VW Clutch cable and Bowden Tube Tips and tricks

amzn.to/3Taxvzn VW Bowden tube

[@gutshotgriz3936]

Loved the tip about smoothing the hook on the pedal assembly…just refurbed my pedal assy and went back to look at the new hook I had installed, and sure enough it had sharp edges. Good catch!!!!

[@mike7197]

Great tip about the grease. When I aquired my 64 years ago and crawled underneath it, there were literally only a few strands of cable left before breaking. Where it had exited the metal end of the bowden tube, it had worn a half inch long razor sharp slit that had all but destroyed the cable. After replacing everything I always make sure theres plenty of grease where it goes in and out of that tube. When replacing the cable not a piece of cake but much easier with two people.

[@mikehammer4546]

Nice one Mike, I always learn something new from you. Much appreciated 👍👍

[@TheDasbull]

My experience is generally that the clutch cable tube in the tunnel is broken free 😕 They break in the back and the middle - fun welding... Early cars had/have grease zerks on the emergency brake cables that "conveniently" leak all over the center broken weld 🤬. I use brake hose securing clips for bowden tube adjustment as they have a "U" shape. Great video and visuals 👍

[@carlk3]

My Ghia had all three clutch cable tube welds broken. Talk about chatter! When I thought about it, I remembered that back in the '80s I had put on a heavy duty pressure plate. Why I thought I needed that for a 40-horse... Anyway, I suspect that the extra force on the cable might have led to the failure. Now I'm running a Porsche type diaphragm pressure plate. Hooks up great, and much easier on the left leg!

[@Demop_VW_garage]

cheers Mike, I will use this info on the oval build soon ;)

[@johnmoloney1661]

Hi Mike ! Thanks for the video !!! I never knew about the Boden tube on my kit car which was never put in right. I had chatter in my clutch just a few times and thought I was in the wrong gear when taking off. This worked out so good for me !! Thanks john

[@jimmywilkinson9190]

Hey Mike ! My 63 J-B would chatter and it was the front trans. mount had slotted out the bolt holes .I put a new mount and put some tacks on the washers and nuts , fixed nice .

[@alexjinks6172]

Hello my frtiend ..I'm boasting .... I picked up a VW TS Sportser TS-111 in Geelong Victoria, yesterday .. needs a little work .. Next time you're in Diggers Rest Australia , pop in, I'll show you .. Kind regards Alex

[@SkaterStimm]

Awesome tips, I was cursing a friend's wing nut a couple weeks ago when I was trying to take it off her double cab because it was super rusty and I needed to take the front beam off. my fingers still hurt from it.

[@DismayingObservation]

I’m reminded of the one time I replaced a cable on a ‘72 Super Beetle. It was also the last time…

[@jimgrosse]

Great information, thanks Mike.

[@lamardixon4485]

This is A+ content. Thanks for the valuable information.

[@iapologizeinadvance4812]

Just want to say that is a beautiful lil bug!!

[@johncollins5552]

The accelerator cable is also a pita. VW engineers must have had tiny hands and very long flexible arms.

[@chrisdavidson3180]

Thank you!

[@metalbones]

I took off the 8 mm wing nut. Pulled off the Bowden tube and a thin, plastic glide tube pull out of the Bowden tube. The 8mm cable was very hard to remove. Maybe the tube was for the 6mm cable and wing nut?

[@cubey]

Someone changed to the later arm on my 64 with a wing nut thankfully

[@bacres]

Hey Mike.. I have a 56 oval that's stripped down to the pan.. I decided I would replace all the cables as it will never be easier to do since the car is stripped down. The original clutch cable looks good, but the end near the rear is dried and starting to crack.. So, while trying to pull out the old cable and install a new one, I ran into a problem. The clutch tube inside the chassis where the clutch cable runs through looks to be oval shaped and it's very restricted.. I cannot get the end of the cable through.. And even if I did, it looks like it would be near impossible to get the new cable to go back in and through the restricted end near the pedals.. Have you ever run into this before? Any suggestions?

[@67VWForever]

I would Mike probably for clutch tube go through the bottom isn't the metal thinner because the tunnel is very thick on the side...

[@Mikefngarage]

it is thick too and really hard to weld that direction. We always did them from the passenger side. then weld up the seam. worked great.

[@Wiltshire-observer]

I had two clutch cable break on a 1303S years ago, total nightmare to replace !. However there was an access hole already made at manufacture where nimble fingers could get the hook on to the clutch pedal lever in the tunnel. It took quite a time to do that. Apparently a clutch cable can fray and snap at the junction of the Bowden tube and the rigid internal tube if you get the bend in the Bowden wrong ?. I adjusted mine on the second go and the cable didn’t fail again..

[@COUNTYBUMKIN88]

Thanks for the tip..complete noob here

[@vintage76vipergreenBeetle]

👍

[@tomsummers1137]

What about Bob? Michigan Bob, that is.

[@dingdang3845]

❤

[@fishaussie9112]

More wrenching and less listening to your own voice

[@vayabroder729]

That’s exactly what he does; unlike the barn find, pressure wash, will it start and disassembly channels….