[BBorges]

I feels like the cable is literally stretching....

I adjusted the cable per manual and recommendations on the forum, all went well... Now, everytime I ride the bike, I have to screw in the adjuster at the lever because it seems like the cable is stretching...


I read some posts, and I think from what I read that it is either that the cable is indeed stretching or the culprit is the worm drive.

How do I find out which one it is though?


I think it is the worn drive, because I've had this "stretching" effect for a while now (maybe 3 months) and rode the bike at least 2000 miles like that (and every other block I have to screw the adjuster in, real pain in the butt), and I figure, the cable cant stretch that much before it burst.


So how could one tell what the deal is?


TIA !

 

[BikePilot]

Does it unstreach when the bike cools off?

As the clutch pack heats up it expands and causes more slack in the cable. This is why off road race bikes (where clutch's are used very heavily) have quick adjusters on the cables for in-flight cable adjustment.

You could take the worm drive off and see if it has any major visible wear, clean grease and then put it back on and adjust to spec.

Overall, it seems to me that a cable/worm drive isn't good for much more than a year for me.

good luck

 

[Toledo]

:stupid

 

[BBorges]

Not more than 1 year? wow... it is a 99 bike... and for sure I havent changed either the cable or worm.... So I guess I am due on both.... Ouch!!

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'd at least replace the cable and see how it does. Most likely about time to replace the cable anyway.

Ahhh, the marvals of the hydro clutch. I loved mine. :thumbup

 

[cyclecamper]

Replace the cable. It usually means you broke a strand, which allows the cable to unwind and become longer.

You know, you can replace that old-fashioned cable system with a more modern hydraulic linkage from a TLR. (hmmm, there's no smilie emoticon for "ducking"...)

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'd do it....I loved my hydro clutch. Worked every bit as good as any cable clutch I've ever owned.

 

[BikePilot]

I've been thinking about a hydro conversion myself, especially after trying out the clutch on my neighboors DL1000 - it was super smooth and light. Probably half the effort of my TL clutch (which is stiff partially because I have stiffer springs...).

On the 1 yr thing note that that's ~20k miles for me and includes lots of bad weather which tends to be rough on cables.

 

[wsmc831]

Cables don't stretch, they break. Sounds like the adjuster is vibrating out. Haven't ever touched my cable or worm drive.

 

[C7Assassin]

Cables don't stretch, they break. Sounds like the adjuster is vibrating out. Haven't ever touched my cable or worm drive.

steel cable does in fact stretch and wear.

 

[BBorges]

Cables don't stretch, they break. Sounds like the adjuster is vibrating out. Haven't ever touched my cable or worm drive.

steel cable does in fact stretch and wear.

:eatcorn :eatcorn :eatcorn :eatcorn




Ohh well.... I am phucked either way.... i'd hate to have this cable breaking while 500 miles away from my house... Time to read about changing cable and worm assembly...


:banghead :banghead :banghead

 

[cyclecamper]

It really takes a LOT to make them literally stretch, but as individual strands break the cable does get longer. In my experience, when they stretch there's usually a strand broken somewhere! Otherwise, the sheath "spring" is more likely to change length than the inner cable is.

Motion Pro will make you custom TL cables, and they have several higher-performance options too, as well as custom lengths. I had extra-long Heli bars on my old TLS, stuck out like a flat-tracker, needed room to mount the thumb brake master, not racer stuff but I got to like the leverage on the long bars. My early BMW throttle cables sucked, now BMW cables are stainless with a tefllon sleeve and another teflon sleeve inside the outer sheath; you're forbidden to ever lube or service them. Some have linear wires in the outer sheath instead of a sheath that's like a big coil spring, and the linear wires make the cable seek big-radius turns, never kink, and the sheath will never stretch or compress. One big problem with cables is that it's not just the inner wire...it's how the inner wire moves in relation to the outer sheath. So for good feel, the outer sheath's dimensional stability is just as important as the inner wire's.

 

[BBorges]

Wow.. that as a complete lesson on cables!!

Doing my research on Motion Pro as we speak!

 

[zippytlsr]

36kmiles on my bike, just replaced the clutch cable, just got to darn dry, like 20 bucks from my local dealership, and about an hour later, fresh easy(ier) pull clutch. The cable is cheap compared to the worm drive. Never had an issue with my worm drive. Just took it apart and lubed it up. Watch out though, those lil ball bearings like to fly out and roll around the shop floor!! At one point i did try to get a cable lubing tool, one of those clamp type that use areosal spray lube.. .that was a joke, got more lube on my hands and gut than on the bike cable. just easier to replace the cable.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Just curious...cable was $20. How much was the luber and lube? :O

 

[zippytlsr]

that F*&#ing Crap cost me like 22 bucks and did not work worth a damn. And made a mess of my clothes and bike. One product I will never reccomend.

 

[Mr. DOBALINA]

You can lube cables "by hand" using gravity & the slack in the cable after you disconnect the cable ends from the housings they slip into. Wipe off the ends & use a penetrating oil (I use LPS, greaseless lube) to do this. Pull the slack of the cable all the way to the one side you will be lubing. Let the oil/lube dribble down the steel cable as you bend the cable off to the side a little bit so that the opening of the cable housing is on the part you are spraying the oil/lube on. Let it work it's way in there for 10 seconds or so then slowly push the slack of the cable down into & through the cable housing. Doing this will force the oil/lube into the cable housing to speed up the process. Set the cable down with the end you just sprayed oil/lube into facing straight up & let it sit there for a few minutes to let gravity help do some work. Then pull the slack through the cable housing back to where you originally pulled it & repeat the process. After you let it sit for the second time flip the cable around & do the same thing to the other side of the cable. It should be fully lubed & will feel great when you are done. If you can't disconnect more than one side of the cable then just do the best you can using this process on one side of the cable & let gravity help you out while you also pull the lubed up cable slack through the cable housing a few times. It is surprising how much lube you can actually get in there if you take a little time & get the technique down.

I highly recommend taking the worm gear out & cleaning it up & regreasing it every few thousand miles. It will make your clutch actuation feel very good & if you haven't done it in a few years go ahead & do it especially if the clutch action feels notchy or isn't consistant. Just be careful about those bearings! I've dropped a few over the years. Also be careful to note in what position the worm gear screws back in place. If you are off by a 1/4 turn or so your clutch won't work right. Not a bad idea to take a few digital pictures of it before you take things apart. There is a tang on part of the worm drive that is a good guide on how that worm drive needs to be oriented for it to work. Got 19,000 miles on my TLS & replaced one clutch cable due to crash damage a few years ago. Everything else in the system is doing very well.

 

[Sam]

Have you checked the cable adjuster on the engine end of the cable ?

The back nuts could be loose and slowly slackening :O


BTW If the hydraulic clutch is better, then why do so many TLR owners convert them to the TLS Cable setup...................because it has much more feel, less jerky at the bite point and doesn't take 2 days to bleed every week :devious

 

[gixxerjasen]

BTW If the hydraulic clutch is better, then why do so many TLR owners convert them to the TLS Cable setup...................because it has much more feel, less jerky at the bite point and doesn't take 2 days to bleed every week :devious

I have no idea. Must be differences in the build quality or something, but jumping from my bike to a cable clutch bike I really couldn't tell the difference. I definately never experienced the jerkiness that everyone complained about, and I only bled mine about twice a year. Used a mighty vac type setup and it was quick and easy.

 

[wsmc831]

steel cable does in fact stretch and wear.

of course SOME cable stretch. Sheesh newb! what I clearly meant was MY cable doesn't stretch!

Lost a couple cables on my enduro bike, they just snap (though they are my rear brake, left hand lever so they're pretty stressed.)

ok, I did a bit of research, they do in fact stretch a bit.

what can I say, never touched the cable or worm drive, still works great approaching 10 years old and 50k miles. about to say suzuki is more reliable than my hold honda...

oh, and don't ever contradict me again! :2finger