Freedom Cable Lube
FREEDOM CABLE LUBE
An Inexpensive Pressure Lubricator That Works. Every Time!
IN THE strictest sense, motorcycle control cables have only one task to perform. They transmit motion which links up a control apparatus with a mechanical device.
Sounds like a trouble free system, doesn’t it? Well, with proper lubrication, control cables are just that, but try and get that lubricant down inside between the inner and outer housing! Even using thin oil, the maximum distance lubricant will travel down inside the housing is 2 or 3 in., leaving the remainder of the cable dry.
Pressure lubricators using oil as a lubricant have been available from England for some time, but they are messy to use and most riders simply won’t go to the trouble to disconnect the cables, fill the lubricator with oil and take a chance on spilling or
squirting the oil all over himself and the machine.
The Master Carbide Co. of Detroit, Mich., has come up with a package which greatly simplifies cable lubricating, however. Part of the package is a spray can filled with a mixture of moly graphite, teflon and a penetrant which evaporates after the mixture is exposed to air. The trick part, though, is a small piece of aluminum, which has a teflon liner with three steps for different size cables. It is also equipped with a thumb screw which presses on an aluminum bar to seal the outer cable in one of the holes and leaves an opening for inserting the tube from the spray can.
Once the cable is clamped in the aluminum fixture, and the tube from the spray can is inserted, merely pressing the button on the can for a few
seconds fills the cable with lubricant. A black mixture will exit from the other end of the cable as a liquid which evaporates and leaves black spots, so it’s a good idea to wrap a rag around the end of the cable to keep the mixture from dirtying the machine. After the penetrant has evaporated, the inside of the cable is left coated with the moly graphite and teflon, an excellent lubricant which reduces the effort required to operate the controls and extends the life of the cable.
One additional virtue of Freedom Cable Lube is that it dries and therefore will not collect dirt which, when mixed with oil, makes a good grinding compound to wear things out.
Teflon-lined control cables are becoming popular accessories for dirt bikes, but they are by no means maintenance free, either. Using the Freedom Cable Lube on them will add to their life as well because it reduces friction. The Freedom Cable Lube kit can be purchased from local dealers. At $5.98, it’s a good buy.
