Topic: Need help with control cable routing (CB350twin)

[Raul CB750K1]

I took hundreds of pictures of the bike during teardown, but as the previous owner had replaced the original bars by clubmans, as he kept the original control cable and somebody messed the bike up, I can't be sure of the correct routing.

The wire loom goes straight to the headlight shell by the left side. Front brake cable crosses the handlebar bracket, goes straight in front of the upper and lower triple trees, is hold in place by a clip bolted to the lower tree, then through a rubber eyelet on the front mudguard, and then to the brake assembly going on the inside of the fender stay. The same goes for the speedo cable. The front brake switch cable goes parallel to the front cable, held together by a plastic piece, and once it crosses the handlebar bracket, it goes into the headlight shell.

But, what about the other cables? Seems that the throttle cable shouldn't cross the handlebar bracket or it would be very kinked. The more natural position should be going straight in between the fork ears, and then parallel to the horizontal frame tube by the left side -together with the wire loom- and to the carbs.

Regarding the clutch, if it goes through the handlebar bracket, the more natural routing would be going backwards at the right of the steering stem. As the other end is in the left of the bike, it should cross the horizontal tube. The bike had it crossing through the coils opening, but I don't know wether it is clear or not.

The tacho cable is no problem either, being the only issue a wire holder that is held in place by the horn-coil-ignition switch bolt.


Am I right with my assumptions? I have about 200 different pictures I've been collecting from eBay auctions but none of it sheds any light. In many of them the routing is not even correct. Not even in the period magazines or brochures the pictures are big enough so I can see the correct routing.



I should mention that I have a few cables that I bought cheap that will not be able to use. the US handlebars way a little higher and therefore the cables are a little longer too.

[CBGBs]

I'm looking at the Owners Manual and it looks like the clutch cable goes through the chrome bracket that mount on the bar risers and then in front of both triple trees on the right side  before finding its way over the engine? and into place. The Throttle cable is the only cable to run on the left side of the streering stem and it would travel through the fork ears as you've stated.
That is a beautiful bike. I love those suckers! Love the color too!

[Raul CB750K1]

I'm looking at the Owners Manual and it looks like the clutch cable goes through the chrome bracket that mount on the bar risers and then in front of both triple trees on the right side  before finding its way over the engine? and into place. The Throttle cable is the only cable to run on the left side of the streering stem and it would travel through the fork ears as you've stated.
That is a beautiful bike. I love those suckers! Love the color too!

Thanks for the input. The bike was originally olive green but I love the candy gold too.

[seaweb11]

I hope this helps.

[Raul CB750K1]

They do help, but there are a few things that I think you should double check. The horn should be facing backwards to avoid dust and water going inside. If you do it that way the wire clip for the tacho drive will run parallel to the horn chrome cover. The clutch cable shouldn't be that low in my opinion; I'm convinced it goes through the left -but only because going through the right seems very akward once it crosses the handlebar bracket-, but once on the left of the frame, it should cross the frame through the coils hole, therefore being hidden by the tank and running farther from the engine and its heat. The throttle cable should run on the left of the frame for the same reason -to widen the bend radius-, and the clip to hold the brake cable that you have bolted to the pinch bolt, even when it wasn't in my bike, i believe it should be bolted to that threaded hole in the center of the lower tree, but only because I can't see any other use for that hole -unless it is used for the later disc brake models, for the "T" junction for the pressure switch, but i think the "T" has two bolts if my memory serves me.


Raul


(In the attached picture the cable on the foreground is the clutch cable, not yet running through the coils. Please check the horn installation and the "rebuilt" coils with new, soft HT wires.)


(the server gives an error when uploading picture. I will keep trying)

[seaweb11]

    Thanks for the critique, but mine works fine,

[dabird]

For what it's worth my 73 cb350 recently snapped what appeared to be the original clutch cable and it too was routed through on the right side. I routed the replacement the same way and both the old and new cables worked fine

[Raul CB750K1]

For what it's worth my 73 cb350 recently snapped what appeared to be the original clutch cable and it too was routed through on the right side. I routed the replacement the same way and both the old and new cables worked fine

You mean "the same way than seawebb"? Or through the coil hole?

[seaweb11]

P.S. I may have changed a few things since those photos"last year can't remember"  I was just trying to give you something to look at.  But I do know if the wife hits her horn, someones going to hear it in front of her

don't ride in the dust, and the rain ain't hurt it yet.

[Raul CB750K1]

P.S. I may have changed a few things since those photos"last year can't remember"  I was just trying to give you something to look at.  But I do know if the wife hits her horn, someones going to hear it in front of her

don't ride in the dust, and the rain ain't hurt it yet.

Don't take me wrong. I didn't intend to criticize. Just wanted to know if you put everything as you found it when you bought the bike, or you changed some things on your own in order to achieve/avoid something in particular.

I can tell you that I had two horns. One that sounded way loud but had a cracked plastic and another that was cosmetically perfect but sounded so dim. I gave it a go opening it and the reason for the low volume was some dry mud inside, keeping the membrane to vibrate. A good cleaning and reassembly and it's deafening again. I still wonder how that mud came in; probably somebody rode the bike on muddy roads or even crossed water. I wonder what would have happened had the opening be facing forward, but you can always cross that bridge when you get at it.... 

[dabird]

For what it's worth my 73 cb350 recently snapped what appeared to be the original clutch cable and it too was routed through on the right side. I routed the replacement the same way and both the old and new cables worked fine

You mean "the same way than seawebb"? Or through the coil hole?

I'm pretty sure it's the same as seawebb