Repairing a control cable

[Gregor 4,846]

I mentioned yesterday, the choke cable broke on my 876, 5 minutes after installing it. Today, I am not doing anything but sitting around waiting on parts, so I decided to fix it. When I got the tractor, the throttle cable knob was gone. I replaced that cable with a new one, but wanted to fix the old one anyway. I decided to make a picture archive of how I repair control cables. I have repaired a lot of Lawn Boy, and tractor cables, none have failed me yet. Most of you probably have your own method, but there may be some that have no idea, and the last Wheel Horse cable I bought, was $40. For this demonstration I am going to name the parts. The knob was gone, so I sort-a created one. I buy cheap cables on line, cut them up and use the pieces. I want to be able to keep the stock Wheel Horse receiver, that fits the dash, and looks right

 

 

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Cut the inner cable off of the barrel, and grind a flat spot in it, about 1/2"

A word or 2 about soldering here. Some people just can't seem to do it. These are things I keep in mind, and they work for me. I ALWAYS use soldering paste. Ruby Fluid in my favorite. CLEAN everything. Solder likes heat. It tends to want to go to the hottest spot. It's also a little narcissistic, it likes itself a lot. It wants to go with other solder. "TIN" your pieces before joining them. Put solder on both pieces, and they will join themselves. Don't use big fat rolls of solder. Save that for the plumbers.

Solder your inner cable to the barrel. After soldering, file it round. My barrel has no knob of course, but it will do for demo purposes.

Clamp your outer cable in the vise. Chances are, the receiver will screw right out of it. You may have to chamfer the end of your new outer cable a bit, to get it in the receiver. It doesn't have to go far. Tin them both, and solder together.REMEMBER CLEAN!

Take some stranded wire and wrap around the splice. It will act as re-rod for the solder. Add more solder ever couple of wraps

Once you have all the wire on it, load it up with solder.

 

Now you can take it to your bench grinder, and smooth it up a bit. Don't grind away too much!

Then it all gets covered in shrink tubing. When I get the correct motor on the 876, and get the cable to just the right length, I will cover the entire thing with shrink tubing.

 

I like the fact that I am able to reuse the stock receiver and knob. They just look right. Like I said, the knob for the throttle cable was gone, so I ordered a new control cable for that.

 

[Achto 27,604]

3 hours ago, Gregor said:

Wheel Horse cable I bought, was $40

 

Awesome job repairing that cable!!

 

Just an FYI -  If you need to purchase cables again, I have had very good luck with the cables from here. Fit, looks and function are all good.

 

http://www.psep.biz/store/toro_mower_cables.htm

 

 

[Gregor 4,846]

6 hours ago, Achto said:

I have had very good luck with the cables from here.

I tried to order 4 cables. My browser warned me not to go there. Is this normal? If I go there, and something bad happens, my son will beat me to death.

[Achto 27,604]

3 hours ago, Gregor said:

tried to order 4 cables. My browser warned me not to go there. Is this normal? If I go there, and something bad happens, my son will beat me to death.

 

Sorry, their old web site is in bad need of up dating. They have a new web site, but it sucks for looking up parts. Go to their new web site https://www.psep1.biz/ and enter the cable part numbers in the search box. You should have no issues then.

 

Throttle cable part # ROT9135 about $10

Choke cable part # S290148 about $15

 

$7.95 shipping, no matter how big or small your order is.