BX clutch cable warning

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » 22 Jul 2007, 21:11

Just a quick note though some of you bx guys probably know this already but when my bx's clutch cable let go the other day the front section flew forward and damaged my radiator, now causing me much grief and heart ache!!!! in future i plan on fitting either a metal plate over the section of my radiator or something to hold onto the clutch cable should it let fly again.
steve

Post by **Peter.N.** » 22 Jul 2007, 21:55

Unless you have an exceedingly heavy clutch, I dont think there's much chance of it happening again - assuming you have fitted a new cable - but I could be wrong.

nick · Post by **nick** » 22 Jul 2007, 22:13

Its certainly the first time I've heard of that happening with a BX clutch.

Which bit damaged the radiator? I know some BX clutch cables had a steel weight fitted on the end, if that flew off with enough force it might do some damage?

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » 23 Jul 2007, 06:52

with it being the tzd clutch cable it has the threaded end for adjustment at the box, and about 1" of thread was showing so as the clutch cable snapped it has thrown the section that pulls on the clutch forward and the threaded bit has come free shot forward and punctured my radiator, DOH!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 23 Jul 2007, 07:12

Was there any warning - like an extremely heavy pedal, reluctance to return or did it just go?

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » 23 Jul 2007, 19:14

absolutely no warning at all it hadn't been adjusted or anything it just decided to let go!!!

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 23 Jul 2007, 21:33

The counterweight is held by a nut which have a smaller nut tensioned as counter lock.
If the whole thing has been over-torqued, its likely the threaded end may crack and then shoot off itself some day when the clutch pedal lets go by itself.

Material fatigue by overload. Not uncommon, but very uncommon place to happen on the clutch cable.
Only ever heard of a snapped clutch cable due to normal wear & tear on BX'es.

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » 23 Jul 2007, 21:41

Had the car 5 years and never touched the clutch cable ever, and it has snapped about half way up inside of the tube????

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 23 Jul 2007, 23:26

When you say halfway up the inside of the tube, are you referring to the outer cable as the tube?

If so, I'd suggest you look to see if there happens to be any heatshields missing. I have a 16V that a former racing mechanic used to service.
Race mechanics are amazing; they can change wheels in seconds, a set of brake pads in less than a minute and engines between races, but all this comes at a price; they leave half the bits off the car!!

As a result, a heatshield which is a mongrel to fit was left off down near the steering pinion. The result? Failures in pinion, clutch cable, speedo cable, wiring and sensors at the rear of the engine plus damage to insulation on the firewall, so I now have a real phobia about heatshields as almost every problem I've had with this car was caused by the loss of this shield.
If it snapped halfway up the cable, I'd suggest it has burnt the outer plastic case off the cable, rust has then got into the outer cable and then damaged the inner one and bingo the whole show's let go.
Just check the heatshield situation just out of curiosity to see if just one is missing.
The one that caused all my damage you'd fit in the palm of your hand.

Alan S

talbotsteve · Post by **talbotsteve** » 25 Jul 2007, 21:36

The outer of the cable shows no signs of wear or damage and the inner cable looks almost like its has been cut, the wire is clean and the plastic cover on the inner wire is a clean break so doesn't look like its been going over time just went in one foul swoop?