breaking clutch cables

[woody99]

I have a 96 rt and it has gone through 3 clutch cables, 2 brand new , the clutch lever pulls easy, they all break right at the barrel, left me stranded once. Does anyone have any idea what is causing this? Thanks Woody

 

[gotfog]

Inverting the retaining barrel may help. This is the item that mates with the cable end and resides in the hole in the clutch lever. Meaning that the part of the barrel facing the ground should face the sky. Rotate this barrel 180 degrees. This will alter the geometry subtlety. If the brass barrel is incorrectly aligned, then the two fingers of the clutch fork may rub on the cable. This friction over time slowly gnaws at the cable, strand by strand, until it breaks. Alternatively, if the lever is worn at the pivot, then as pressure is applied to the clutch lever and it twists ever so slightly, enough to cause the two fingers of the fork to rake across the cable, this too can saw through the cable. Check the underside of the clutch lever and look for signs of wear near the pivot bolt. You may need a new lever and housing, such that the arc of the clutch lever when pulled is true and not skewed. Hope this helps.

 

[skoss]

Be sure to lubricate the barrel at the clutch lever properly.
I had 5 broken clutch cables within 1 year. Since I apply a small amount of grease on the barrel, no more broken cables since 3 years.

 

[20774]

More ideas in some of the threads in the Similar Threads pane below.

 

[pglaves]

If you have properly lubed the barrel and the cable soon breaks, then I would replace the hand lever. Wear in the hole in the lever can cause the barrel not to pivot or to tilt a little crosswise with every pull.