What happens if your idle cable breaks?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,675
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From: Billings,Mt.
RE: What happens if your idle cable breaks?
ORIGINAL: cwilks
There are spring returns on carbs that return it to idle position...
There are spring returns on carbs that return it to idle position...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,202
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From: NW AR
RE: What happens if your idle cable breaks?
We never used to have no stinkin' throttle return cables. The throttle return spring took care of it. Then HD came out with the throttle return cable. People used to disconnect them so they would have a spare cable should the throttle cable break. They don't do that anymore, mostly because no one messes with it and a throttle cable breaking is pretty rare.
What would happen if the return cable broke? Well, if it broke it could cause the throttle to stick, stronger than the return spring could overcome as the frayed end went into the cable. That would be bad. I had a Lectron carb on my shovelhead. There was only 1 throttle cable for it as it was a slide and the cable pulled the slide up. A the cable frayed, a piece fell off and lodged the slide 1/3 open in heavy traffic in Boulder. That was phun, let me tell you. I had a spare cable in my saddlebag, of course, but it wouldn't fit in the throttle hole. So, out came my wife's pink handle fingernail file and a little rubbing on the sidewalk and we were good to go.
What would happen if the return cable broke? Well, if it broke it could cause the throttle to stick, stronger than the return spring could overcome as the frayed end went into the cable. That would be bad. I had a Lectron carb on my shovelhead. There was only 1 throttle cable for it as it was a slide and the cable pulled the slide up. A the cable frayed, a piece fell off and lodged the slide 1/3 open in heavy traffic in Boulder. That was phun, let me tell you. I had a spare cable in my saddlebag, of course, but it wouldn't fit in the throttle hole. So, out came my wife's pink handle fingernail file and a little rubbing on the sidewalk and we were good to go.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,377
Likes: 1
From: Grand Island , New York
RE: What happens if your idle cable breaks?
I broke mine once , found a piece of banding on the side of the road and tied it to the carb . BTW the throttle is spring loaded on the body , it won't stick open . In the past I never ran two cables .
Banned
Joined: Jan 2007
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From:
RE: What happens if your idle cable breaks?
It's a safety device, that manually pulls the throttle shut, in case the throttle
return spring mounted on the throttle shaft should fail.
You could also add a small pull spring to the throttle lever and accomplish the
same thing in an emergency. Keep one in your kit bag when traveling.
return spring mounted on the throttle shaft should fail.
You could also add a small pull spring to the throttle lever and accomplish the
same thing in an emergency. Keep one in your kit bag when traveling.
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