Harley Davidson Clutch Cable Lubrication

[gruss]

Well, after reading the clutch lube section, and attempting the prescribed method, (and miserably failing due to lack of skill) I decided to test a new method...

And by new, I mean new to me, as i'm sure this has been done before..
Now i cant say that all clutch cables are designed like this, but on my '05 sporty, the clutch cable is not sealed between the outer housing and the internal clutch cable, where it mounts to the primary case.

So in short, the oil from the primary will pass through the outer casing of the cable, and if you were to get enough pressure, would squirt out of the clutch cable at the top near the lever...

I hope this condition never occurs, but for the sake of lubrication, it makes perfect sense...As i pondered the cleanup of the absolute disaster I had created on the garage floor (back to that lack of skill thingy) It came to me in a short, uncontrolable burst of giddyness..(if thats even a word)..

With the upper end of the cable off, i'll connect my handy vacuum pump to the top of the cable housing, and draw the oil from the primary housing, up through the cable, and into the pump bottle...Effectively, not spilling a single drop of oil onto the floor...(not that it matters, it already looks like the "Exxon Valdez" had run aground in my garage)...

So without delay, i found various hose pieces, and made a connection that i hoped would be air tight enough to allow a vacuum, and made the connection.....I began the pump process, and within 10 seconds, i had primary oil pulling all the way through the cable housing....

When i finished the process, i had maybe a teaspoon full of oil in the pump bottle, and when i removed the hose from the cable housing, the oil began to drain back into the primary, effectively, spilling "0" drops of oil onto the floor....

I suggest you give this method a try, as it worked like a charm, and seems to be my new method, to get oil into the clutch cable and restore that "factory" feel...

Its nice to know that the cable is now slicked up with clean "synthetic" gear oil......g

[MrMarty51]

Tht sounds like You may be onto something there.

[Dave63]

Nothing wrong with the way you did it, Greg. If you have the tools to do it this way, it's just as easy. All clutch cables actually work as "vents" in that they're a ventway into the primary for a sporty, or the trans housing, on a Big Twin.

Keeping in mind that anything you put in your cable, will end up in your trans, so don;t use foriegn lubes that may be harmful, or you wouldn't use under normal circumstances.

Note: Do NOT use an aerosol powered lubing device on any stainless covered cables. It forces the lube into the stainless area, under the clear coating sleeve and discolors the cable.

[gruss]

Nothing wrong with the way you did it, Greg. If you have the tools to do it this way, it's just as easy. All clutch cables actually work as "vents" in that they're a ventway into the primary for a sporty, or the trans housing, on a Big Twin.

Keeping in mind that anything you put in your cable, will end up in your trans, so don;t use foriegn lubes that may be harmful, or you wouldn't use under normal circumstances.

Note: Do NOT use an aerosol powered lubing device on any stainless covered cables. It forces the lube into the stainless area, under the clear coating sleeve and discolors the cable.

it was slick method, and for the 20 bucks it costs to buy the cheapo vacuum pump, i'd do it again in a second....and just for FYI, what the heck is an aerosol lubing device ?
like a grease pump or something ?

[Dave63]

it was slick method, and for the 20 bucks it costs to buy the cheapo vacuum pump, i'd do it again in a second....and just for FYI, what the heck is an aerosol lubing device ?
like a grease pump or something ?

You can buy cable lubing tools that are aerosol powered that inject a lubricant down into the cable housing. Most motorcycle shops sell them. Like this one: http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/pr...&webTypeId=404

[gruss]

Designed to lube the cable while "off" the bike i assume....great reminder on "not" using one of those with the harley cables, or while on the bike...Thank you Dave.......

You can buy cable lubing tools that are aerosol powered that inject a lubricant down into the cable housing. Most motorcycle shops sell them.

[Osco*]

Hey Gruss,,,Monk an I tried,,the vac methode,,,No luck no suck. We called croc an he had Us leaning the bike over,,still no suck no luck.

[vlade]

[ATTACH]5171[/ATTACH]Hey Gruss,,,Monk an I tried,,the vac methode,,,No luck no suck. We called croc an he had Us leaning the bike over,,still no suck no luck.

Have you tried that vac on yur weiner

[Monk]

It came up Vlade... anyway, we tried an' tried but no happy ending for the clutch cable!
Musta been doin' somethin' wrong... maybe shoulda' bought it dinner first...

So we just jammed some Syn3 down it with a syringe (per Croc's advice).
That got it.

An' we sure had fun tryin'. First time I ever heard Croc Speechless!
Called him up and told him "Hey Gruss posted this cool clutch lube method... we're in Osco's garage tryin' to suck primary oil up through the cable with a shopvac!"
Croc said "!"
I said "Seriously!"
Croc said " ".Then he said "Ain't ever heard of that method LOL!!"
Guess it was in the wrong forum.

Had a really good day though! Did some 70mph curves on the way up the dealership, had a good lunch, nice day all around.
Hell, I just got in now!

[Osco*]

[ATTACH]5171[/ATTACH]Hey Gruss,,,Monk an I tried,,the vac methode,,,No luck no suck. We called croc an he had Us leaning the bike over,,still no suck no luck.

I dunno guys,,Whatcha think,,,,,I'm thinkin Monks makin Goo Goo eyes at that shop Vac,,
Git a couple of beer's In em an he'd ask It out on a date

[Crocodile56]

I must say....that was a strange phone!

I listened to what Monk said about Grusses method and thought fer a second and well was speechless!

In theory it sounded like it would, but as Monk and Osco said, It did not work for them! Operator problems would be my guess.....
I'm going to try it today and see if it works.:

I'll get back with ya's on the Gruss Method of Cable Lubing.

[Monk]

I dunno guys,,Whatcha think,,,,,I'm thinkin Monks makin Goo Goo eyes at that shop Vac,,
Git a couple of beer's In em an he'd ask It out on a date

Actually I was embarassed to be caught on camera givin' it a reach around...

[Monk]

Another interesting thing... Gruss mentions he didn't get any spillage at all.
When we dripped the oil down into the cable with a syringe (plan B) we got significant leakage out of the adjuster. It was in the shortened state of course since we 'd needed to extract the top from the lever.
Hmm... thinkin' we either didn't have hard enough vacuum pressure, or it may have sucked too much air from there.

Hope it'll work for Croc - it's a cool idea!

[Crocodile56]

Well hell yes it worked, pretty cool idea ya got there Gruss!!! Just made a thing outta a rubber boot for the top and taped up the adjuster with eletricial tape and it sucked that dam oil right up!!!

See like I said earlier, Operator error........................Monk................. .Osco...................he he he he

Bet they had fun shooting up the oil with that needle!!!!
.................................................. ...........................Monk.......Osco

[Monk]

It was Osco... there's film of me tryin'!

I told him to be sure it was on "suck"...