Harley Davidson Forums

Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

lubing cables.

   
Old Apr 16, 2012 | 12:51 PM
Share
  #1  
deepsea's Avatar
deepsea
Thread Starter
|
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 355
Likes: 2
From: Aiken, SC
Default lubing cables.
How and with what do you lube your cables. I have braded steel cables on my 07 road king. Do you have to get some kind of oil to run down the inside of the cables?
 
Reply
0
Old Apr 16, 2012 | 12:53 PM
Share
  #2  
TWIN CAM 96's Avatar
TWIN CAM 96
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 6
From: East of the USS Midway
Default
Dry Slide works pretty well or I knox.
 
Reply
0
Old Apr 16, 2012 | 01:06 PM
Share
  #3  
sedouglas's Avatar
sedouglas
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Plano, TX
Default
Might want to find out what kind of cables you have. If your clutch cable is teflon coated, you don't oil it or it will give you problems.
 
Reply
0
Old Apr 16, 2012 | 11:13 PM
Share
  #4  
BackRoader's Avatar
BackRoader
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,096
Likes: 107
From: Joplin, MO
Default
+1 for the Inox. Great product. Comes with an injector tip to slide inside cable.
 
Reply
0
Old Apr 16, 2012 | 11:21 PM
Share
  #5  
drukanfu's Avatar
drukanfu
Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
Likes: 16
From: N.E. Wisconsin
Default
Newer models have the teflon cables I believe, if you do use any lube use a dry lube like tri-flow, dryslide etc. A wet lube or oil will gums things up fast.
 
Reply
0
Old Apr 17, 2012 | 03:55 AM
Share
  #6  
jjnoble's Avatar
jjnoble
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
Default
Originally Posted by drukanfu
Newer models have the teflon cables I believe, if you do use any lube use a dry lube like tri-flow, dryslide etc. A wet lube or oil will gums things up fast.

Do you think Drislide would be good for brake pistons? Also, I think the problem with lubricating the new cables is not so much gumming things up but eating into the teflon coating and destroying it.


TESTED AND NAMED BEST GUN LUBE
In tests of weapons lubricants conducted during the Persian Gulf War, Dri-SlideŽ moly was named the best "for all parts that dust may get to: trigger groups, bolt carriers, operating rods, slides and barrels of pistols, M16 upper receivers, and for internal parts operating at high speeds and temperatures." Soldier of Fortune, February, 1991

GOES ON WET • STAYS ON DRY
Dri-SlideŽ Improved Weapons Lubricant goes on wet, penetrating into even the smallest spaces, and stays on dry after the liquid carrier evaporates. Dri-Slide provides long-lasting dry film protection, outlasts oily lubricants, does not attract dirt or dust, prevents rust and corrosion, and promotes a clean bore.

Dri-Slide, after the carrier evaporates, is
-40% Molybdenum Disulphide
-20% Graphite
-20% Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDP)
-20% Petroleum based rust inhibitor
ZDP is the additive in most motor oils which tends to plate onto steel and neutralizes the acids produced when the hydrocarbons oxidize.
A very well thought out combination of ingredients for metal lubrication applications where grease would be too thick.
 
Last edited by jjnoble; Apr 17, 2012 at 04:00 AM.
Reply
0
Old Apr 17, 2012 | 06:10 AM
Share
  #7  
RK Joy's Avatar
RK Joy
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,242
Likes: 3
From: Upstate NY
Default
I don't have my manual within reach but there must be a maintenance interval for the cable if lubing is necessary. I'll check my manual later....
 
Reply
0

Trending Topics

Old Apr 17, 2012 | 07:04 AM
Share
  #8  
jjnoble's Avatar
jjnoble
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
Default
Originally Posted by RK Joy
I don't have my manual within reach but there must be a maintenance interval for the cable if lubing is necessary. I'll check my manual later....
It is not required and we are even told not to lube the new teflon cables. Last winter (only when it was cold) my clutch cable dragged and made a terrible noise, it has since cleared up with the warm weather, but I was thinking maybe some type of lube might help during the cold months.
 
Reply
0
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 17, 2012 | 07:08 AM
Share
  #9  
1flhtk4me's Avatar
1flhtk4me
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,675
Likes: 95
From: Billings,Mt.
Default
Originally Posted by RK Joy
I don't have my manual within reach but there must be a maintenance interval for the cable if lubing is necessary. I'll check my manual later....
I believe my 2011 SM does say to lube cables(clutch)every 5K.I have done this using Motion Pro cable lube with no issues.
 
Reply
0
Old Apr 17, 2012 | 07:11 AM
Share
  #10  
ElectraGlideSteve's Avatar
ElectraGlideSteve
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Liked
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,997
Likes: 94
From: Massachusetts
Default
What MY did Harley switch to the teflon cables that don't need to be lubed?
 
Reply
0

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Advanced Search
Reply Closed Thread Share
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:03 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE