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Are all new clutch cables kind of garbage now?

I believe people have made the Volvo version work ok. I haven't tried one yet but I have one. The other new style ones I've tried were not very smooth in operation or long lasting.
 
The new one I got a year or two ago from IPD "worked" in the sense that I could install it pretty easily but when I depressed the clutch it made a groaning or squeaking noise.

I removed it and injected lubricant in it: still NO JOY.

So....I reinstalled and am still using the "Old" metal sheathed cable that I bought the new one to replace: it works great but it just looks old.

What is the cable that Volvo parts supplies, is it any better than the IPD one?
 
Mr. V said:
The new one I got a year or two ago from IPD "worked" in the sense that I could install it pretty easily but when I depressed the clutch it made a groaning or squeaking noise.

I removed it and injected lubricant in it: still NO JOY.

So....I reinstalled and am still using the "Old" metal sheathed cable that I bought the new one to replace: it works great but it just looks old.

What is the cable that Volvo parts supplies, is it any better than the IPD one?
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They are all the same design as the IPD one now. Even the Volvo version. Metal sheathed cable isn't made anymore.
 
The company that made the metal version is still around but they only were interested in getting large commercial production. So no joy with them making new cables. Their name began with an E but I can't recall the rest of the name. They made speedometer cables and kick down cables as well.
 
dl242gt said:
The company that made the metal version is still around but they only were interested in getting large commercial production. So no joy with them making new cables. Their name began with an E but I can't recall the rest of the name. They made speedometer cables and kick down cables as well.
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I'd be willing to bet another car from the same era uses a very similar if not the same clutch cable. I believe it's BMWs that use the same style sunroof cables as 240s.
 
Radtap said:
I'd be willing to bet another car from the same era uses a very similar if not the same clutch cable. I believe it's BMWs that use the same style sunroof cables as 240s.
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The same sunroof company made them for many Euro car makers. Golde was the name of the sunroof company that made them for Volvo, Porsche, VW, BMW, Mercedes, and so on. I'll look around and see if I have a speedo cable made by the company that made the clutch cable.
 
Which car are you talking about, the 140 or the 240?

The original Volvo 140 clutch cables were not spectacularly long lasting; but, that was not a problem with the cable design, it is a problem with the clevis design and clutch pedal mechanism design where the cable attaches to the pedal mechanism. If you watch the clutch pedal and cable as you push the pedal through its full range of motion the pedal mechanism causes the cable to make a very sharp bend close to the clevis as it approaches full travel. All of my 140 clutch cables have failed by fracture of the strands right near the clevis attachment point caused by the sharp bending of the cable . The rest of the clutch cable except for that 1-2" around the clevis attachment point was just fine. You can lubricate the cable until the cows come home and it will do nothing to address that problem.

When my last official Volvo brand cable snapped I picked up a couple of Centric branded cables from Rock Auto for a nice price. The installed cable has been working just fine for the last 6+ years, no noises. But, the 142 does not get a huge amount of use. Close inspection of the cable shows that it looks like all the other brand cables for the 140 so I expect that everybody just resells under their own label. I think the original supplier might have been Gemo. The Centric part # was 156.39000 and Centric's website still shows it as active; but, nobody seems to stock it so this may be a classic case of a lack of web page maintenance.
 
142 guy said:
Which car are you talking about, the 140 or the 240?

The original Volvo 140 clutch cables were not spectacularly long lasting; but, that was not a problem with the cable design, it is a problem with the clevis design and clutch pedal mechanism design where the cable attaches to the pedal mechanism. If you watch the clutch pedal and cable as you push the pedal through its full range of motion the pedal mechanism causes the cable to make a very sharp bend close to the clevis as it approaches full travel. All of my 140 clutch cables have failed by fracture of the strands right near the clevis attachment point caused by the sharp bending of the cable . The rest of the clutch cable except for that 1-2" around the clevis attachment point was just fine. You can lubricate the cable until the cows come home and it will do nothing to address that problem.

When my last official Volvo brand cable snapped I picked up a couple of Centric branded cables from Rock Auto for a nice price. The installed cable has been working just fine for the last 6+ years, no noises. But, the 142 does not get a huge amount of use. Close inspection of the cable shows that it looks like all the other brand cables for the 140 so I expect that everybody just resells under their own label. I think the original supplier might have been Gemo. The Centric part # was 156.39000 and Centric's website still shows it as active; but, nobody seems to stock it so this may be a classic case of a lack of web page maintenance.
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Thank you. Gemo was the clutch cable maker I was referring to above but couldn't remember the name. Yes, the 240 cable is a superior design with the central cable strands covered with a teflon sheath to always slide easier than older designs. In the last few years of making cables. Gemo stopped putting the teflon liner on the cable and just left the cable unsheathed.
 
You can buy bulk cable and housing for motorcycle clutch and brake systems for cheap. The PE (not teflon, common mistake) liner is very common, the die smoothed cables are not but it makes a world of difference.

I haven't tried the latest TRW or Volvo cable, but I do know even the cheap ones had the liner within the last 5 years or so.
 
culberro said:
You can buy bulk cable and housing for motorcycle clutch and brake systems for cheap. The PE (not teflon, common mistake) liner is very common, the die smoothed cables are not but it makes a world of difference.

I haven't tried the latest TRW or Volvo cable, but I do know even the cheap ones had the liner within the last 5 years or so.
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My biggest issue with the newest ones, which all seem to be the same as Pro Parts Sweden, is the horrible adjuster. The inner cable and sleeve seem relatively fine, at least when new.
 
spock345 said:
My biggest issue with the newest ones, which all seem to be the same as Pro Parts Sweden, is the horrible adjuster. The inner cable and sleeve seem relatively fine, at least when new.
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Yes, that was my biggest complaint as well. If the adjuster was longer and made of metal it would make installation easier and safer.
 
spock345 said:
Also it wouldn't flex so damn much when I push in the pedal. The adjuster moves a frightening amount.
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They do flex a lot, that’s for sure. Something about having a plastic thread bent doesn’t seem like a great idea.

A metal adjuster and the STS delrin bushing would be a nice upgrade.
 
hot boi aftermarket billet 6061 point milled alloy 240 cable adjuster when??

I have noticed the plastic threads do bend a bit also. It seems like they put too much adjustment into it that needs to be taken out at those threads. I even spaced the ball an extra 30mm off of the fork, but I also didn't verify if my fork wasn't bent any.
 
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