Norm shortening a throttle cable
- Thread starter Ilikeabikea
- Start date
yes.
i've used a strand of the brake cable itself. it's a little harder to get the solder to stick, but it works.
one major thing about doing this, though.
when you're done, yank on that little sucker as hard as you can and make sure it's on there. if it falls off and gets sucked into your engine, throttle cable length will be the least of your worries.
i've used a strand of the brake cable itself. it's a little harder to get the solder to stick, but it works.
one major thing about doing this, though.
when you're done, yank on that little sucker as hard as you can and make sure it's on there. if it falls off and gets sucked into your engine, throttle cable length will be the least of your worries.
thanks norm, just did this today and it did the trick 
got rid of all the extra cable hanging around on my handlerbars
got rid of all the extra cable hanging around on my handlerbars 
Today I was working on my never ending first build. I finally got up to installing the throttle. Of course like everyone else, mines too long. I did a search to see if anyone had any suggestions and came across this thread.
Many thanks to Norm. I followed his directions in his very good video and it worked like a champ and really was easy as pie. I'll never be intimidated by that again.
I want to praise this video as well. i cant wait to chop down my throttle cable. i have a huge loop circling my other cables.
Question about the silver solder though. Does it have a much higher melting temp? so it wont heat up and come off in the carb?
also in heating the cable-
i dont know if my cheap soldering iron can do the job, short of making a dry joint, and i wouldnt trust that.
i guess im wondering if im going to need to buy a torch?
Question about the silver solder though. Does it have a much higher melting temp? so it wont heat up and come off in the carb?
also in heating the cable-
i dont know if my cheap soldering iron can do the job, short of making a dry joint, and i wouldnt trust that.
i guess im wondering if im going to need to buy a torch?
You will need a propane torch if you use real silver solder it melts at very high temperature the cable and copper will be glowing hot.
A soldering iron will not work.
keep the heat right on the wrapped copper don't try to get too much heat on the cable except where the copper is. You will also need a flux. Borax is what I use for flux. When you hit the proper temp the solder will flow into the copper and cable like water the flux will turn to a sort of glass like looking poo. You can clean the glass looking flux off with a wire wheel. It takes only a match head size or less of solder,you should be able to still see the wraps of copper wire. Done properly the end will never come off.
Too bad the video of me pouring an end on a cable using a home made mold using wheel weight lead had turned out, I remember Bob had problems with the camera's battery.
A soldering iron will not work.
keep the heat right on the wrapped copper don't try to get too much heat on the cable except where the copper is. You will also need a flux. Borax is what I use for flux. When you hit the proper temp the solder will flow into the copper and cable like water the flux will turn to a sort of glass like looking poo. You can clean the glass looking flux off with a wire wheel. It takes only a match head size or less of solder,you should be able to still see the wraps of copper wire. Done properly the end will never come off.
Too bad the video of me pouring an end on a cable using a home made mold using wheel weight lead had turned out, I remember Bob had problems with the camera's battery.
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Norm I just want to say thanks for the advice it worked like a charm!!!!!
All and all I was only out of commission for an hr and a half thanks again
All and all I was only out of commission for an hr and a half thanks again
Hey you guys are welcome! I have molds I made to cast the bigger ends on cables. Bob and I did a video of it but it never turned out, problems with the camera batterys. some day I'll give it another try.
I've made cables for big bikes, real airplanes,motorized bikes, I don't need to buy cables or wait for a cable to be shipped, you guys can do it too, err not wait on some place to ship you a cable if you roll your own.
I've made cables for big bikes, real airplanes,motorized bikes, I don't need to buy cables or wait for a cable to be shipped, you guys can do it too, err not wait on some place to ship you a cable if you roll your own.
I just wanna add That those throttle cable ends are very important also ....and that I came up with another way that also works...
I take one of those butane micro torches and I heAt the end red hot by legnth of how long nob i wqnnaq make. Then I fold it over wile its red hot real fast and then sape it into a nob
But used two sets of needle nose VISE GRIPS aaaand a pair of needle nose pliers
Oh more thing this NORM HERE is a genius that built his own airplane and boy do I got a Idea for him.....
Why not take one of those Falcon VI R/C flying model helicopter and COPY IT....MKE IT BIG.....SCALE IT UP u would not need that complicated high enad expensive gimble stuff to tilt the blades and to change the pitch. but u would have to design some type of vent system to make it move SIDE TO SIDE
I have done a few cables now right to the letter of Norm's Video with a torch. So far none of the cables have broken. This has been quite some time now.
As I see/perceived it the reason for the tiny copper strand of wire is to gracefully maintain the cables organelle strength and not risk making it brittle from the heat. The strand helps spread the solder and the heat I think.
Reason I kinda get this conclusion is because I did some practice runs checking things out. I put test cables in a well secured big table vice and put brutal pull test at them. Cables I did that I goofed with on the flux and got hot for too long seamed brittle and broke next to the solder. ''Note'' these were the ones I did without the copper strand I also needed better flux at the time.
The solder never broke. For the record these were some manly arm wrestle winning pulls.
Too the tune of 200 pounds and over all hard core test thrashing..
I was extremely impressed!
As I see/perceived it the reason for the tiny copper strand of wire is to gracefully maintain the cables organelle strength and not risk making it brittle from the heat. The strand helps spread the solder and the heat I think.
Reason I kinda get this conclusion is because I did some practice runs checking things out. I put test cables in a well secured big table vice and put brutal pull test at them. Cables I did that I goofed with on the flux and got hot for too long seamed brittle and broke next to the solder. ''Note'' these were the ones I did without the copper strand I also needed better flux at the time.
The solder never broke. For the record these were some manly arm wrestle winning pulls.
Too the tune of 200 pounds and over all hard core test thrashing..
I was extremely impressed!
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Hey Norm, is there any way I can shorten the cables housing to get more cable? I need more wire from the end of my clutch cable.
Just pull the inside cable out of the case and cut with a hacksaw or dremel tool. If the end is frayed you will need to nip it off with some sharp dikes.they sell those little metal cable ends at your local bike shop if you cant get the old one off. Thread the inside cable back in your done........You will have a shorter cable when you done.
What about the metal tip on the cable housing? Do I need to replace that? EDIT: I might have misunderstood. Do you mean they sell the cable housing ends at the bike shops?
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well im not Norm but your welcome
If Norm cant get to a question someone will usually chime in here
Scott
If Norm cant get to a question someone will usually chime in here
Scott
Thanks for that video Norm. It helped me change out a throttle cable easily. The scary part was wondering once I unscrewed the top of the carb & removed the spring,etc, would I be able to get it back in and working properly, having never worked on an NT carb. Got it figured out thanks to the pics that were drawn - good stuff!