Post by Chi Makwa on Jan 8, 2010 18:32:01 GMT -5
If you're like me, Old Man Winter hasn't stopped you from scooting. But I ran into a huge problem when the air temperature dropped below 20F.
The Problem:
I know you all realize that my first problem is that I'm crazy for actually riding my scoot in the Minnesota winter. Well, I know I'm crazy, but what can I do about that?
My second problem is that apparantly the cheap OEM throttle cables that come with Chinese scoots, and any replacement throttle cables I could find at the local B&M/mechanic or online, are sheathed in a plastic that just can't handle the cold. I found my throttle cable freezing up when it dropped below 20F. Here's what happened:
That cheap plastic sheathing around the cable had cracked along the entire length of the cable, and many large patches fell off entirely. On a frosty (or dewy) morning, water seeps in through the steel windings of the cable and into the core, where it freezes the cable solid (in my experience, without warning, on my way home one 20-degree morning).
(And no, I don't have a garage for the thing, it just sits outside in the weather locked up to my fence, and that's where I work on it.)
So I replaced the cable on a pretty cold day (-6F, wind chill was colder -- didn't really understand why the sheathing was cracking and flaking yet), and I found that anytime I flexed the cable even a little bit to route it, the plastic sheathing cracked & shattered. Crap!
(Also put a small crack in one of the body panels while removing it. It's ok, not noticeable.)
My Solution:
First of all, I learned not to try to manipulate the cable when it's that cold. Second, as I was installing it, wherever the cable cracked, I covered it right away with good ol' duct tape. I was quite surprised at how well the tape worked at -6 degrees. It's been over a week now, and the new cable feels as smooth as a brand new cable should feel, even last night when I was riding in 4 degree weather (-35 wind chill, but when you're riding, you make your own wind chill).
When it's a little warmer (say, when it's above 20F) I plan on removing the cable again and just wrapping the whole thing in duct tape. Perhaps the real aluminum tape, which I know will maintain a solid seal.
I've been thinking about other options, such as spraying the whole cable with WD40 and sealing the whole thing with heat-shrink tubing, but I don't know how well that tubing works when it gets really cold.
Any additional ideas from you real mechanics, other than the obvious admonition not to ride in the cold, and to store my scoot over the winter? Do any of you know where I can just get a higher quality cable that will still perform when it gets down to 30 below zero? (Our cars all have them ass standard.)
BTW, I wear snowmobile gear while riding in the cold. I truly do stay warm the whole way, and I'm usually sweaty when I arrive at my destination. My only real issues are the mechanical performance of the scoot (speedo cable not working again, fuel float might be stuck) and ice, black ice, pack ice, or glare ice. Fresh, deep snow is actually kinda fun at slower speeds! So far I've never tipped it over. I just ride really slow when I have to, and keep my feet ready to catch it if it starts sliding sideways.
The Problem:
I know you all realize that my first problem is that I'm crazy for actually riding my scoot in the Minnesota winter. Well, I know I'm crazy, but what can I do about that?
My second problem is that apparantly the cheap OEM throttle cables that come with Chinese scoots, and any replacement throttle cables I could find at the local B&M/mechanic or online, are sheathed in a plastic that just can't handle the cold. I found my throttle cable freezing up when it dropped below 20F. Here's what happened:
That cheap plastic sheathing around the cable had cracked along the entire length of the cable, and many large patches fell off entirely. On a frosty (or dewy) morning, water seeps in through the steel windings of the cable and into the core, where it freezes the cable solid (in my experience, without warning, on my way home one 20-degree morning).
(And no, I don't have a garage for the thing, it just sits outside in the weather locked up to my fence, and that's where I work on it.)
So I replaced the cable on a pretty cold day (-6F, wind chill was colder -- didn't really understand why the sheathing was cracking and flaking yet), and I found that anytime I flexed the cable even a little bit to route it, the plastic sheathing cracked & shattered. Crap!
(Also put a small crack in one of the body panels while removing it. It's ok, not noticeable.)
My Solution:
First of all, I learned not to try to manipulate the cable when it's that cold. Second, as I was installing it, wherever the cable cracked, I covered it right away with good ol' duct tape. I was quite surprised at how well the tape worked at -6 degrees. It's been over a week now, and the new cable feels as smooth as a brand new cable should feel, even last night when I was riding in 4 degree weather (-35 wind chill, but when you're riding, you make your own wind chill).
When it's a little warmer (say, when it's above 20F) I plan on removing the cable again and just wrapping the whole thing in duct tape. Perhaps the real aluminum tape, which I know will maintain a solid seal.
I've been thinking about other options, such as spraying the whole cable with WD40 and sealing the whole thing with heat-shrink tubing, but I don't know how well that tubing works when it gets really cold.
Any additional ideas from you real mechanics, other than the obvious admonition not to ride in the cold, and to store my scoot over the winter? Do any of you know where I can just get a higher quality cable that will still perform when it gets down to 30 below zero? (Our cars all have them ass standard.)
BTW, I wear snowmobile gear while riding in the cold. I truly do stay warm the whole way, and I'm usually sweaty when I arrive at my destination. My only real issues are the mechanical performance of the scoot (speedo cable not working again, fuel float might be stuck) and ice, black ice, pack ice, or glare ice. Fresh, deep snow is actually kinda fun at slower speeds! So far I've never tipped it over. I just ride really slow when I have to, and keep my feet ready to catch it if it starts sliding sideways.
