I replaced the stock clutch cable on my 2013 Fat Bob with a new cable from Magnum Shielding for a handlebar change. I thought I did everything by the book, but either I screwed something up, or there's something wrong with the cable.

I've got almost no slack in the cable after install (cable adjusters are fully compressed) and the cable will not budge when pulled. There isn't enough slack to hook it up to the lever. Before I remove the transmission inspection cover to recheck my work, I'm wondering if I don't have to go over to the primary side, pull the derby cover, and do a clutch adjustment. Everything I've read (I spent two hours last night researching) says I shouldn't have to as the clutch was just dandy before I installed the new cable. It's not a big deal if I have to do this adjustment, I just don't want to dink around with anything that I don't have to.

I haven't routed the cable yet, it's just laying on the floor straight out from the transmission. So I doubt that it's twisted.

My guesses at this point are that the cable doesn't have the necessary travel or I screwed something up hooking the cable up. Maybe the bearings aren't sitting in the ramps properly. I didn't measure the cable travel prior to install because I'm an optimist and trusted that it had the proper travel. It sure seemed like enough travel when I was playing with cable prior to install.

In any event, I'm going to have to do some dis-assembly and inspection to see where I went wrong. In the meantime, if anyone has a clue as to what might be going on, I'd appreciate a hint. Like I said, if an adjustment on the primary side is order, I'll do it, but damn, the clutch was just ever so nice before, hate to mess with it.

Thanks!

 

Are you sure you have the correct length cable?

 

I really suspect that the cable travel length is not as specified by the manufacturer. But I'm not the best wrench, in fact I can barely fix a sandwich. So I'm thinking I goofed something up in the install or I need to do an adjustment to the clutch.

I'm going to tear it back apart tonight and see what's what.

 

You will want to do an adjustment after the cable is installed and before you make your final cable adjustment. Did you go to taller bars and that is why you needed a different cable? Measure the old cable, measure the new one. Are you sure you turned the cable adjuster the right way, so that you were lengthening it and not shortening it. Let us know.

 

***** probably not in the ramps or wrong cable.

 

When you pull the side cover of again to check the ***** as Soft02 suggested put a dab of bearing grease in each pocket that will hold the ***** in place during reassembly.

 

Last night I pulled the transmission inspection cover to recheck my work. The bearings were properly seated in the ramps. I removed the new cable and compared the travel length to the old cable. When I did that, I collapsed the adjuster completely on both cables to give each the most slack possible. Both cables have exactly the same travel. I then hooked the stock cable back up and reinstalled the assembly. Same result as the new cable, no slack and can't pull the cable. In fact, as I was tightening the inspection cover bolts, I kept my eye on the lever end of the cable and watched as it got sucked into the housing.

I pulled the cover again and took a look at the clutch push rod. It's sticking out pretty far, far enough in fact that I can see how it would be pushing the upper ramp down and taking up all the travel of the cable.

Weird, huh?

 

Stupid question but have you backed off the adjuster at the clutch?

 

Not a stupid question at all. In fact, that's what I'm going to do next as it seems the only logical thing to do. I was just putting it off as I didn't want to dink with anything if I didn't need to.

I probably had no business tackling this project myself, but I really want to learn to do my own stuff on my motorcycle.

 

I also changed my clutch cable yesterday with a Magnum cable.
Had the same issue, but "knew" the cable was long enough so after hooking up the transmission end of the cable I took a screwdriver and put the shaft through the eyelet of the cable, and then pulled out with the screwdriver while pulling the opposite direction with the cable housing and I got about 3" of cable travel from the eyelet end.
Ok, now I knew it would work, so I took the clutch lever off the bars and installed the eyelet end and eyelet bushing in the lever while holding the lever out in front of the bike. Then I took the lever up to the bars and kind of diagonally got it in there and installed the pivot bushing (without worrying about the snap ring yet). Then I kind of held pressure against the lever while pulling back on the clutch cable (away from the lever) and got that 3 inches of cable pulled out. While holding that pressure I routed the cable through the "gap" in the housing and got the ferrule into the end of the housing. Then I adjusted free play with the adjuster and everything was happy.
Crap, that reminded me I gotta go put the snap ring on now. Good luck!