choke lever sticking

[virgorabbit]

Choke lever was stiff yet turned before putting away for the winter...now it doesn't want to turn at all...any ideas on how to fix? Thx fellow "Voyager-ites"

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

Mine started getting very stiff/hard to engage before it broke, replacement was very reasonably priced (bought from Carl Leo) and relatively easy to replace. If you find that this is your only course of action, don't sweat it. If I can do it anyone can!

[triton28]

Remove cable. Then coil cable to fit into, and soak in, an oil bath overnight. Any oil will do, just enough to completely cover it.
This was Carl Leo's suggestion, and it works well.
I add a strong cord firmly attached, to the carb end of the cable to act as a messenger string to pull the re-oiled cable, should it get stiff/stuck, back through to the carb rack.
Dave

[gery]

Exactly as it says triton 28 I had the same - but I have used WD 40

Check once or cruise control works, because cable also likes jam.

gery

[ekap1200]

You can try the easy fix first if you want. Mine bound up after the ride back from the rally in 350 miles of rain. remove the two screws on the bar switch and remove the cable from the lever. To gain some slack you can reach down on the right side and push the choke by hand. ( by attempting to move by hand will also let you know if it is the cable or the choke rack that is sticking ) Then add some light oil into the cable sleeve and let sit for a while. If it has gotten really gummed up from road grime and you have an air compressor , blast some air in from the top after you get some oil in the sleeve. repeat with more light lube oil and air. Follow with some spray white lube and hit it again with the air blower. Not saying it will work for you but did work on my problem. Took far less time than removing . But removing it may be needed if you can't get if to work freely. Gene Kap.

[Mr Jensee]

If you can get the choke cable off at the lever, a trick I learned reading Cycle Guide magazine back in the 60's, is to take a clear plastic sandwich bag and cut a small piece of the corner off at the bottom, slide it over the end of the cable and use a rubber band to secure it tightly. It might take several wraps, then you'll have a flexible funnel to poor oil down the cable without making a mess. I found that ceiling fan oil worked great because it had great lubricating properties and it made a great penetrating oil. But spraying an ounce or two of WD40 works just as well. you can prop the cable up on the handlebars and let gravity do the work. Let it sit for about an hour and the entire cable should be lubricated.

[voyager55]

http://ezglidercablelube.com/

[lockwoodjohn]

Hi Everyone,
My choke cable did the same thing. I used my cable oiler and works
Good now, Remove cable from choke lever but oiler on cable end
Snug it down by the little screw on side of tool until rubber gromet seals around cable and cable shieth, tool has a little hole in the top of it for a spray nozzle. I use a spray can of cable lube a few blasts from
The can and the tools forces the lube all the way down the cable
Right to where it hooks onto the choke rack. Got it at one of the local
Bike shops....... Cost about 7 bucks, Can be used on just about any cable on a motorcycle from clutch to speedo cable
Lockwoodjohn

[ghostler]

I've got a cable oiler I bought from J.C. Whitney some 20 or 30 years ago. It comes with a syringe, split rubber adapters. Syringe does a nice job of forcing oil down the cable until it drips on the other side.

I freed up my choke by simply cleaning the New Mexico dust and grit that collected around the plastic choke lever glide area, did it when I had the left switch assembly loosened to fit the aftermarket CB PPT switch and heated grips. Before it was spotty. Now it operates smoothly.