Speedo cable lube

[OldHog66]

I know i've read something about this on this site, but I'll be damded if I can find it, so I'll just ask.

Had the speedo cable housing replated so it is bone dry. What do I use for cable lube, and how much...and from what end? I assume we dont want it to work it's way into the speedo!

[JSB55]

The book says "graphite grease", and in normal service, you'd apply it at the speedo end of the cable.

I use some stuff called "Lubit", which the tech who introduced me to it claimed was liquid graphite.

It comes in a little tube, and the business end is about the size of a hypodermic needle, so you can put the lube just where you want it with no mess. It's great for lubing throttle and clutch cables without getting slithery stuff all over your grips and levers. Should work equally well for speedo cables. The whole point is just to keep the cable itself from binding against the outer sheath.

BTW, I recently discovered that cable lube is also great for threading wires through a loom, or through the handlebars, on rebuild! For that, I just used the spray can stuff.

[OldHog66]

How much lube do you use? and only put it in the speedo end?

[JSB55]

I'll leave it to one of the rebuild experts to chime in, but personally, I'd lube both ends of a totally dry cable, and turn it every which way to try to get the lube distributed along the length of the cable.

As for the amount, a few drops of the "lubit", or one decent squirt of the spray stuff. I'd reapply if the drive cable itself won't slide back and forth and turn freely. The point of the lube is a free-turning cable, plus displacement of moisture so it won't rust, but you don't need much of it to do the job.

[Rooster]

Whatever lube you decide to use, hang the cable by one end, introduce the lube at the top and let it find it's way out the bottom. You want to lubricate the entire length of the cable.

[T. Cotten]

MoS2

I suggest baked-on dry-film Molybdenum Disulphide.

Although graphite works quite well.

...Cotten

[OldHog66]

Thanks

thanks to all, and Cotten...you're a stitch....

[s/l]

Speedo Cable Lube

Hi Guys,

Well I've been repairing stuff for a while. Speedo cables do need some
lube. However, take care to keep the cable nearly dry at the speedo end.
If lube migrates up the cable and into the speed cup.........then you're screwed..
You may have seen an old speedo with the needle broken off
or on the wrong side of the stop pin. This is what happens when the speed cup
gets grease....... So, here's what has worked for me
for 40 years: Wipe EP2 chassis grease on the inner cable, cover it. Then
wipe it off with a paper towel. Now put it in the housing and forget it.
Relube it every 5 years or so. That's it and it works.

S/L AKA Blind Melon