Reconnecting the Throttle Cable

[Jerka]

I've pulled my carbs and I'm a little nervous about reconnecting the throttle cable correctly when I put them back on.  It was kind of tricky to get it off the carbs in the first place, but I'm worried about getting it set right when I reconnect.  I had to loosed the adjustment screws to get it off of the carb.  How will I know how to readjust it when I put it back on?

[lnb001]

What year do you have?  I think the 2001+ models have two throttle cables, while the earlier models only have one?  Ive been doing carb work on my '04 and had to reattach the throttle cables several times.  I just make sure I attach the right cable to the right hole down on the spring in between the carbs so that I throttle back, instead of forward. Tighten everything up and I'm done.  While we are on the topic, is there a way to tighten the throttle cables like on the clutch cable?  There seems to be a little play in my throttle cables so if anyone wants to chime in on that feel free.  Just don't want them to come off while riding..wouldn't be good haha.  Thanks.

-Lucas

[Jerka]

I've got a 98 so I only have one throttle cable.  I would say that the adjustment can be made where the cable attaches to the carbs...those are the screws that I am talking about.

[ohgood]

The screws are for carb SYNCing. The relationship of the carbs to each other will not change by just removing and then recplacing the carb cable. ( You likely don't need/ want to mess with that now )

Loosen the small nut on the bottom portion of the cable all the way.  Thread the cable down through the hole in the carb body, and fit it into the oblong shaped hole on the throttle. You'll need to open the throttle a little to get the angle right for the cable to go in. Once it's in the hole, you can pull gently up on the cable housing and get an idea how much slack is in the cable by twisting the grip a little. It's gonna be loose as a goose now.

Tighten the nut ABOVE the throttle body on the cable housing a little, then check your play at the grip. Back and forth a few times, and you'll get the gist of things. THe lower nut on the cable housing will fit into a hex on the carb body, and give you a locking mechanism.

Once you have almost all (very very little is how I like it) the slack from the cable, you can tighten things with a 10MM wrench, iirc. Check play at the grip again, start it, and make sure it doesn't hang, turn left and right and make sure it doesn't rev.

Check that your choke cable doesn't hang in the same method.

Done. Go play

[Jerka]

Great info.  Thanks a lot!!!  I think I can handle it and I'll let you know if I have any problems.

[lawman]

The screws are for carb SYNCing. The relationship of the carbs to each other will not change by just removing and then recplacing the carb cable. ( You likely don't need/ want to mess with that now )

Loosen the small nut on the bottom portion of the cable all the way.  Thread the cable down through the hole in the carb body, and fit it into the oblong shaped hole on the throttle. You'll need to open the throttle a little to get the angle right for the cable to go in. Once it's in the hole, you can pull gently up on the cable housing and get an idea how much slack is in the cable by twisting the grip a little. It's gonna be loose as a goose now.

Tighten the nut ABOVE the throttle body on the cable housing a little, then check your play at the grip. Back and forth a few times, and you'll get the gist of things. THe lower nut on the cable housing will fit into a hex on the carb body, and give you a locking mechanism.

Once you have almost all (very very little is how I like it) the slack from the cable, you can tighten things with a 10MM wrench, iirc. Check play at the grip again, start it, and make sure it doesn't hang, turn left and right and make sure it doesn't rev.

Check that your choke cable doesn't hang in the same method.

Done. Go play

I've always sort of felt my way around the tension on the throttle cables on every bike I've worked on.  Is there a science to how tight it should be?

I've got an 04 (two cables, obviously) and the throttle isn't returning to neutral.  I'm assuming lubrication issues, but I want to know once and for all "the right way" to tighten the cables.