Norm shortening a throttle cable

Ilikeabikea · Jun 20, 2009

Norm showing how to shorten a throttle cable on the carb end..........
some where in the video I'm measuring the dia of the cable end ferrule I say its 0.016 should be 0.116 my uncle caught that.
Bob and I did a cable end by pouring it, his camera acted up I think he didn't get it on video so he's never posted it or else I was cussing too much???... I just don't know.

lowrider · Jun 20, 2009

Nice how-to flick

So why did you do that? only to be able to push that cap up some on the cable?

or am I missing something??

Ilikeabikea · Jun 20, 2009

He had the adjustment all the way out on the carb taking up the slack. So he did it to take the slack out and show other people how to do it. Norms just that kind of guy.................

lowrider · Jun 20, 2009

Ok so the cable was too long? couldn't you just do some creative cable mounting to counter that ?

Norman · Jun 20, 2009

not if you want a shorter cable or need to make that cable end it was for showing how to do it mine was way to long so I used it for the show and tell. made the adjusting part not stick all the way out when I was done shorting the inner cable.
Norman

donuts31 · Jun 21, 2009

I've used this method to make new throttle cables from brake cables instead of waiting for one to come in from a vendor.

Goat Herder · Jun 22, 2009

Very cool video explains a lot! I liked you metric crescent wrench set.LOL I am going to try this thanks for sharing Norm! That pesky little cable will break soon enough.

skyliner · Aug 2, 2009

hey thanks for the tip just saved me having to wait for shipping my throttlecable jus broke so ima use an old brake cable now thanks norm hey can i get silver solder from home depot

Russell · Aug 11, 2009

Norman said:
not if you want a shorter cable or need to make that cable end it was for showing how to do it mine was way to long so I used it for the show and tell. made the adjusting part not stick all the way out when I was done shorting the inner cable.
Norman

Thanks for the tip it solves my problem with what to do wit the excess t-cable on a occ build!

Sparks66 · Nov 19, 2009

Thanks for sharing. My cable is way too long. Why in the world is there so much slack in the cable? I guess it's another poor quality control thing. So I went to the hardware store and bought the required materials and will try it out on some surplus cable and then go for it on the real thing.

Blakenstein · Nov 20, 2009

The slack is there to allow full tightening from a full closed slack adjustmen screw while at its slackest point, it will still acheive full throttle from a full closed throttle thus, as you ride your bike, in time , the new cable will strech -then the set screw be opened to compinsate. My cable allows this and am i ever glad because it was designed so that it can be cut several times, before it becomes too short to allow full CLOSED throttle -then all you have to do is cut off a bitt of housing.:/

Blakenstein · Nov 20, 2009

donuts31 said:
I've used this method to make new throttle cables from brake cables instead of waiting for one to come in from a vendor.

I tired brake cable also but i found that they were too thick for housing causing lots of resistance. Ended up braking. I will use bike shifter cable and grind down little nib at end to fit the carburetor slot and then cut the cable at other end to fit throttle -then I will use Norms cable ends to attach to throttle and I just happen to have two of norms cable ends, yep, I went and made them ,they are amongst the greatest things this forum could ever have. The extra length of my "stock " cable allows me to repair it more than once if it snaps,but of course I have to have Norms cable ends and I already have them. The time and trouble it took to make them is nothing compared to the time and trouble they will save. :/ cvlt1

toker_ace · Nov 20, 2009

I love the very end of the video......."Get on there ..You PIG!" LOL! laff

Those things can be frustrating!

flybytaco · Nov 23, 2009

awesome norm, I always wondered how to make a new tit on the end without buying the brass ones for cable kits there a rip off!!!

bairdco · Jan 18, 2010

why isn't this a sticky?

edit: ok, did someone just sneak in here and sticky this, or am i losing what's left of my mind thanks to a whole day of rain giving me cabin fever?

Norman · Jan 19, 2010

you must of lost what you had it been a sticky for a while. LOL!

Some people have asked what the phone wire does or what it for?
I wrap the single strand of copper wire around the cable,one layer thick
(around 5 turns)tightly to make a sort of spiral wrapped knob which is the
replacement for the tit( ferrule) that was on the end. I apply only enough silver
solder to fill the cable and the wrapped on phone wire no need to gob on a big booger
of solder. the solder is a way of solidly attaching the phone wire to the cable
which once attached is the new end for the cable

taddthewadd · Mar 8, 2010

Norm, I watched the video but it was pretty blurry so I couldn't see any detail. I get the general idea of what you are doing but couldn't see a few parts. One is I think you wound some copper wire somewhere and the other is I couldn't see what the solder was for or where you put it. Is the solder acting as the little ball stopper at the end of the cable.

Do you think you could post a pic of the final product?

Norman · Mar 8, 2010

The solder is used on the wrapped on phone wire. The solder bonds the phone wire to the cable
making the wrapped on wire the cable end.
Use just enough solder to fill in the wires.
Practice on a scrap cable to get it right. You will see how it works once you try doing it.

taddthewadd · Mar 8, 2010

So you wrap the wire on just the very end? like say the last 3-4 mm?

Norman · Mar 8, 2010

measure where you want the end to be wrap the phone wire around the cable for 3 to 4 mm
in length (the phone wire becomes the tit you will need for the end) silver solder the tit to the cable clean off the flux/boogers then trim off the excess length.

http://motorbicycling.com/f39/motorized-bicycle-carburetor-install-rebuild-302.html
go to permalink #17 on page #2 it shows a photo of the cable end
look closely there is a length of cable with the phone wire wrapped on it. I have a arrow pointing to the phone wire wrapped on the cable. The phone wire is not trimmed or soldered on on that length of cable. then towards the bottom right side is an example of the tit and cable end, its a short chunk of cable with an end soldered on made from phone wire.
hope that helps you.

Norm shortening a throttle cable

Active Member

New Member

Active Member

New Member

LORD VADER Moderator

New Member

Gutter Rider

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Member

Member

Member

Metal Molding Madman

a guy who makes cool bikes

LORD VADER Moderator

New Member

LORD VADER Moderator

New Member

LORD VADER Moderator