[ST] Cable Lubing

[Rich Hartwick <hartwick@xxxxxxx>]

I have been following the thread on broken clutch cables
with interest, and intend to order one as a spare, since
this an obvious moderate cost item to keep around, which can
create a real inconvenience if it breaks and spares are
backordered.

I was wondering if many of the listers with broken cables
have lubed them regularly?  My experience with both clutch
and throttle cables (and as my sons "mechanic" for their
Motocross, I get quite a bit) is that regular lubing of the
cables is critical for both their smooth operation and
longevity.  When I got my Sprint in March, I felt the clutch
cable was not as smooth as it should be, and lubed the cable
with a good spray lubricant forced into the cable with the
little clamp-type cable luber. It made a very noticible
difference in the lightness of the cable operation.  On my
street bikes, I disassemble, clean and grease all the lever
pivots, and lubricate the cables, twice a year.  It makes a
big difference in the drivability of the bike - there is
nothing worse than a heavy, sticky throttle cable to make
the bike feel like a pig.

It does seem odd that so many people are having clutch cable
breakages.  It may be that there was a batch of weak cables,
but in any event, routine maintenance of the cable certainly
cannot hurt, although this is an obvious item many people
tend to neglect.


Rick Hartwick
00 Sprint ST
South New Berlin, NY


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