Bowden Trailer Brake Cables

[davidpbo]

Following on from my wheel bearing grease thread

I decided that if I was to do a more thorough service than normal and replace the grease it might be as well to look at the eleven year old bowden cables. Externally there is no sign of the problem other than the fact that the outer maybe split where it enters the bell end. The spiral metal wrap underneath looks fine but there is more friction in the cable than I would like possibly do to me liberally pouring oil down the inner when I first fitted them. No real corrosion to the inner cable and no bulges on the plastic outer indicative of rust on the metal wrap.

I was looking at replacing them and saw that stainless steel cables were available I rang the supplier and enquired whether the metal wrap was stainless or just the inner cable which they did not know and had never been asked. He will find out.

Do you think stainless would offer any advantage for a boat trailer? I am assuming since the price difference is minimal that it is just the inner cable.

Would you put oil down the inner cable again? Would that depend on whether stainless or not?

I thinking that stainless might not necessarily be such a good idea. (Absence of air?)

 

[scottie]

It would depend on the outer cable lining some don't like oil and react

 

[rogerthebodger]

How about one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BUZZETTI-4012194-Bowden-Cable-Buzzetti/dp/B00IOV8OR8

Also check of the inner liner of the bowden cable is PTFE if so do not lubricate with oil or grease.

 

[aquaplane]

With this sort of thing I look at cost vs life.

If your existing cables are steel and have lasted say 10 years, are stainless ones going to cost more but give a longer life proportionate to the increased cost?

My philosophy with bearings was that they are disposable @ £30 a set. I did swap the grease every time they got wet and saved a set of bearings, but wasn't too unhappy if I had to dump the bearings.

How much is a set of cables?

Dunking in fresh water twice a year like you do isn't half as bad as dunking in sea water several times a year as some trailer sailers might do.

 

[lw395]

How about one of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BUZZETTI-4012194-Bowden-Cable-Buzzetti/dp/B00IOV8OR8

Also check of the inner liner of the bowden cable is PTFE if so do not lubricate with oil or grease.

I think you mean nylon? Nylon lined cables were common for a while, e.g. motorbike throttles.
PTFE is fine with most oil.

 

[davidpbo]

I think you mean nylon? Nylon lined cables were common for a while, e.g. motorbike throttles.
PTFE is fine with most oil.

Lining is indeed nylon. Outer spiral metal wrap and end fitments are the same metal as the regular cables. I ordered the stainless steel version as it was only a couple of pounds more. 4 cables £68 inc VAT and carriage.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Do you think stainless would offer any advantage for a boat trailer? I am assuming since the price difference is minimal that it is just the inner cable.

The standard ones are so cheap (~£20 each from Indespension) that I would shrug and replace them every year or two as a matter of course.

 

[mlines]

We replace the Bowden cables every year as 6+ dunkings in sea water are hard on them. They look nice and new on the outside but you can detect the start of swelling in the cable ends by the end of each season.

 

[davidpbo]

The standard ones are so cheap (~£20 each from Indespension) that I would shrug and replace them every year or two as a matter of course.

That is £80 a year. Happy to spend money if needed but not if it isn't. My cables have done 10 years. The one I have taken off did not move as easily as I would like. I suspect it is do to the oil I filled them with when new.

They are being replaced. If I was dunking them 6 times a year in salt water I would do it annually along with bearings. If I was sailing like that I probably wouldn't have mooring costs.

 

[Davegriff]

If the lining is nylon, and you've applied oil, then that'll be the cause of them sticking.

 

[JumbleDuck]

That is £80 a year. Happy to spend money if needed but not if it isn't. My cables have done 10 years. The one I have taken off did not move as easily as I would like. I suspect it is do to the oil I filled them with when new.

I was assuming reasonably regular salt water immersion - should have said. I certainly hope to get more than a year out of my Drascombe trailer, which will go into fresh water 2 - 4 times each summer.

 

[DownWest]

I built two trailers, one for my boat and the other a box for general use like firewood. Used the back axle off a FIAT Marbella for both of them. Worked fine, until the boat trailer showed signs of bearing failure, despite my efforts to keep the hubs out of the water. No prob, I will get some replacements. Except, they are an unusual combined hub and base unit, and cost £100 a pop!. That is more than I paid for the whole bunch of bits to make the trailer...

 

[davidpbo]

If the lining is nylon, and you've applied oil, then that'll be the cause of them sticking.

I don't know what the previous linings were but it is not something I will do this time.