Top Tips For Classic Car Cable Maintenance

If you're a long-time classic car owner, you'll know that cable maintenance is important to keeping your retro ride in top condition. Neglecting your cables can lead to all sorts of problems including having to change gear without a clutch or even a full mechanical breakdown. To help keep your vehicle in a fine, road-worthy condition, here are some top tips on how to maintain your throttle, clutch, and handbrake cables.

The first step in cable maintenance is to perform regular visual checks to identify any signs of damage. Throttle cables are particularly susceptible to wear and tear, so check for any kinks, fraying, or rust.  Also, make sure that the cable is properly routed and that it moves smoothly when the pedal is pressed. It's not uncommon for an accelerator cable to rub against the bulkhead or fan housing, especially if a rubber grommet is missing, or damaged.  

Your clutch cable should also be inspected for signs of damage. If you notice any slipping or resistance when you're shifting gears, or if your clutch pedal feels spongy or loose, this could be a sign that your clutch cable needs attention. Older vehicles will have a manual adjustment for this, more modern vehicles like the Mk2 Golf may have an auto-adjust cable, and newer cars and vans will have a hydraulicly operated clutch, so no need to worry about a cable. 

Handbrake cables are often overlooked in cable maintenance as they are hidden out of sight. Check the cables for any bulges in the housing or fraying on the cable itself if you can see it, and of course, make sure that it moves freely when the handbrake is applied and released. 

If you've identified any signs of wear or damage your first job should be to source replacements and get them swapped over, or at the very least make sure you are carrying a spare, should it fail in service. 

If your cables appear in fine fettle, the next step is to add a bit of lubrication. This will help to keep moisture at bay, and also reduce friction between the cable and its housing, extending its lifespan and improving overall performance.

But, before you squirt oil everywhere, clean off any loose dirt with a brush, and a brake cleaner-type spray. You don't want to encourage dirt and rust further into the cable housings. 

To lubricate your cables, apply a light coating of oil, spray grease or silicone evenly along the length, and work it into any kinks or areas of corrosion. Manually operate the cable back and forth if you can, to help spread the lubricant inside any conduits or housing. 

Some of your cables will require adjustment from time to time, as the components they operate wear down. This will be relevant for your clutch cable, and handbrake cable especially. 

Throttle cables and choke cables may need attention periodically, to assist with seasonal running and to check the cable connectors haven't come loose. 

Poor parking brake performance will be a good indication that something needs adjusting with your handbrake cables. This is typically done inside the car, at the base of the handbrake lever. Should this fail to return the desired results, it may be a case of replacing the rear brake shoes or making adjustments within the rear brake drums themselves.

The internal heater cables on your vehicle should be a fit-and-forget part from the factory, however, if there has been some 'behind the scenes' dashboard action the cables may have been damaged or misrouted, causing them to break. Externally, especially on air-cooled vehicles that rely on heat being taken away from the exhaust, the cables are far more exposed to dirt and moisture and are likely to be showing their age. New heater cables aren't expensive, but clean up what you have, if you can, and order up a spare just in case. 

Rust is the biggest enemy of any classic car owner, and it's out to get your cables, just as much as it loves munching on your metalwork!

Vehicles left standing for a long time will certainly require some encouragement to get their cables moving again, but for complete peace of mind, we would suggest buying new ones and saving your time for other more expensive issues the car may have. 

Can you stop rust from forming on your cables? Well, rust forms when the metal oxidizes, most often after getting wet. Whilst drying each cable after a rain shower is pretty much impossible, a decent grease or silicone lubricant should help to keep the cables free from water, and moving as they should, considerably slowing down any deterioration. 

If parking your vehicle up for a period of time, ensure the area is well-ventilated and not damp, and apply a coat of something slippery to the cables before shutting the door behind you. Read our guide on how to start your car after storage here. 

We hope this guide has been useful for you, and helps to bring many more happy adventures behind the wheel of your beloved car or bus. 

Andy