Pop goes my cable

[nine lives]

Well at about 13000 miles my clutch cable broke.:angry: I was coming home from work about 25 miles from home snapped while shifting into third, had to make some quick decisions, try to make it home or pull into the HD dealership about 2 miles up the road. Made it through three lights pulled into the dealership, found neutral shut it off. Sat there for a few minutes looking down at my trans, why.....I don't know, anyway thinking I have a new cable hanging lubed up in my garage, call for my wife, get voice mail, son same thing, $400 month cell phone bill and can"t reach anyone.:bang: So I go into the HD dealership, been in there before, counter guy remembers me because we have the same last name, anyway tell him what happened, very helpful, gets tech, comes out looks at my bike, brings out some HD cables says we might be able to get one to work, $75 an hour I thought maybe call my father, 73 years old no cell phone, was able to reach him, picks me up, takes me home, get my truck/trailer, get my bike home, on the lift right now. In case anyone is interested, the cable broke at the ramp end, clean snap at the ball.

I thanked the guys at Smaltz HD in Eagle PA treated me very well, bullshited while I waited for my pop, very good people at Smaltz HD.:up:
Time to order another spare cable.

 

[Brew]

Glad you got the pup home and saved some money by not having to buy a Harley cable as a temp fix. It's good to be able to shoot the breeze with the dealer, not all of us are so fortunate. Let's hear it for Pop's...:2thumbs:

 

[T Mack]

good times!

 

[hollywoodjohnny]

13000 miles and 25 miles from home, mine 3000 and 200 miles from home

 

[Trooper]

Glad you made it home with the Dog ok and didn't have to spend money on a quick fix.

Nine Lives as far as you having to "call for my wife, get voice mail, son same thing, $400 month cell phone bill and can"t reach anyone." I am really feeling you on this one, been down that road several times myself. :bang:

Thanks for sharing cable break info.:up:

Trooper

 

[Mickeetwo]

I've got 16000 miles on my cable. I keep a spare also.

 

[nine lives]

Has anyone tried to fix a brokin cable? I was thiking maybe drill the broken cable out of the ball, and maybe silver solder the cable back in.

 

[Mickeetwo]

Has anyone tried to fix a brokin cable? I was thiking maybe drill the broken cable out of the ball, and maybe silver solder the cable back in.

No need to go to all that trouble when you can ship it back to Barrnett and they will fix it free (I've been told) Your only out shipping charges.

 

[adamthisis]

No need to go to all that trouble when you can ship it back to Barrnett and they will fix it free (I've been told) Your only out shipping charges.

Yup, Barnett will fix for free, cost me 8 bucks to ship to them. Got cable back in less then a week.

 

[nine lives]

I called Barnett and asked them if they would replace a cable, there responce: " If it's a manufactures defect we will repair or replace the cable for free" I have since e-mailed them and asked if cable breakage at the ball and at 13,000 miles is considered a defect. Waiting for a response.

 

[nine lives]

Here is the Barnett responce: Steven
It is a grey area with us, however we try to take care of our customers. So yes send us the cable and we will replace the wire. The problem lays with the Baker transmission and the bad design of the cable arm system. It's not a question of if it will break, it's a question of when? Please put your return information inside the package.

Sorry,
Joe Snell

Ship to:
Barnett Tool & Eng.
2238 Palma Drive
Ventura, CA 93003
Att: Cable Dept

Damn, now I have to find out what is bad about the design and try to re-design a new arm. Anyone have a theory? Maybe sharp angle?

 

[BBChopper]

I got lucky lost mine across from a small shop in Leesburg.. They hooked me up.

 

[nine lives]

I again contacted Barnett and asked, "I am interested in re-designing the cable arm or ramp, do you have any sugestions?"

Barnett's responce;Steven
It should look like a Harley does, so if you take a look at one of there's you might get an idea. Also, I special made a cable for someone that used a clevis at the end (a channel with a hole through the legs). I,m not sure how he attached it, however it was a year ago and I never heard from him again?

Joe

The clutch actuator on the Harley and Dog look very similar, the only differance I see is that the Harley has a sort of what I woud discribe as a pivot type of cable holder for the cable ball end, were the the Dog has a larger ball that the ball at the end of the cable slips into. You would think that the "ball" would allow enough pivot to not put a sharp angle strain on the cable.

Does this make sense to anyone?

I just want to find a solution to this problem so we can have one less thing to worry about.