Anyone who has tried to swap out hand controls for a custom applications knows the headaches of finding clutch and throttle cables the are correct lengths (sometimes they don't exist...anywhere!) So I took my new and too long cable to the only guy in town who makes cables, he couldn't do it because the cable was "too large in diameter for what I have". He suggested getting a cable clamp from the hardware store. Yeah, that'll look real professional on my project. NOT
So I had an idea how I could make the cable myself as I sat in the garage contemplating the past week (car blew the motor, communications board went out on my cnc, unemployment runs out..
)
First I measured my new cable while it was on the bike (twice) to figure out where it needed to be trimmed. I cut the cable and kept the end I cut off.
Grabbed a small block of 1/2" scrap steel and drilled a 19/64 hole all the way through it. Clamped that on top of another piece of scrap steel
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.....and then grabbed my propane torch.
![Image]()
I then took an old junk cable I had lying around and began heating the end of the cable with the 'nub' on it (don't know what the official name is for them) Once it got hot enough I was able to to 'drip/drag' it into the 19/64 dia hole. I did that with a total of 3 cable ends. Then I patiently heated the small block of steel around the hole with the melted solder in it. Once it was sure it was completely melted (I stirred it with a small nail held by pliers) I inserted my trimmed cable into the mix I heated the cable a little before and after inserting it so the solder would get good penetration around the steel strands of the cable.
![Image]()
I held it there for 2-3 minutes while it solidified, then I ran cool water over the whole thing. Then I unclamped the small block and took it to my vise to drive the part out of the block
![Image]()
I ended up using a bolt that was just the right diameter to drive it out.
And here it is...looks as good as the real thing
(except for the blurry pic...sorry)!
![Image]()
So I had an idea how I could make the cable myself as I sat in the garage contemplating the past week (car blew the motor, communications board went out on my cnc, unemployment runs out..
)First I measured my new cable while it was on the bike (twice) to figure out where it needed to be trimmed. I cut the cable and kept the end I cut off.
Grabbed a small block of 1/2" scrap steel and drilled a 19/64 hole all the way through it. Clamped that on top of another piece of scrap steel
.....and then grabbed my propane torch.
I then took an old junk cable I had lying around and began heating the end of the cable with the 'nub' on it (don't know what the official name is for them) Once it got hot enough I was able to to 'drip/drag' it into the 19/64 dia hole. I did that with a total of 3 cable ends. Then I patiently heated the small block of steel around the hole with the melted solder in it. Once it was sure it was completely melted (I stirred it with a small nail held by pliers) I inserted my trimmed cable into the mix I heated the cable a little before and after inserting it so the solder would get good penetration around the steel strands of the cable.
I held it there for 2-3 minutes while it solidified, then I ran cool water over the whole thing. Then I unclamped the small block and took it to my vise to drive the part out of the block
I ended up using a bolt that was just the right diameter to drive it out.
And here it is...looks as good as the real thing
(except for the blurry pic...sorry)!
