How to replace clutch cable

[Relayer1974]

After wrestling with the new cable for about half an hour, I took the battery and air box out in a few minutes and had the cable through in a few more. Great how-to, but I definitely suggest removing the battery box and air box to make the job easy.

 

[xnay]

I replaced my cable without removing anything. It was a pain but if I had been smart, when removing the old cable where it slides between the frame and airbox, I should have taped a straightened coat hanger to it. Then, for running the new one, attach the coat hanger to it and pull it through. I did this after the fact, so just fished the coat hanger through but was a lot more difficult. Pulling the new cable through with the hanger afterward though was easy as pie.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

As noted in post #2, once that plastic retainer is gone, the tank, air box, etc can stay put. I removed that plastic retainer about 2 years ago and can pull the clutch cable out MUCH faster. Absolutly NO problems with that retainer gone.

It may have been put there to make the assembly easier when on the Yamaha assembly line. Its pretty tight in there with no where for the cable to really go.

Also, with that retainer gone, you can slide (with the bottom and top end of the cable disconnected) the cable down some when you need to extend the center adjuster...

 

[manuelislas]

Yamaha could have provided more space to work with. right now it is very tight fit.

 

[Love my Fz6]

OK So I routed the clutch cable on the side of the airbox as talked about on this thread. The problem I am having is that the clutch lever does not "snap back" after engagement. I tried to adjust the black lock nut on the side of the airbox but nothing. It seems like there is too muck slack in the cable. Has anyone else had this problem?? Help appreciated!

 

[Motogiro]

OK So I routed the clutch cable on the side of the airbox as talked about on this thread. The problem I am having is that the clutch lever does not "snap back" after engagement. I tried to adjust the black lock nut on the side of the airbox but nothing. It seems like there is too muck slack in the cable. Has anyone else had this problem?? Help appreciated!

See your other related post...

 

[2007Fizzer]

This is a great thread. Many thanks to the OP, and all the subsequent posts. Here’s what I discovered when I replaced my clutch cable last week:

1. I knew the “inner teflon sleeve” of my used, recently acquired 2007 FZ6 S2 was probably never lubed (may also have been stored outside under a cover, with condensation, etc.) and that the clutch cable had gotten “stuck” to the inner teflon liner. I first lubed the heck out of it, repeatedly, over a period of several days, with a blunt hypodermic needle, and with a regular cable lube clamp. I shot as much as possible of the cable lube into the small gap between the clutch cable and the inner teflon liner. After a week or two of use, the cable ultimately separated from the teflon liner and started working correctly. But I replaced it anyway, as soon as I got some free time.

2. I like short cuts. I hoped to replace the clutch cable without removing the airbox or the battery and battery case. So first I had to deal with the elusive plastic clutch cable retainer “clamp thingy”. I didn’t intend to replace it, based on the comments of others. And its really hard to get to. So I simply took a piece of bare #14 solid electrical wire about two feet long, stuck it under the top edge of the “clamp thingy”, between the clutch cable and the top edge of the clamp, then pulled the tip of that wire up above the edge of the frame. Now I had both ends of the wire to work with, and the center of the wire was positioned underneath the top of the “clamp thingy”. I wrapped each end of the wire around the end of a different needlenose pliers (basically making a garrotte with pliers for the handles), and then yanked up hard on the wire garrotte. Here’s what popped out:

Note that for the picture I used the tip of an eraser to spread apart the end of the “clamp thingy”, so you could see the interlocking bits which hold it in place in the hole in the supporting bracket. Also, there may have been two other real small curved pieces of plastic which popped out (probably attached in the area of the tip of the eraser), but I pulled so hard I only found one of them and I have no idea if/how they might’ve been part of the overall “clamp thingy”.

3. Then I cut off the “preformed metal ell” at the handlebar end of the cable with a hack saw, and pulled the old cable out of the bike at the free/open space on the side of the bike, basically above the shift lever (I grabbed it right at the other “preformed metal ell”, where the cable turns below the airbox, to run over to the clutch actuation lever). At this point I still thought I could replace the cable fairly easily, without removing the airbox or the battery and battery case.

4. Color me wrong. After the old clutch cable was removed, I spent a good part of an afternoon trying to fish the new clutch cable into place. I first took a piece of #14 solid wire and fished it into the proper path. Then I used that piece of wire to pull a length of 3/8" clear plastic tubing into place. I hoped I then could pull the end of the plastic tubing over the ball end on the tip of the new clutch cable, and use the plastic tubing to pull the new clutch cable into its proper path through the frame. Much effort, to no avail. Simply didn’t work, primarily due to the “preformed metal ell” at the handlebar end of the new cable. Suggest fuggetaboutit.

5. So then I proceeded to remove the top of the airbox, then the air filter, and then the bottom of the airbox. Like many, I don’t own long metric hex wrenches. However, I quickly found that my longest “interchangeable tip” screwdriver, with an added “extension” (the about 2" adapter used to hold interchangeable tips in an electric drill), and a 5/32" hex bit, would easily turn even the deepest of the 4 hex head bolts securing the airbox to the rubber boots underneath the airbox. I immediately cleaned off the bottom of the airbox (so no dirt would get into the throttle bodies upon reassembly), and stuck paper towels into each of the four open air intake tubes so no dirt would fall into them while I was working.

6. After removing the battery, and taking the bolts out of the battery box, I found I only needed to push aside the battery box to gain the necessary space to work. (Others have pretty much fully described how to install the new clutch cable from here, and it’s awfully straightforward once you get the airbox off and the battery case moved to the side.)

7. I’d also note that the “center adjuster” on the clutch cable is just like the rear axle adjustment to tighten the chain. It has a “jam” nut. Before you install the cable, loosen the “jam” nut at the “center adjuster”. Then simply hold one side of the cable, with the “center adjuster” right in front of you, and twist/rotate the other side of the cable, so the visible threads at the “center adjuster” get longer and the “gap” between the two parts of the clutch cable gets bigger. When you’ve made that gap about twice as wide as the thickness of the business end of your OEM FZ6 10mm wrench (say 3/4" or so), then use the nut in the adjuster to “jam” the end of the “center adjuster” which would otherwise rotate/move. This gives you the maximum possible amount of future adjustment of the clutch cable, at the handlebar adjuster, so as the clutch cable stretches out over time you don’t have to keep redoing the “center adjuster”.

I apologize for epic post. Hope this helps.
- - - Happy fixin’, Jim

 

[rtw]

+1 on removing the air box.

After 40 mins of trying to get that clip undone, I decided I had to move the air box. No need to completely remove, just loosen the front bolts and the clamps on the intakes and slide it out of the way. The clip was then easy to undo (and redo).

Sliding the new cable in through the frame was a bit of a pain (10 mins). It has to slide past some other cables, and I found that some silicon spray in there helped a lot.

A new clutch cable was definitely worth the effort. I have a 2006 with 18,000 miles, and the new cable made a huge difference on the feel of the clutch.

RTW

 

[FinalImpact]

Here is where you benefit from battery/air box removal and it only takes about 20 minutes at very slow pace taking your time.

FUEL LINE:
Removing the tanks fuel line can be tricky if you've never done it before. At the throttle body end, slide that orange lock to the slide. Locked its centered over the fuel line. Push it to the side. Then there is grey detent which needs pushed just under WHERE the orange lock was. Push it firmly with a blunt object and gently pull the fuel line away from the fuel rail at the TB end.

With the tank out of the way pull the battery and bolts. The tray comes off and there is easy access to everything in just a few minutes.

***************************
TOOLS:
10 mm socket and extensions
4 mm Allen wrench w/long handle or socket extension
Pliers - to remove hose clamps
***************************
Cable is on the left and its retainer

I used this 4 mm ball socket fitted to an extension, but have done it with a simple Allen wrench. A 6" T handle Allen wrench will do nicely.

 

[motojoe122]

+1 on removing the air box.

After 40 mins of trying to get that clip undone, I decided I had to move the air box. No need to completely remove, just loosen the front bolts and the clamps on the intakes and slide it out of the way. The clip was then easy to undo (and redo).

Sliding the new cable in through the frame was a bit of a pain (10 mins). It has to slide past some other cables, and I found that some silicon spray in there helped a lot.

A new clutch cable was definitely worth the effort. I have a 2006 with 18,000 miles, and the new cable made a huge difference on the feel of the clutch.

RTW

I just replaced mine with 27k on the clock. What a difference from the old one, I stalled out 6 times on my Sunday ride because it was so smooth.

 

[wazzy]

Hi there,

I've planed to change my clutch cable tomorrow and I have seen these post, just there are no photo. Can anybody help me with it?

Thanks in advance....

 

[FinalImpact]

There will be much less swearing if you pull the airbox. You just need, pliars for the clamps, a very long 4mm allen, and a 10mm socket.

Here is the mid-cable adjuster and retainer clip:

Battery box loose:

Notice alignment of thumb wheel adjuster, if screwed in all the way and perch slot aligns with the thumb wheel the cable can be removed. Pull on the 90 degree elbow taking the slack out, when the cable sheath clears the thumb wheel simply align cable to the levers slot and the cable end will be free of the perch.

There may be other pictures here:
Bike P O R N

 

[sdriv3r]

There will be much less swearing if you pull the airbox. You just need, pliars for the clamps, a very long 4mm allen, and a 10mm socket.

Here is the mid-cable adjuster and retainer clip:

Battery box loose:

Notice alignment of thumb wheel adjuster, if screwed in all the way and perch slot aligns with the thumb wheel the cable can be removed. Pull on the 90 degree elbow taking the slack out, when the cable sheath clears the thumb wheel simply align cable to the levers slot and the cable end will be free of the perch.

+1 on removing the airbox and battery. Gives you an extra angle for attacking the job.

The job is relatively easy to figure out. The hardest part I found was to install the new cable at the throttle body. Cable goes on the left side and is hidden by frame. Just take your time and you will get it.