The adjustment for the cable lengths are up by the handlebars... under the rubber cover. That's where you do the initial length adjusting... the screw is to fine tune afterwards.

 

Not wanting to disagree with Handy but the push and pull cable have nothing to do with the idle. At idle there should be a small amout of play in the cables. Properly adjusted the push cable should open the butter fly to full open and at throttle close the pull cable should bring it to a close with just a slight amout of freeplay to allow the carb or throttle body stop screw to function. The answer to the FP it to remove both cables and get the bike idle set by fixing that problem. Then working from the top adjustments at the handle bars adjust the cables as as called out in the steps for cable adjustment. If you get these cable out of adjustment it will raise the idle but not lower it. I use the term push and pull subjectively, they both pull from the grip, just in opposite directions

 

Yea I have the service manual too but thats really not helping me.(Not trying to sounds rude.) The big problem is that I need to adjust the idle screw in more but that tension spring wont allow me to anymore. Thats why Im so damn confused??

And you are correct adjusting by the grips only tightens the tension in the cable doesnt affect the actual idle of the motor. Tightening it too much just makes the throttle super sensitive and just alittle twist is dumping alot of gas.

I think what I will have to do is remove that tension spring and just cut it in half then put it back on.... someone correct me if Im wrong but I feel thats the only solution... Im not paying a HD Tech 90 bucks an hour to fix it thats for sure

 

Good luck. Sorry I could not help you.

 

No worries man, thanks for the help anyways. I'm sure I'll get it figured out sooner or later..... A wiseman once told me buy a Harley, ride for an hour and work on it for 3 hours! haha

 

You have an Idle problem NOT a Cable problem. Disconnect your Throttle Cables and fix the Idle problem before you even think about messing with the Cables. Do NOT remove the tension spring from your Idle Speed Screw.

You mentioned that the bike seemed to be miss-firing. THAT would be an excellent place to begin.

 

I tried to tell him that but for some reason he cannot believe it. He had me almost convinced that after working on these things for 48+ years I did not know what I was talking about? HA.

 

I KNOW its an idle problem and never once said anything about the cables being a problem. My question was about the tension spring and If I could remove it, so thanks for the advice I will leave it in there.

I got the bike running right now so thanks for all the comments and help.