Trailer brake cables

[Daveboy 71]

Probably a dumb question but how do you oil your trailer bowden cable as directed by the handbook for routine maintenance. The manual says use oil and not grease but the cables (Knott) come with a grease nipple built into the outer sheath?

Any help welcome!

Cheers Dave

[Limey Linda]

There is a very good reason why you should use oil and not grease on bowden cables. Grease will harden over time and then you will have to replace the cable. It is probably an oil nipple with a sprung loaded ball in it. You need a pump type oil can with a fine tip. Press the tip into the nipple and pump. Can get a little messy so put a drip pan underneath.
Hope this helps.
T.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Daveboy 71

Probably a dumb question but how do you oil your trailer bowden cable as directed by the handbook for routine maintenance. The manual says use oil and not grease but the cables (Knott) come with a grease nipple built into the outer sheath?

Put the oil into a grease gun.

However, the cable manufacturers are not reckoning on you immersing the cables in salt water. Oil will let the water in. I'd use Castrol CL water resistant grease. It's nice and thin and seriously tenacious. Pump it in fairly regularly to keep the grease fresh and tie up the centre of the cable to keep it above the ends if possible so that water will not accumulate inside. Conveniently, you can buy Castrol CL at Halfords.

[Nick Hearne]

I take the cables off & hang them up, fill the cup at the end with oil & let it drain down the cable, worked for me so far!

[codprawn]

There are gadgets around for oiling cables - you can get them from places like

http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.a...s&FrostSubcat=

[Aningoul]

Linda, is AZ Arizona? thank You and happy new year!

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by Aningoul

Linda, is AZ Arizona? thank You and happy new year!

Yes, AZ is the postal abreviation for Arizona

[Aningoul]

is it not marvellous, so to be ables to change communications between Arizona and south France!
Thanks for your reply
jean-louis.attard457@orange.fr

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

I take the cables off & hang them up, fill the cup at the end with oil & let it drain down the cable, worked for me so far!

Works for me too

Although I'd reccomend a piece of rag on the garage floor underneath.

I use any oil I happen to have in the garage going spare, from engine oil to EP80 gear oil, I don't think the cables are fussy, as long as they get oiled and not greased.
Remember not to use too much, as it'll find its way into the drums.

I also tie the cables up in the middle so any water that does get in drains back out.


Nasher

[codprawn]

Will that cable oiler I posted a link to work on trailer cables - it looks useful and maybe a bit less messy.............