Custom Clutch Cable and Cable Maintenance - GS550 Cafe Racer Build (Part 106)

[@rickconstant6106]

For oiling cables, I have always used a small funnel and a rubber seal made from a 1/2" long piece of fuel hose slit down one side. Insert the end of the cable through the small end of the funnel, wrap the rubber seal around the outer cable near the end, then push it down into the tapered spout of the funnel until it is wedged with the top of the outer just above the rubber. All you do then is hang the funnel up, pour a small amount of oil in and leave it to gravity to do the rest. I've been doing it this way for over 30 years, without any special equipment.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for watching. Agreed, that is definitely an effective way to do it provided the cable is oriented in a mostly vertical position.

[@davidf9720]

Thank you so much for this video!!! I experienced clutch cable ferrule coming off in Valdosta Georgia on a road trip from Maryland. 1978 GS750. I will be contacting Motion Pro very soon THANKS FOR THE VIDEO

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@Thoridin58]

Glad to see you finally getting to ride that sweet build. Congratulations!

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thank you! Now to get it licensed and tidy up the odds and ends.

[@phillipderek5150]

i guess Im quite randomly asking but do anyone know a good site to watch new tv shows online ?

[@raidentaki7609]

thank you for making videos on this bike! recently bought an '83 gs550 as my first bike and your videos have been key for helping me get the bike running better than ever.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for taking the time to tell me that! I sincerely appreciate it. Glad to be of service.

[@allisonsailsandcanvas]

Fantastic!!!

[@TulsaMotoClub]

Nice video my man! Keep em coming

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks! Will do!

[@MrGerritv]

By chance do you remember the length of the outer housing you ordered? I have a good friend who is fixing up on similar to yours and the previous owner didn't do a great job with the old cable. Love your build! Thanks!

[@UrbanMonkTV]

I looked back at my old emails with Motion Pro and I ordered outer cable shroud length of 40 inches, dead on. Seems to work well. Thanks for watching!

[@MrGerritv]

@@UrbanMonkTV thank you so much for the quick response! I’m supremely impressed!

[@davidc5362]

Still a bit confused about sticking clutch fix. I understand you had a cable issue, but help me understand what replacing the cable fixed. I’m in same boat, replaced cable, lubed release device, it’s pulling in the geometric sweet spot, but I still have a very hard pull on the cable, and the clutch will not release. Did your “hard pull” go away when you replaced cable, or did the hard pull go away after the 20th release you talked about? Hope it’s the latter! Thanks for making these videos, they’re a tremendous resource to many of us long after you’re on to the next project.

[@davidc5362]

Short update, got clutch “unstuck”, but still have very hard pull on clutch lever and a pretty hard “clunk” on gear change. Would think it might be old arthritic hands, but it’s way harder than my other two bikes (an old BMW and Yamaha). Clutch plates and springs all measured within spec, thought I had clutch release mechanism in sweet spot, but will use different tooth positions on the release mechanism moving searching for solution.

[@ladlx3249]

@@davidc5362 hey, what fixed it in the end?

[@davidc5362]

Never found the problem, hard clutch pull continued, after more than a year of frustration decided I didn’t have enough time left to enjoy it any longer, admitted defeat and got rid of the bike.

[@joshuadulaney5559]

Hey lot of preatty work i have same bike videos helped

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for watching! Love the GS550. Enjoy yours!

[@ladlx3249]

So... why was it sticking and stalling when you put it into gear & what fixed it in the end, just changing the cable? Cheers from the UK

[@ladlx3249]

Are you saying that literally rolling it down the road with the clutch in and putting it in gear unstuck it?

[@UrbanMonkTV]

@@ladlx3249 Greetings from Los Angeles! I really struggled "unsticking" this clutch and did another video on it (kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXnIiHateK6giKc), but the process was so long that I grew tired of filming and missed the moment when I was finally successful breaking it loose. In short, I warmed it up really good and dropped it into 2nd gear about 20 times. This killed the engine every time until finally it didn't and the clutch plates & disks disengaged from each other. I've since learned this is really common with these bikes when they sit idle for long periods of time. When I took my trip across the US and back (kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4LZhp59g8iSo5o), same issue was waiting for me on Mr. Kortan, as it had sat the entire time I was gone. Thanks for watching!

[@ladlx3249]

@@UrbanMonkTV okay I see. When you say dropped into 2nd you mean while it while rolling you pulled the clutch, put it in 2nd then let the clutch out or did it just die with the clutch pulled 20x straight away? Sorry to be a pain I just want to know what I should be looking/aiming for when I try it! Thanks for your entire series on this bike, it's outstanding.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

@@ladlx3249 Yes, started engine in neutral, pulled in clutch lever, "dropped" into gear, engine died. Repeat 19 more times with same result. 20th time it kept running. Went for a ride! Worked great until I let it sit for an extended period again.

[@ladlx3249]

@@UrbanMonkTV okayyyy wow looks like I've got a bit of pushing to do! Thanks for the time and advice. Much appreciated

[@hezriebinmohamedsamankpm-g1724]

im oil that cable brake by using the bottle with rubber tube inserted to cable and press the bottle and rubber tube to push the oil into the cable.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for watching!

[@hezriebinmohamedsamankpm-g1724]

@@UrbanMonkTV i got suzuki gs550,carburetor problem.have no idea to fix it.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

@@hezriebinmohamedsamankpm-g1724 Have you watched all my videos on the GS550 carbs? Also, check out rebuild guides available at BikeCliff's website gsarchive.bwringer.com/

[@hezriebinmohamedsamankpm-g1724]

@@UrbanMonkTV okay,thank brother.from malaysia

[@UrbanMonkTV]

@@hezriebinmohamedsamankpm-g1724 You're welcome! Greetings from Los Angeles!

[@Hithere-ek4qt]

No need for background music. It takes away from listening to you and is a bit annoying.

[@UrbanMonkTV]

Thanks for your comment. I'm a lifelong musician. I'm not likely to eliminate music from my videos. I do try to strike a balance, but its difficult to know where to draw the line sometimes. Hope you enjoyed the video otherwise. Thanks for watching.