I did the lawn mower thing this AM, to include maintenance. As well we had to lube the throttle and cut-off cables. What a gargantuan pain. However, I figured out a little trick, which I'll try on my hood cable release.

I'll get a pic to show later. Here's a description in the meantime...

I disconnected one end of the cable, pulled up a little slack of the cable from the sleeve, then I sprayed some super penitrant lube into an armor-all cap.

Next, put a section of snug-fitting rubber hose around the end of the sleeve, slide it just above the end of the sleeve, to make a sort of 'cup', and then pour the lube in. It will drain into the cable, and pretty soon, you can work the cable up and down in the sleeve with your fingers.

A word of warning: get some rags under the low end of the cable as you do this. You won't believe the jam that comes out of the cable low end. And what a difference a slickcable feels like!!!

As much a pain as it was, I bet it don't even compare to a broken cable... Anyone been there before?

 

Yeah, motorcycle (especially dirt bike) guys have been dealing with dirty cables for a long time. I've got a special tool for lubing cables. It does almost exactly what you are talking about, except it encloses the end so that you can use a spray like WD40 and it gets forced down into the cable. Just Google "cable lube tool" and you'll find links to several of these. I've been using one of these for years on my clutch and throttle cables and it works great. This is the one that I use: http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/cables/cable_luber

 

DANGIT!!!

THAT'S MY IDEA!!! I want $$$!!!

 

That's a damn good idea. I always applaude well thought out ingenuity.

 

Been using the cable lube adapter that Riley uses since the early '70's, just like he said, the dirt bike gang needed somthing to force all the sand and water out of the cable.