Speedometer cable question

[Old Geezer Richard]

 Went on a ride yesterday out in the Beautiful Hill Country on my 98  " Fat Lady " and low and behold my damn speedometer quit working  , never had a speedometer crap out on me before  ...  have not taken it apart yet but guessing the speedo cable must be broken  ....  Can I get JUST a replacement cable from Honda ?  is this cable similar to a car's cable maybe OR is it a Special Japanese designed metric cable where I have to but the whole sheath and cable together and how much ? ...   AND what is the best lube to use on these cables so this don't happen again ?  Need some Wisdom for the Old Man

[Ricky-D]

Here's a bit of wisdom!

Investigate and find what the problem is!

Could be as simple as a loose connection!

***

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Richard, the guy I sold my tourer to had the same thing happen to it. It was the cable had broken. Got a new one from HDL, took both ends loose and remove old cable pieces and replace with new and it was good as new. see at GOTFs soon.

[Bruce J.]

I've had the cable break twice. You can buy either the inner cable or the complete assembly from HDL.  I now remove the inner cable each spring and lube it with oil from my oil can.

[GOOSE]

old geezer.......long story short...i drove a big truck for 32 years.  years ago i broke a cable on my peterbilt, and this old man in el paso, tx made me a replacement cable, and when he did he told me this:  once a year take the cable out, and as you pull it out pull it through a clean rag. then put a blob of lubriplate # 105 outboard motor lube in the palm of your hand, and coat the cable with the lube as you push it back into the sheath.  he told me that if i did this, i would never ever have a broken cable again.......i never have.  the old man has long sinced passed away, but i will forever remember what i learned from him.  it does work.  good luck.

[RP#62]

A lot of small aircraft have the same type of teleflex cable for the tach drive.  The book for those call for the cable to be lubed with molygrease.
-RP

[GOOSE]

i'm sure you can grease it with just about anything.....i'm just saying that in going on 40 something years i've not broken the first cable period....the old man in my opinion knew what was the best stuff for this particular application.

[John Schmidt]

old geezer.......long story short...i drove a big truck for 32 years.  years ago i broke a cable on my peterbilt, and this old man in el paso, tx made me a replacement cable, and when he did he told me this:  once a year take the cable out, and as you pull it out pull it through a clean rag. then put a blob of lubriplate # 105 outboard motor lube in the palm of your hand, and coat the cable with the lube as you push it back into the sheath.  he told me that if i did this, i would never ever have a broken cable again.......i never have.  the old man has long sinced passed away, but i will forever remember what i learned from him.  it does work.  good luck.

Goose, that old geezer must have gone to the same "old school" as my granddad...now also gone to his reward at 93. The same method, everything the same down to the type of lube. I couldn't believe it when I read that. 

On my bike, it's easier to remove the cable from the bottom since I have a batwing on the front. Same approach, just work it from the bottom and only involves one screw.

[Old Geezer Richard]

Hey you all , thanks so much for the input your words of wisdom ...... And Goose those Old Time wrench heads are like Gold , their hard to find .... and I miss them ..... all we have now are  " Computer Mechanics " ...... you know Goose back in the day , I used to hear everything from WD-40 to Graphite grease or graphite powder for locks and for speedo cables and teflon spray in later years .... that lube sounds good and or the moly paste ..... Hey Goose I used to hang around these old time wrench heads back in the day and they told me about the wonders of automatic tranny fluid you can do with it like cleaning parts , dirty nuts and bolts , fishing reels and putting some in the oil before an oil change , pouring some down the carb throat to blow the carbon deposits and it all works for me ..... my 80 & 85 El Camino's run like a top and don't burn or blow oil with over 100,000 miles     ....  again Thanks for all this Wisdom , never too old to learn sumthin new  ...  Thanks the Old Geezer