. I confirmed it by pulling the cables out of housing and seeing thick, black muck coating the cables.

Now.. of course road motorcycles don't see nearly as much dirt, but I still think that over time, gunk will build up in cable housing as lubrication mixes with dust.

So.. my bike has 25k on it on cables have never been lubed. I check them regularly for signs of rust and plan to replace them if I spot any .. or worse if there's fraying.

So far, both clutch and throttle are still very smooth.

I'm not suggesting that everyone should use my approach, but it has served me well and I will continue to keep my cables dry.

:scared:

The owner's manual actually states to use engine oil.

From the cycling world I use Tri-flow- teflon based light oil. Clutch pull is light.

darius said:

The owner's manual actually states to use engine oil.

.

Click to expand...

Absolutly, but like anything else, we try products that may very well work better, (ie, most agree they have a favorite tire that ISN'T OEM, SS brakes lines, etc).

I still used the pressure luber to blow the crap out but with that bend in FZ upper clutch cable, that heavier, synthetic lube (and I used a syringe as well, no needle , just worked a little bit into it) made SUCH a night and day difference.

I wanted to post how something so minor, easy (and cheap) can make such a difference.

Well worth the 10 minutes it may take IMO.. :thumbup:

TownsendsFJR1300 said:

Absolutly, but like anything else, we try products that may very well work better, (ie, most agree they have a favorite tire that ISN'T OEM, SS brakes lines, etc).

I still used the pressure luber to blow the crap out but with that bend in FZ upper clutch cable, that heavier, synthetic lube (and I used a syringe as well, no needle , just worked a little bit into it) made SUCH a night and day difference.

I wanted to post how something so minor, easy (and cheap) can make such a difference.

Well worth the 10 minutes it may take IMO.. :thumbup:

Click to expand...

It was funny as sh$t the day PDX Jon pulled the clutch on my bike as it was effortless (( Insert :drool::drool: )) I think he either lubed or replaced his cable by the next ride after seeing how it could work! lol But OMG was his a wrist destroyer and C R U N C H Y!!!!!!

As it stand now there is a black slurry dripping out on the engine from the NASTY inside the cable. More is better to carry away the chunks! Blah

The old HD cop bikes were terrible re clutch pull and literally 10x harder than the FZ.

Yep, once you realize how easy it can pull (without the now unavailable KN noodle mod), its now how I'll be doing it as SOP...

RE the slurry, I keep a folded up paper towel under the lowest part of the curved clutch cable to catch that nastiness. Un-less your looking for it, you don't notice it. It also keeps you from later trying to track down an "oil leak" (that doesn't exist)..

TownsendsFJR1300 said:

RE the slurry, I keep a folded up paper towel under the lowest part of the curved clutch cable to catch that nastiness. Un-less your looking for it, you don't notice it. It also keeps you from later trying to track down an "oil leak" (that doesn't exist)..

Click to expand...

Speaking of leaks.. there is an in-line slack adjuster under the tank. Doesn't that leak if you push oil in from the top of cable housing (at the lever)?

Do you guys also do the throttle cables?

I have done my clutch cable last year and it feels great, my throttle feels great, but maybe it could feel even better!

Erci said:

Speaking of leaks.. there is an in-line slack adjuster under the tank. Doesn't that leak if you push oil in from the top of cable housing (at the lever)?

Click to expand...

I never noticed any but just literally went to the garage and checked.

What I got when I reached up and touched the bottom the the mid cable adjuster was a nice BLACK FILM (grunge), thin, not runny, below that film, the cable was dry. I suspect the pressure tool forced some of its film out.

I'll likely wipe it off tomorrow, but with that said, I've had the bike almost 6 years (always used the pressure tool) and cleaned that area (around the adjuster) maybe once in that time frame.

The goo does drip (with time) at the lower curve of the cable (by the starter) if you put plenty in there. I usually leave that folded up piece of paper towel in there for maybe 4 months, till its about saturated..

Carlos840 said:

Do you guys also do the throttle cables?

I have done my clutch cable last year and it feels great, my throttle feels great, but maybe it could feel even better!

Click to expand...

I do those cables as well, but rarely (every 2-3 years maybe???) or if I notice their getting stiffer.

There's not much pull /push on those cables vs the clutch cable obviously..

You'll generally get more drag with crap in between the throttle tube and the handle bar, then the cables... (of course depending on your riding conditions..)

Just a little bit of engine oil, on the right bar end (under the throttle tube), after the throttle tube and bars are spotless clean, can make a difference, again, depending on how much crap is in there..

Erci said:

Speaking of leaks.. there is an in-line slack adjuster under the tank. Doesn't that leak if you push oil in from the top of cable housing (at the lever)?

Click to expand...

Yes, it seeps at that joint and runs down the cable to where its level and drips on the trans section of the case. However, most of it oozes out the end on the right side.

Is your R6 hydraulic or cable (and what year if its hyd)?
I have thought about adapting a slave down there. Not sure its worth the effort tho!

FinalImpact said:

Yes, it seeps at that joint and runs down the cable to where its level and drips on the trans section of the case. However, most of it oozes out the end on the right side.

Is your R6 hydraulic or cable (and what year if its hyd)?
I have thought about adapting a slave down there. Not sure its worth the effort tho!

Click to expand...

Its an 05 and its cable:

Yamaha Motorcycle Parts 2005 YZF-R6 - YZFR6T CLUTCH Diagram

If you bring up any FJR parts fisch, you'll see the clutch slave cylinder is on the left side of the bike, with a shaft running thru the engine. With this specific design, its certainly not a bolt on mod, I don't think you could do it if you had a complete shop..

08 FJR: Yamaha Motorcycle Parts 2008 FJR 1300A - FJR13AXB CLUTCH Diagram

The pic is the FJR clutch set up

TownsendsFJR1300 said:

Its an 05 and its cable:

Yamaha Motorcycle Parts 2005 YZF-R6 - YZFR6T CLUTCH Diagram

Click to expand...

Yup. R6 is cable.