unsticking a tiller throttle cable

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Chris Jones

Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

Looking for ideas on unsticking the throttle cable on a rear tine tiller I'm trying to get fixed up for a neighbor. He's rarely ever used it. It's been in his shed for years. It looks like brand new after pressure washing the mildew and mold off of it, but the throttle cable is stuck.

Would submerging it in my electrolysis tank do it any good? Or do I just set up a funnel taped to the top--fill it with a bit of wd40 and hope it makes it way down inside the cable?

Just thought I might hear something here I hadn't thought of before. Thanks.

 

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TimV

Well-known Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

If it's just a standard spring-wrapped wire cable, I've had good luck with spraying PB Blaster down the entire length of the cable from the outside and squirting it up inside the ends. Substitute your favorite "magic juice" if you want but WD-40 isn't as good at freeing up parts as PB or similar penetrants, at least in my experience.

 

tractorguy2

Well-known Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

if the housing looks like a spring. Spraying it with oil should loosen it up. If the housing is plastic or rubber coated. You'll need a new one.

 

OP

OP

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Chris Jones

Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

The cable housing is the spring looking klnd.

 

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old

Well-known Member

Location

Camdenton Missouri

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

If you can coil it up and put it in say a gal. can do that then pour ATF over it and let it sit a day or 2. The ATF will likely free it up if it is going to free up. WD40 sure as heck will not since the W stand for water and the D displacement and the 40 stand for how many mixes they tried before they had what they wanted and it is a poor lube

 

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jlewis457

Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

I agree with both other replies also try bending the cable back and forth before and after lubing it up too loosen it. If it frees up then spray it with white grease also I would recomend if you have to buy a new one spray it with white grease on both ends and in all the bends to help from freezing up again
John

 

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T.R.K.

Well-known Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

I would just replace it. If they freeze up, they usually stick again soon. I would just go to NAPA and get one of their choke cables, cut off what I need and put it on.

 

MarkB_MI

Well-known Member

Location

Motown USA

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

I fixed up a garden tractor last year. It had very sticky choke cable. I sprayed it with Dupont Teflon Multi-Use lubricant and it's now as good as new. You can buy the stuff at Lowes.

 

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fixerupper

Well-known Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

If one end of the inside wire is straight pull the wire out of the cover, IF you can, and shine it up. Then push it back in with a thicker lube but not grease.

 

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JMS/.MN

Well-known Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

Find a small diameter pipe about the length of the cable. Plug one end, fill the pipe with PB Blaster or another good penetrant (not WD40), and let it soak for a few days.

 

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john *.?-!.* cub owner

Well-known Member

• Jan 17, 2015

• #1

Before you spend too much time and material, take the old one to a small engine shop, they are not very expensive.

 

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Rex in Australia

Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

If it is not rubber covered and looks like a steel spring around the outside. Remove it and clamp one end in a vice. Spray it with your choice of penetrating oil or lubricant, then pull on the other end of the spring. The coils will open and allow lubricant to get in to the inside. You'll find it will free up rapidly after that.
Rx

 

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CharlieNJ

Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

If its a rubber covered cable, adapt a hose, clamped over the cable, then the other end to a quick change air fitting. Blow 75 lbs. through it for some hours and see if water comes out. Then put some PB or WD in the fitting and blow that through. Then finally blow some oil through. Put the other end of the cable in a pan or plastic bag to catch the crud.

 

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gene bender

Well-known Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

If you remove it wind it up in as small of a coil as you can this will open up the spring some then you could use wd-40 or something. I did one using wd-40 got it working. Like other post said replacing is not expensive.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

I just bought an 8ft choke/throttle cable from ebay for under $12.

 

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Billy J Shafer

Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

If it has been sitting for years. Save yourself the time and buy a new one.I have very little luck getting them to clean up. Spend more time time they are worth.

 

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Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

There is an old phrase..."penny wise, pound foolish". You might get it free, but the rust has compromised the cable and it is gonna break when he most needs it and THEN, he will lose a nice day prepping his garden.

 

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ss55

Well-known Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

Is the throttle lever easy to reach? Your neighbor might be able to get by without the cable. A replacement lawn mower throttle cable should be inexpensive, under $10. It's easy to spend several hours and $5 of chemicals trying to clean up something like that.

 

OP

OP

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Chris Jones

Member

• Jan 18, 2015

• #1

Got it. removed it from tiller. Started straightening it out as straight as possible. It started working. Put some WD40 in each end and worked it back and forth several times then reinstalled. Works real good now.

The outside (spring coil) looks great. The inner wire was a tad rusty at the top end by the handle. If it quits working I reckon he'll tell me and I'll just get a new cable.

Problem with getting a new one is finding the right length and actually perhaps getting it loose from the throttle handle. Then there's drive time and perhaps having it ordered and so on. Just figured I'd make a 1/2 A attempt to get it freed up before doing that. I seriously doubt it's that bad.

I need to get some PB Blaster sometime--y'all seem to like it better than WD40. I'll go put it on my list for next trip.