Can I shorten a brake cable?

[The Overpaid Baby]

Brake cable is too long, is there a safe and effective way to shorten it to the length I need? If so, how would you go about doing that. Thanks this site is an invaluable resource for this boat.....I mean Go kart that still isn't running.

 

[Bbqjoe]

It's easy to shorten a cable.
First pull the cable out of the casing. Size to length, use a sharp pair of cutters, and cut the casing.
Next fit the cable back into the casing, and determine how much free length you need.
It sometimes helps to wrap the cable with some tape to keep it from fraying, then cut with your cutters.

Just make sure you measure a few times before cutting, you only get one try.
Also make sure you leave some slack.

 

[Tom Knight]

cable end clamps are available from kart parts places, basically a round piece of steel like a bolt with no head & a set screw inside it. Slide cable thru hole tighten & set screw....you can make one quicker than ordering it....old dog

 

[The Overpaid Baby]

How about a ferrule a and stop set?

 

[The Overpaid Baby]

I went with a set of 3 1/16" cablet clamps and used the loop inside the hole of the arm on the mechanical brake system. Works pretty good. I won't be stopping on a dime but it's definitely nice slowing down atleast.

 

[Bbqjoe]

Just make sure to keep walls, trees, and large boulders in sight in case you really do need to stop quickly.

 

[gokartdaddy]

I got 100 cable ends on ebay for $5 delivered. The kind you see on bikes