Wilsons Sandbox

Listers, I've been working on my KLR650 and noticed a bit of grease on the speedo cable where it is secured to the right fork leg next to the reflector. Cleaning it showed two cracks in the rubber sheath. I couldn't see the cracks with the cable retainer in place. I cleaned the cable and used lacquer thinner to wipe away grease residue. Then I coated it with two light applications of Black RTV about 2 hours apart. I going to try to slip a piece of heat shrink tubing over the cable to help seal it and reinforce the cracked area. I'm wondering if others have had a problem with their speedo cable cracking in this same location? I'm making a new cable retainer to allow the cable an opportunity to bend in a larger radius. It'll be similar to what's on the 2008 models. Thanks and best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

At 7:23 AM -0700 2/28/08, Jeff Saline wrote:

> I going to try to >slip a piece of heat shrink tubing over the cable to help seal it and >reinforce the cracked area. > >I'm wondering if others have had a problem with their speedo cable >cracking in this same location?

I have, and I used adhesive-lined shrink tubing on it. Works great. Have done the clutch and choke cables too. My leaky stock brake lines are next (just kidding). Mark

On Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:29:30 -0500 Tengai Mark Van Horn writes:

> At 7:23 AM -0700 2/28/08, Jeff Saline wrote: > > I going to try to > >slip a piece of heat shrink tubing over the cable to help seal it > and > >reinforce the cracked area. > > > >I'm wondering if others have had a problem with their speedo cable > >cracking in this same location? > > I have, and I used adhesive-lined shrink tubing on it. Works great. > > Have done the clutch and choke cables too. > My leaky stock brake lines are next (just kidding). > > Mark

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> Mark, Thanks for sharing your experience with this item. I found the correct size heat shrink tubing this morning wouldn't slip over the speedo cable nuts. And the nuts wouldn't slip over the tubing already on the ends of the cable. I used some that would slip over the nut and then shrunk it as far as it would shrink. It's a bit loose on the bottom side. Maybe that's good as it'll allow moisture to escape via gravity. Thanks again and best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

At 3:12 PM -0700 2/28/08, Jeff Saline wrote:

> I found the correct >size heat shrink tubing this morning wouldn't slip over the speedo cable >nuts. And the nuts wouldn't slip over the tubing already on the ends of >the cable. I used some that would slip over the nut and then shrunk it >as far as it would shrink. It's a bit loose on the bottom side. Maybe >that's good as it'll allow moisture to escape via gravity.

Here's a couple things I have done in the past in situations like this: 1. cut a smaller piece of shrink tubing lengthwise and use it under the other piece of tubing to give a tighter fit. OR 2. un-flare the top of the speedo cable just enough to remove the nut. Slide on appropriate tubing down to where it's needed & shrink it. Put nut back on cable and re-flare the top with fine-tipped channel-locks or other suitable pliers. Also, McMaster-Carr has/had high-ratio shrink tubing (like 6:1) that I've used in various applications. There might be a size that will fit over the nut and still shrink small enough for a tight fit on the cable sheath. Mark

On Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:08:50 -0500 Tengai Mark Van Horn writes:

> > Here's a couple things I have done in the past in situations like > this: > > 1. cut a smaller piece of shrink tubing lengthwise and use it under > > the other piece of tubing to give a tighter fit. > OR > 2. un-flare the top of the speedo cable just enough to remove the > nut. Slide on appropriate tubing down to where it's needed & shrink > > it. Put nut back on cable and re-flare the top with fine-tipped > channel-locks or other suitable pliers. > > Also, McMaster-Carr has/had high-ratio shrink tubing (like 6:1) that > > I've used in various applications. There might be a size that will > > fit over the nut and still shrink small enough for a tight fit on > the > cable sheath. > > Mark

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Mark, Thanks for those tips. I've never heard of high-ratio shrink tubing before. I'm gonna be near my electrical supplier tomorrow so may just stop in and see if they have any. I appreciate you taking the time to pass on that information. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote:

> I've been working on my KLR650 and noticed a bit of grease on the speedo > cable where it is secured to the right fork leg next to the reflector. > > Cleaning it showed two cracks in the rubber sheath. I couldn't see the > cracks with the cable retainer in place. I cleaned the cable and used

...

> > I'm wondering if others have had a problem with their speedo cable > cracking in this same location?

Yes, when I prepped my KLR for its last Death Valley trip I noticed mine cracked at that exact location. I replaced the cable. -E

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:48:47 -0000 "E.L. Green" writes:

> Yes, when I prepped my KLR for its last Death Valley trip I noticed > mine cracked at that exact location. I replaced the cable. > > -E

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> Eric, Thanks for your input. I'm betting this is a lot more common than I first thought. I'm also betting it goes mostly unnoticed by most owners. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

Mine also bent at a strange angle due to the small "keeper" I re[placed this with a ziptie to keep the cable angle smoother. griffo -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jeff Saline Sent: Friday, 29 February 2008 14:02 To: eric@... Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Cracked Speedometer Cable Housing On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:48:47 -0000 "E.L. Green" com> writes:

> Yes, when I prepped my KLR for its last Death Valley trip I noticed > mine cracked at that exact location. I replaced the cable. > > -E

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> Eric, Thanks for your input. I'm betting this is a lot more common than I first thought. I'm also betting it goes mostly unnoticed by most owners. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> ON Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:24 am (PST) Jeff Saline" >Listers, >I've been working on my KLR650 and noticed a bit of grease on the speedo >cable where it is secured to the right fork leg next to the reflector. >.Cleaning it showed two cracks in the rubber sheath. I couldn't see the >cracks with the cable retainer in place. I cleaned the cable and used >lacquer thinner to wipe away grease residue. Then I coated it with two >light applications of Black RTV about 2 hours apart. I going to try to >slip a piece of heat shrink tubing over the cable to help seal it and >reinforce the cracked area. >I'm wondering if others have had a problem with their speedo cable >cracking in this same location? >I'm making a new cable retainer to allow the cable an opportunity to bend >in a larger radius. It'll be similar to what's on the 2008 models. >Thanks and best, >Jeff Saline

sounds like you have the problem solved but might be worried about water invasion one thing that I have used to seal cracks on cables is a product called liquid tape. in many spots several coats is all I use.I find it easy to apply and completely water proof. Not as strong as shrink tube unless us use many coats but very water/air proof. I use it on all my electrical connections to water proof them and stop corrosion. it just brushes on with this I can seal connection that I have trouble reaching around with traditional tape. yet is not so strong that can't be taken apart.although it can't be cut off as easy as tape. you can even coat those plastic fuse holders to waterproof them. and useful on sealing cable ends to Speedo and tack to keep them from vibrating loose good luck Jim Gregory South Arkansas where we ride year around [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:46:44 -0600 "Jim Gregory" writes:

> sounds like you have the problem solved but might be worried about > water invasion > > one thing that I have used to seal cracks on cables is a product > called liquid tape. in many spots > several coats is all I use.I find it easy to apply and completely > water proof. Not as strong as shrink tube unless > us use many coats but very water/air proof. > > I use it on all my electrical connections to water proof them and > stop corrosion. it just brushes on > with this I can seal connection that I have trouble reaching around > with traditional tape. yet is not so strong > that can't be taken apart.although it can't be cut off as easy as > tape. > > you can even coat those plastic fuse holders to waterproof them. > and useful on sealing cable ends to Speedo and tack to keep them > from vibrating loose > > good luck > > Jim Gregory > > South Arkansas > > where we ride year around

<><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><> Jim, Thanks for your hints and comments. I've got some liquid tape in the electrical cabinet but didn't even think about that. I'll have to be a bit more innovative on my next repair. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT