I am about to hit 5000 miles on my Fat Boy so lubricating the clutch cable is a part of that service. Do I have to pull the pin and remove the cable from the lever, or is ot ok to just retract the clutch lever while moving and turning the handlebar to a high angle, then lubricate the exposed cable and work it in a bit.

 

I just loosen it enough to pull it out of the perch and oil away. No need to disconnect it.


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2008 Heritage Classic: His
2008 Deluxe: Hers

 

I turn the bars to the right, lean the bike farther over if needed to get the lube to run down in, then I use either some 20w in a can or I'll use "Dri-Slide", squeeze the lever in and drizzle it into the housing. Work the lever now and then as your lubing then leave it sit a while for it to run in good.

 

they make oilers that you can spray in to lube Ur cables, I personally have never used one but buddy says it works

 

+1
same method here with Dri-slide

 

It's even easier with apes. Dri slide works well. I see no need to remove the cable and never have.

 

lubricate the exposed cable and work it in a bit.
i have some oil made for cables and it works on just about anything. it is sticky enought it will stay on and loose enough to flow. I use it on the shifter also. the shifter often gets neglected. oil it and the foot brake lever, and the transmision lever. i just did the throttle cables too at both ends. i have 34000 miles and will be taking a 1500 mile trip next week.

http://www.protectall.com/cable_life.htm

 

In the past I have used liquid wrench. I do not think I would ever use dri-slide in a clutch cable because it goes in the tranny. These days I store my bike in the garage daily and seldom, if ever, get it in the rain. I use a needle and syringe to inject the oil down the cable, work it and let it gravity move it down. Maybe about an oz of oil.
Having said this, If I rode in the rain, toured, or stored it out side, I would disconnect the end of the cable, connect a bag of oil to it, get a tight seal with a rubber band, and fill with what ever fluid I am using in my tranny. I think I use about 4 ozs of oil to lube it this way.

 

that's why you run a hydraulic clutch so you don't have to worry about the cable and it's soooo much easier to pull

 

I remove my clutch cable from the perch so that I can clean and lube the nylon bushing that goes into the clutch cable and the metal bushing that goes through the lever with the same marine grease I use to lube the steering column. This is the kind of detail that you won't get from the dealer. After lubing the cable and the two bushings, you will be amazed how smooth the clutch action is. It's so nice I typically clean and lube the bushings at about 2500 miles. Only takes 15 mins.