Paso throttle cable measurements and photos

[geomac]

I post every once in a while but have been on the forum for a very long time. Much great knowledge here. Here is my humble offering.

The 750 and 906 throttle cables are the same. Same part number. But you can no longer order them from Ducati. That worried me. I recently bought a used cable from Guzzitech. Great guy, good prices on Paso parts. But the cable is, well used, but in decent condition. It will work just fine if my old one breaks. But part of the reason I bought it, is to measure all the parts. I didn't want to take my existing one of the bike to do this.

So what you have below are photos with notes on the sizes of everything. I'm thinking about the future and how to make up a new cable or at least the critical parts such as cable and cable tube/housing. I hope this helps others with similar thoughts and concerns about their very old throttle cable. Getting the cable, housing and housing end caps, end barrel is easy and easy to assemble. One note, the end opposite the throttle barrel seems to solder into the threaded rod that goes on the Weber end of the cable. Does anyone know that for sure. If it is, you could remove the old cable from that rod and resolder a new cable in.

Anyway, here are the photos. Seems I can only add three at a time, there are six, so I'll add a response to this post with the other three images.

[geomac]

Here's the other three photos of the throttle cable.

[higgy]

Good job
Now anyone needing a cable can send this along to any cable company and get one made up

FYI It is the size of the pictures limiting your upload

[geomac]

It wasn't the size. I had to resize them to 1280 max. I wanted everyone to have details pix. It seems I can only upload three at a time. That's fine. If you know any tricks for that, let me know.

geo

[Derek]

I'm not familiar with the 750 and 906 cables but the hex section of that rod looks like a crimp to me. Other than that the cables should present no problem to make.

[geomac]

As to the hex section of the rod... if you could see it in three dimensions, it is a six sided hex. Doesn't seem to have any crimp marks. That is not to say it may not be crimped, I just can't see how it can be done that smoothly and with a nice hex. Does anyone on the forum know for sure about this. That rod is the only part of the cable that is somewhat unique. If it is reusable, to be resoldered, that would be great. If it is a crimped piece, then I guess we need to hunt for that part in the after market sources. Thanks for the question.

[Derek]

The crimping will almost certainly be done with a die or similar tool. In the course of my work as a video technician I must have crimped thousands of coaxial connectors using a tool like a vice-grip wrench with half a hexagon cutaway in each opposing jaw and the results look just like the hex on that rod. The only real answer will be to heat it up and see if any solder melts, but I doubt that it will.

[geomac]

Thanks for the crimping info.

The question then is if you make up a new cable and housing and use all the other existing parts (adjusters, etc.), where would we find that threaded rod with the crimping end and the crimping tool? The rod is 113mm long and is threaded 5mmx0.8. I could cut the thread with a die but the rod is apparently solid until the end area where it's crimped or soldered. I just went into the garage and took a closeup of the "crimped/soldered?" end of the rod. Can you tell anything from the photo? Under a magnifying glass it appears it might be solder. Hard to tell. I may have to put some heat to it in a few days and see what happens.

geo

[Derek]

I see what you mean. It might be crimped AND soldered. Only one way to find out. If there is solder and it melts so that the cable will come out it is no big deal to re-solder it.
To make a replica cable it doesn't need to be crimped and it doesn't need to have hex a end. You can simply solder the cable into the end of a suitably threaded rod. You will have to drill a hole in the end of it first though to take the cable.

[geomac]

Fortunately, I have a friend across the road from me that is a retired mechanical engineer who is also a motorcycle rider (very handy). I showed the cable and he said YES, it is crimped. He knew just the crimp tool that did it. He's so interested in this that he wants to make the rod on his lathe and milling machine in his garage. I think we may try to make up a new cable assembly when we can get around to it. I am looking for sources for the common cable pieces and he is already thinking about how it would make a "better" rod for that end of the cable. Anyway, a new project here that just started by looking for a replacement cable. If we get to it, I'll keep the forum posted on what develops.

geo

[fasterdammit]

This is awesome. Thanks for the detail and the effort you put into this. A supposedly simple thing - a throttle cable - but not so simple once you look at it, and certainly not when you can't get one anymore!

Maybe I should start detailing and measuring stuff, since I've the bike somewhat in pieces. Just think; eventually, collectively, we could completely reverse engineer the Paso!

[paso750]

I just found the following by accident. It`s a throttle cable from a Maserati (to fit all 18 valve fuel injected Biturbo models, including 1987-91 Coupes, Spyders and 425/430/228). Maserati part# 318220010
It does look similar.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maserati-Biturb ... 9e&vxp=mtr
or
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FIAT-131-THR ... 27d50a45f3

G.