ReneZ wrote:If you have the barrel dropping at the grip it normally indicates wear and quite often uneven, which forces the barrel at an angle and shortens the life. However it will break when it drops so far that it only holds in one of the holes. Drill a little hole next to the lower hole in the grip and fit a little screw with washer that holds the barrel up. Should give you a lot longer fun!

sidecar paul wrote:Teflon lined cables may be lubricated, but only with Duck oil; as I was told by Johnsons Cables, who make cables for most bikes.



No need to squeeze ducks, rossco, you can just buy this stuff.

Paul.

sidecar paul wrote:While I agree with Inge (and who would ever disagree? ) and ungaas, that the clutch operating arm bearings and correct adjustment is important, it doesn't address the issue of the cable nipple holder not sitting centrally in the clutch handlebar lever. In most cases this doesn't cause any hassle, but in 1987K100rt's case it obviously does.

The problem, as I see it, is that the inner cable is not supported for about 50mm between the outer cable and the nipple holder. Gravity (thanks Issac) tends to allow the nipple holder to drop through the hole in the clutch lever and the inner cable just sags with no support.

Today I've had a look to see if I could come up with a simple way of supporting the inner cable which would hold the nipple holder in a more central position.

Great Idea paul. The reason I want to get to the bottom of this is because the last clutch cable broke while riding last year and left me stranded on the side of the road. Under inspection after getting it home I found that the Nipple holder was encased in since petrified grease which caused the nipple holder to not rotate any more, But unknown to me, before that happened the nipple holder had worked it's way down in the hole and wore un-evenly which put a flat spot or "ovaled" the nipple holder. As Murphy law has it , the thing broke on me at the least favorable time. Learning from that experience and in an effort to keep this bike going a little longer down the road I am looking for a way to fix the dropping problem of the nipple holder so this new one and cable do not go the way of the last one. I was told not to lube this cable at all. I am only putting the lithium grease (white in color) on the nipple holder to keep it moving freely but it is still gravitating down in the hole. Still works ok but trying for preventative maintenance. Thanks again.

This is my solution after half an hours experimentation. Two 40mm long pieces of plastic tubing, one 4mm od, one 6mm od slit along their length and fitted over the inner cable.





The tubes, one over the other, then slide through the adjuster and support the inner cable right up to the clutch lever.

Well, there it is, and it's holding my nipple holder a couple of mm higher than it was this morning.

Paul.