Date: 29-03-24  Time: 14:27 pm

Author Topic: Clutch cable just snapped!!  (Read 3263 times)

clayt74

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 396
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Clutch cable just snapped!!
« on: 14 August 2015, 03:59:49 pm »
Just leaving  work, first junction clutch cable snaps at lever. Managed to ride bike back into work (not prepared to try the 15 miles to get home) if I can get a cable tomorrow how hard/how many tools are needed to replace the cable (isolated car park with no access to any nearby tool or consumable store)
Basically can I do it in an hour with a normal portable general tool kit on a Saturday in the passing rain?
Cheers

Jules-C

  • WSB Pack Hound
  • *****
  • Posts: 501
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #1 on: 14 August 2015, 04:11:37 pm »
No special tools needed.  Allan key and 10mm spanner to take sprocket cover and gear lever off.  8mm to lift front of tank.  Don't even have to take clutch lever off but it's often easier if you do but it's 10mm again.  If you have crash bars these sometimes need to come off to get the sprocket cover off depending where the rear mount is.  In which case 14mm or 15mm spanners and sockets needed for engine mount itbolts on to

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #2 on: 14 August 2015, 04:20:24 pm »
Try and position the cable exactly like the last one, sometimes with cables it's worth tying or taping the new one to the old one and pulling it up through the same route, rather than just yanking the old one out then pondering over where it actually goes.  ;)
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #3 on: 14 August 2015, 04:22:42 pm »
Long nose pliers or maybe a flat blade screwdriver will be needed to put the cable nipple in place down the lower end.
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #4 on: 14 August 2015, 04:30:04 pm »
Well you got a bonus 3 months out of it anyway.  :lol

http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,17047.msg196603.html#msg196603
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

clayt74

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 396
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #5 on: 14 August 2015, 06:26:22 pm »
Well you got a bonus 3 months out of it anyway.  :lol

http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,17047.msg196603.html#msg196603


Lol well spotted!! I should have taken then as a warning sign,  however it did lube up ok and felt a lot better.
Looks like I won't receive the new cable until Mon poss Tues anyway.
Thanks for all the replies sounds like it something I can do in a lunch hour.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #6 on: 14 August 2015, 06:51:13 pm »
In the mean time then, see if you can beg, borrow or steal a deep angled 12mm ring spanner, the deeper the better.
It makes adjusting the bottom end so much easier.
Screw the top of the cable in about 3/4 of the way, then at the lower end undo/slacken the lock nut behind the bung on the sprocket cover with the deep ring spanner then adjust the centre screw in until you feel it stop, then back it off a quarter of a turn.
While holding the centre screw in position you can then tighten the lock nut.
You can then make final adjustments at the lever end.
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #7 on: 14 August 2015, 06:59:42 pm »
This is a great way of making the clutch feel much smoother as well, by lubing the bearings that are behind that locking nut.
It's something you just wouldn't know about or even think of doing but it makes a big difference and obviously is only a good thing.
Something to have a go at when you've got a spare 20 minutes.


http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,10124.msg105622.html#msg105622

More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

clayt74

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 396
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #8 on: 14 August 2015, 08:59:42 pm »
Thanks Darrsi that's an excellent tip that I wouldn't have done.  Cheers mate :)

Paulfzs

  • WSB Pack Hound
  • *****
  • Posts: 838
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • - vtr 1000
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #9 on: 14 August 2015, 09:24:28 pm »
socket and mole grips works instead of a deep spanner :D


darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #10 on: 14 August 2015, 09:35:46 pm »
socket and mole grips works instead of a deep spanner :D

You're cutting corners again.   :lol

I borrowed my neighbours ring spanner for 5 minutes.  :D
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

clayt74

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 396
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 02-03
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #11 on: 14 August 2015, 10:02:30 pm »
So don't have the bike here to check,  why won't a deep socket and normal ratchet work??

fazersharp

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 6,915
  • 10 stone Racing Snake
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #12 on: 14 August 2015, 10:02:48 pm »
Make sure that you have lots of cleaning rags at hand because you will find so much gunk you wont even see the tab in the cover
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #13 on: 15 August 2015, 11:19:31 am »
So don't have the bike here to check,  why won't a deep socket and normal ratchet work??


Because ideally you need to hold the centre screw in position at a quarter turn out whilst tightening the locking nut on the outside of it.
From memory the locking nut is about an inch inside the sprocket cover housing, hence the need for the offset ring spanner.


You can bodge it, by just hoping the centre screw stays put if you tighten the lock nut up with a socket, but there's a high chance it will move, creating gear changing problems.
That's why i'll always ask if someone has adjusted their clutch at the lower end if they ever have gear problems 'cos chances are it can be corrected with that centre screw.


If you're gonna put a shiny new cable on your bike then do things right from the off. 
And lube those bearings too, that makes things feel even better.  :thumbup
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
« Last Edit: 15 August 2015, 11:51:22 am by darrsi »
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

fazersharp

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 6,915
  • 10 stone Racing Snake
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #15 on: 15 August 2015, 12:13:06 pm »
In my experience of kit especially diy around sharp hall and the surrounding grounds in the the past when I could do with a bit of kit for a "one off job" I have bodged it not wanting to fork out and buy stuff for one thing but then a year or so later I find that I need it again--- then bodge it again then finally on the 3rd time of needing the kit I have gone and brought it. Now if I had brought it straight away then I would of got far better use/value out of it from the off.
So now whenever I need a bit of kit to enable me to do a job properly I just buy it straightaway   
« Last Edit: 15 August 2015, 12:14:38 pm by fazersharp »
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #16 on: 15 August 2015, 01:47:18 pm »
In my experience of kit especially diy around sharp hall and the surrounding grounds in the the past when I could do with a bit of kit for a "one off job" I have bodged it not wanting to fork out and buy stuff for one thing but then a year or so later I find that I need it again--- then bodge it again then finally on the 3rd time of needing the kit I have gone and brought it. Now if I had brought it straight away then I would of got far better use/value out of it from the off.
So now whenever I need a bit of kit to enable me to do a job properly I just buy it straightaway   


Especially if it's less than £3  :thumbup
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

Arfa

  • WSB Pack Hound
  • *****
  • Posts: 742
    • Main bike:
      FZ6 S2 07-09
    • View Profile
    • Beginner Biker Adventures
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #17 on: 15 August 2015, 02:45:28 pm »
Didn't bother removing tank when I swapped my cable, just fed it through, just enough access under tank by frame to work it through.  Need to get me a better deep angle spanner though, tightening that lower nut is a right pain otherwise.

The other tip: When you remove that lower sprocket cover, it'll be clogged up with dirty grease gunk and muck. When you clean the worst out, make sure you clean up the crud off the floor. And don't just trapse into all into the house on the bottom of your shoes...

darrsi

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 10,648
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #18 on: 15 August 2015, 03:05:28 pm »
Didn't bother removing tank when I swapped my cable, just fed it through, just enough access under tank by frame to work it through.  Need to get me a better deep angle spanner though, tightening that lower nut is a right pain otherwise.

The other tip: When you remove that lower sprocket cover, it'll be clogged up with dirty grease gunk and muck. When you clean the worst out, make sure you clean up the crud off the floor. And don't just trapse into all into the house on the bottom of your shoes...


I'm guessing you have first hand experience of this?  :lol
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.

fazersharp

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 6,915
  • 10 stone Racing Snake
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • View Profile
Re: Clutch cable just snapped!!
« Reply #19 on: 15 August 2015, 04:39:50 pm »
The last time I ever changed the oil in the car myself I stored the old oil in its bowl down by the side of sharp towers southern wing where it would be safe until I could dispose of it. And then forgot it was there and trod on the end of the bowl flipping the black contents over me and the surrounding slabs and wall. Ever since then I have took it to a local garage for just an oil change
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.