Wednesday 26 January 2011

Cycle-Motor: The Clutch Cable.

It's easy to over-look the little jobs that get done on a build.
The procedures and connections that one might assume people would take for granted.
The clutch cable, as supplied, is far to long.
So long in fact that it may just be possible to stretch fabric over over the loop it forms and make something like a butterfly wing out of it.
A standard cycle control cable is extended by a shorter cable (the type used at the derailleur end of a gear cable) with an adjuster stuck between the two.
At the lever end of the cable a ferrule has been added for no other purpose, it seems, than to stop the outer cable from fitting into the adjuster on the lever.
So, here's a picture of the bits I removed:

There's a spring on the clutch cable to protect it from the heat produced by the engine which I nearly forgot to replace and a smaller spring that protects the inner cable from your guess is as good as mine.

The finished job:

I moved to say that air filter cover has just got to go and I know I've got a copper fondue heater that would do the job nicely if only I could remember where I put it.
The brass cable clamp is tightened down so much I doubt if I'd be ever able to remove it again but this is a necessary precaution as the 'pull' on the clutch is quite hefty (for a small engine) and I don't want anything 'slipping':
 All that now remains to do is to run some solder into the end of the cable to stop it fraying and an end cap fitting so it doesn't end up stuck in my leg and Bob's y'live in lover.

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