The International Cessna 170 Association

Recently learned on this forum that bowden Cables could be heated and lube applied externally.
It works ; gentle heat work 2 - 3 inches at a time - wait a few minutes - repeat 3 times.

To a limited degree it worked.

Now have the Sliding door fig 55-22 IPC CLOSED first time in multiple decades.

New request for techniques.

Need to lube bowden cables between panel and Firewall. How to apply small amount of lube without dripping all over the place - spraying were you do not want (avionics) Etc. ?

How?

Grady
Use a small paint brush dipped in a capful of lube and don't lie directly under where you are working !

If you have the inner wire removed you might consider lubricating the bowden cable with grease using a needle nozzle. Years ago Cessna recommended MIL-G-3278 and AN-G-25. The current equivalent to these standards is MIL-PRF-23827C. Aeroshell 33, Aeroshell 7, and MobilGrease 33 conform to these standards.

Anytime you are desiring to lubricate with an aerosol product in a difficult place.... you may find these extended-length "straws" to be helpful. I use them to lubricate difficult-to-reach areas during my annual inspections using a re-fillable, pressurized spray-can
https://www.amazon.com/Gino-Development ... 73JRB1K7YK

or LPS type products.

https://www.amazon.com/ShopStraw-FS250- ... straw+long

https://www.amazon.com/Aerosol-Replacem ... straw+long

I've always thought a motorcycle cable lube tool would be handy. Always meant to get one, and I should do my cables too. Available at Amazon and most motorcycle shops.

Bruce,

I have a motorcycle cable lube tool. For a Beldon cable I think they's be useless. Big difference between a Beldon cable and a motorcycle or even bike cable. The Beldon sheath is nothing more than a tightly wound spring. Bike or motor cycle cables have a teflon tube inside wrapped with a casing and then sealed with at outer cover. Lubricant force into the end on a bike or motorcycle cable is forced through the length of the cable. Not so much with a Beldon as it is not sealed.

The advantage of the Beldon when lubing is you don't have to force the lube through the cable from one end like the bike/cycle cable. Just lube the outside and wipe of excess. Quick and easy. The lube will seep through the spring casing.

Certain appreciated the post on lube Belden cables.

Bruce explanation that Belden cables are just wound springs w/o liner sheath. Good advise

I heated cables, brushed on LPS -

Once they were working I used Bruce's suggestion - Vaseline - New use for this product. Coated the exposed cable and it now gets pulled inside the wound sheaf.

Now I will keep a few little plastic salad dressing containers filled with Vaseline in the Hanger.

My simple reference was "lawn mower throttle cable"

Never again ignored for decades.

You can get brand new ones for under ten bucks at NAPA. If you really want to maintain originality lube and install the new housing and reuse your old cable if it’s still serviceable.