Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

My throttle cable is starting to shed wire at the sleeve opening at the carb end (s4 - weber carbs) - time for a new one. Any reasons why I shouldn't buy a (quality) cable from the local bicycle shop - then cut to size & fit?

None

Sean Murray

I've also used cable from a tandem bicycle (bicycle built for two), the longest I could find, as cable for my Sprint power windows. It has been installed now for 3 or 4 years, and works fine.

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint

At LOG in southern Wisconsin a few years ago my thottle cable broke as I was leaving the hotel for a drive. I coasted in to a parking lot only to find it was a bike store and it was open on a Sunday afternoon. $2.50 later (then another $2.50 for a spare) I had a new thottle cable that is still in the car.

I did have to trim down the end piece so that it would fit in the thottle pedal lever, but otherwise it is perfect.

Take the old cable in to the bike store and they will find you something that will work great. I did have another bike shop sell me a cable that was thinner, but then I didn't have the original and that was the one spare I forgot at home when I headed out for LOG.

Rob

Yes, bike cables are fine; mine was doing the same thing when I got my car 15 years ago, and since I'd been a bicycle mechanic I had lots of cable stuff around - so I didn't spend anything on mine, and it's no longer a captive end cable; I can remove it from the housing to clean & lube it! No way did I want to pay the $25 for a new one that I couldn't even take apart to service.....
Dave
lotus026