Making And Soldering On Cable Ends

[90GTVert]

Throttle cable ends can be made from copper or brass tubing if you don't have a premade solder on end. The standard size for the carb end of cables used with the 1E40QMB/minarelli (and many other cables) can be made using 1/8" brass tubing or even 1/8" copper tubing like the stuff the sell for use with mechanical guages at Autozone. I believe those kits are made by Sunpro IIRC. I picked up a foot of 1/8" brass tubing from a hardware store for less than $1.



I'd suggest using a tubing cutter, as shown below, to get a good clean cut of the tubing. A sharp hacksaw could be another option.



Once you get the end cut, hold it in a set of vice grips. Be sure not to clamp down hard and disform the tube. Apply a coating of flux to the inside of the tube. I like liquid flux for this job.



Heat the tube with a propane torch or a big soldering iron/gun. I found a torch to be the easiest.



Once the tubing is hot, beging applying solder until you fill the tube completely. This may take multiple heatings and applications to do it right. I use silver bearing solder.



I was a bit sloppy this time and soldered the brass to the vice grips. No biggie, just heat for a second and it'll come off when you need to remove it (not yet). The solder will either chip off of the grips or you can heat them quickly and remove it.



Now flux the end of the thottle cable. Heat the tubing and it's solder filling again, and it doesn't hurt to heat the tip of the cable a little at the same time. That's much easer with a torch than an iron from my experience. Once the solder is hot, insert the cable into the tubing. You will need to hold it for a few seconds to let it cool enough to hold. Once it's cooled down, you can remove the cable from your grips and your new end should be securely attached.



I would suggest testing to be sure it's a secure hold once it's completely cool. I use a pair of pliers that will close tight enough that the end won't pass through, but allow the cable to move freely. Pull on the cable harder than the throttle would pull it to be sure it's gonna stay. You don't want an end coming off and leaving you stranded or possibly even getting sucked into the engine.

Finally, check to be sure the end fits where it needs to. If not, you may have to grind an end down or knock off some stray solder.

[Elektrey]

I found that using a wire crimp connector and crimping it onto a throttle cable, then removing the plastic housing and cutting it to your needs works great for making cable stops. Really easy to do with little tools needed and it holds very well.

Oh and here's a picture of one I did compared to the original barrel.

[Raizer]

This isn't the right way to do it I'm sure, but it works well for me.
I needed a longer inner cable in my throttle cable for a Dellorto carb swap (factory Keihin cable is too short to even attach the Dell slide!)
So as I had a long inner that I robbed from another cable that had the wrong connections for my throttle and carb, I cut the 6mm drum from a factory Suzuki cable and ran the long inner through the Suzuki outer, now I needed to add a 6mm drum back to the cable so it worked, sure I could pay way to much (IMO) for a 6mm knarp or have a shop fit a new end, but where's the fun in that?!

So I took a bolt with a 6mm shank and first off I drilled maybe 3/4 of the way through with a 2mm centre bit allowing it to counter sink, then ran a 1.5mm bit right through.


Hacksawed off the head off


Threaded the cable through, then fitted the other end to the carb and worked out the length needed at this end to suit my throttle (I did this with the adjuster only a few turns out from it's shortest setting)
I used a crimp terminal as a cable anchor

I'd already snapped the spade terminal off.

Bit of solder and it's not going anywhere!



I cut the excess cable off, hacksawed the threaded section off and rounded it nicely on the grinder.


Proof it works lol