Clutch cable routing

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scott s
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:40 am
Location: Rock Hill, SC

Clutch cable routing

Postby scott s » Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:43 am

I'm swapping a CB650 engine into my CB500 frame. My CB650 manual doesn't show cable routing (The genuine Honda 500/550 manual has nice diagrams showing proper cable and wiring routing). I'm sure I could just figure out a way to run it, but do any of you have pics or a factory diagram showing the correct, neat way to run the CB650 clutch cable? It's much longer than the 550 cable and runs down the frame, rather than down the backbone and dropping in between the carb bodies.

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Volker_P
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Location: southern Germany

Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby Volker_P » Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:57 am

I'll try to find something however the stock way down is partly quite close to the exhaust and my cable has a molten cover/insulation region... :roll:

So possibly you are even better off with an own solution here!
Cosky's great (free) online manual: http://cosky0.tripod.com

forum links to common technical issues

If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum

scott s
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:40 am
Location: Rock Hill, SC

Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby scott s » Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:52 pm

Well, it turns out that the 650 cable is WAY too long. It would function, but it looks like crap, especially with the 400F bars.

I was looking at the 550 cable and I don't see why I couldn't make it work. It's about 6 inches shorter and the free length is VERY close...maybe 1/8" difference.

Image

I just need to swap the nut around on the 550 cable and give it a shot. This may be an effective swap for people wanting to run lower bars on the 650, too!
I'll let you know how it goes.

scott s
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:40 am
Location: Rock Hill, SC

Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby scott s » Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:38 am

With the shouldered adjusting nut in place, the 550 cable is just this much too short. I removed the shouldered nut and used the two plain nuts and it seems to work.

What's the purpose of the shoulder? Should I grind one of the shouldered nuts down or will two regular nuts work?

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Volker_P
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Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby Volker_P » Fri Mar 22, 2013 4:00 am

If I understand "shoulder" correctly, it is the circular part to go into and center the cable into the cable mount at the engine case.
So no loss of length due to it when installed properly (as on the top cable in your picture, see page 3-16 in the manual linked below).

One may try to get a slightly different lever position using the basic clutch adjustment. It is described on page 3-17 in the manual linked below.
However clutch operation migth suffer.
Cosky's great (free) online manual: http://cosky0.tripod.com

forum links to common technical issues

If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum

scott s
Posts: 131
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 6:40 am
Location: Rock Hill, SC

Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby scott s » Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:44 pm

Mine doesn't fit inside the cable mount. I have two or three CB650 clutch cables here as well as a few other Honda cables. The shloudered nut is the same size on all of them.

Here's where I ended up:

Image

CB550 cable with two regular nuts instead.

The shouldered nut fits INSIDE the cable holder on your bike? Are you sure? Pics?

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Volker_P
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Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby Volker_P » Tue Mar 26, 2013 4:13 am

It looks like that on the manual picture (page 3-16, bottom).
And it would not make any sense otherwise.
I'll look it up at my bike.
Cosky's great (free) online manual: http://cosky0.tripod.com

forum links to common technical issues

If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum

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Volker_P
Posts: 5508
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:53 am
Location: southern Germany

Re: Clutch cable routing

Postby Volker_P » Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:33 am

Just had a look:
The shoulder in fact fits into the bore. However at my present engine, the P.O. broke the holder and replaced it with "something" with sufficient inner diameter.
Nevertheless I think I remember it was like that at my stock engine, too. Next thing to do is going for a diameter measurement in the cellar.
Cosky's great (free) online manual: http://cosky0.tripod.com

forum links to common technical issues

If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum


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