Lubing Control Cables -- the easy, long-lasting way...

[sgtslag]

I posted about my misfortunes in replacing the choke cable on my Voyager, which, once installed, cannot be lubricated without removing it, first.  This lead to my choke cable rusting through, and breaking, as it was never lubed after installation.

The Voyager guru, Carl Leo, advises soaking the choke cable in clean motor oil for 30 minutes, prior to installing it, as this will allow the oil to permeate the braided steel cable, preventing it from rusting.  In discussing this with a co-worker, and fellow bike enthusiast, he suggested heating the cable, and/or the oil, as is done with new chains:  the Honda FSM states that my bike's O-ring chain should be cleaned with kerosene, then soaked in clean, hot engine oil...  It occurred to me that all control cables would benefit from being soaked in engine oil, prior to installation, and heating the oil, would help it permeate the braided steel cables even better.  Most plastics melt at 300+ F, so if you heat the oil, or the cable, keep them under 200 F, to be safe.  Just don't forget to hang-dry them a while, before installation.  Cheers!

[rrgunslinger]

Back in the day (70's) we use to put the end of the cable through a funnel and tape it up then hang the cable from a hook, pour oil in the funnel and let it hang there until the oil came out the other end of the cable.  

[Re-run]

Same here except it wasa tennis ball cut in half instead of a funnel. Same principle though.

[Piute]

   Used baggie and rubber-band on my cables to a 5gal.bucket set overnight,even though they were new,
  Going to try that heating oil on my chain,need the buster thing 1st,
                                                                                                need to get my brake lines on.