What product is good? Darned if I am going into another season without doing this little job.

I'd be interested too. It seems to me I saw a device for doing it, a long time ago. Didn't think it was important at the time.

When I got my new throttle cables from Roaring Toyz, they included a small packet of cable lube. I have no idea how they expected me to get it on the cables since they were already installed in the sheaths. So I put some on the "top" side cables, and worked them in and out as much as I could, and after a while, it seemed to pull some of it down into the sheathing.

I might just email Brad Sexton at Roaring Toyz and ask THEM how to do it. Heh.

I'd be interested too. It seems to me I saw a device for doing it, a long time ago. Didn't think it was important at the time.

Motion pro has a tool called the "cable luber" it attaches to the end of the detached cable and allows you to insert the straw of the lubricating can and lube the cables inside the sleeve. They work really well and only cost about 10 bucks, WD40 works well for lubeing cables since it's thin and will travel through the sleeve easily.

here's a vid demonstrating how they work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFMVlQRrBDE

uh huh....yeah....looks simple,yes?I tried that little deal there...that luber.Friggin zx14 cable ends won't allow the "device" to even fit on there enough to tighten down.Trust me....it was a JOKE!Never did get it on the cable...let alone get any lube to go in.

SM -- PERIODIC MAINTENANCE p2-46
"Points: Lubricate with Grease.
Throttle Inner Cable Upper and Lower Ends [A]"

p2-47
"Cables: Lubricate with Rust Inhibitor.
Throttle Cables
*Lubricate the cables by seeping the oil between the cable and housing.
?The cable may be lubricated by using a commercially available pressure cable lubricator with an aerosol cable lubricant.
• With the cable disconnected at both ends, the inner cable should move freely [A] within the cable housing. If cable movement is not free after lubricating, if the cable is frayed {B}, or if the cable housing is kinked [C], replace the cable."

Looks like they use WD-40 to shoot ("seep between cable and housing") at some part that clamps down on the cable-- Also, looks like they press grease onto upper and lower end of cable and what ever inner cable that is exposed. Then work cable back and forth as privateer described.

If anyone wants me to post a screen shot of the illustrations. Just ask. I'll have to take it apart before I even know what questions I might have.

* Last updated by: Rook on 3/17/2011 @ 9:27 AM *

Use a pentrating lubricant.......they spray on like oil, then solidify into a light grease.......been lubing cables on my dirtbikes and streetbikes with this stuff since the 80's.......just make sure to use the little tube that comes with the can or you'll be wearing it:D

Ya...probably might have worked okay if I had removed the lower cable attachment.Really didn't want to go that extreme.

DO NOT use WD40! It is an abrasive cleaner, not a lubricant. Don't trust an old machinist? Look it up.

if you dont mind removing your cables from the throttle.Take a milk bag,cut off the corner diagonally make a funnel secure over your cable with elastic bands, hang above bike add a light oil such as 3 in 1 ,allow to drip thru over night

DO NOT use WD40! It is an abrasive cleaner, not a lubricant. Don't trust an old machinist? Look it up.

That is always a point of contention. I will say that I noticed my o-rings on the drive chain strip off a little bit of edge after cleaning with WD. I didn't lose any completely but they seemed to fray a little bit.

3 in 1 rings a bell. I think I have heard that before.

still open to suggestions. The more the merrier.

If I can put anyones mind to rest about the WD40, there is no contention in my mind. And here's why.
During the execution of my job I am sometimes required to climb down into electrical vaults. They are the things you walk over in big cities that have the big scary metal grates in the sidewalk. Well, there is a rudimentary lock in the door that opens with a big thick key and this lock will corrode from all the water and road salt that gets washed into it. So every time we enter a vault it's customary to spray the lock with lube to prevent it from failing before you come back to it next time. We always have a big can of WD40 on our trucks so that is the first step to getting a frozen lock moving and we did all the locks with it but inevitably by the end of the winter the lock would be frozen completely and trashed. WD40 is very good at getting into the tight spaces and 'washing out' debris when you're trying to free a stuck lock, but it also is washing away any lubrication you might have had in there and when it dries there is nothing protecting that metal. And if Privateer is correct and it is abrasive then that would explain the failure of all the locks after use. So now we only use the WD40 for loosening and spray the crap out of the locks after the use of WD40 with a good coating lubricant. Saves us tons on expensive new vault locks!

I don't know when WD40 became so popular for lubing things. Maybe from way back when there wasn't much else to choose from? The stuff is useless for protecting rubber and plastic stuff. In fact, it breaks down rubber and ruins it. If you use it on your chain then you're damaging it.
Only thing I use it for anymore is to remove tar and grease that gets stuck on the lower parts of my cars. I then wipe away any residue with a milder cleaner asap.

It is popular because Joe Public doesn't have a clue.

If you want to lube something you want something which will stay where the lubrication is needed. And you don't want any detergent particles (WD40) in it which would defeat the whole purpose.

There are petroleum based lubricants, synthetic lubricants, and mineral lubricants such as graphite.

But the easy answer to "is WD40 a lubricant?" is, go buy a gallon of WD40 and put it in your motorcycle and see how long it takes to blow up.

ewe, that would be messy!

I don't have a can right infront of me but I know it says Penetrant right on the front but I don't remember anything about lubricant. I think it's just a matter of vocabulary skills and people's general inclination to think if it comes out of a can with a little straw it's gotta be a lube...

Hey, I was checking out SeaFoam products, and they have one called Deep Creek which is a penetrating oil.

I started looking at the bottle, and remembered we had them in our machine shop and used Deep Creek to lube slides and cranks and dials etc., like 20 years ago.

I never put Deep Creek oil together with the motor treatment until today, because we just had paper catalogs from the tooling and manufacturing supply companies back then, and didn't even bother to find out about who made the stuff.

Deep Creek (SeaFoam) Penetrating Oil

THIS is a penetrating OIL that will do a really good job lubricating cables, is very resistant to heat (WD40 has volatiles which will evaporate, leaving abrasives behind), and will leave a long lasting coating.

* Last updated by: privateer on 6/10/2011 @ 7:11 AM *

The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture. This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus penetrate crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then itself diffuses away.

These properties make the product useful in both home and commercial fields; lubricating and loosening joints and hinges, removing dirt and residue, extricating stuck screws and bolts, and preventing rust are common usages. The product also may be useful in displacing moisture, as this is it original purpose and design intent.

WD-40's formula is a trade secret. The product is not patented to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients.[2] [3]WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:

50%: Stoddard solvent (i.e., mineral spirits – primarily hexane, somewhat similar to kerosene)
25%: Liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
15+%: Mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
10-%: Inert ingredients