Am I the only one having difficulty taking the clutch cable out ?

[Crazy Horse]

Hey group,

I went to remove my clutch cable and there is a plastic sheath protruding from both ends of the cable carrier tube. This plastic sheath is causing me problems. I put vice grips on the tranny end (back end) of the cable, but the clevis end (forward end) seems too big to fit through this plastic sheath.

Am I not doing something right? Is there a way to pull the cable out other than the way I am trying?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated !

[Mo_Gearhead]

Perhaps a '79 is different that the earlier cars?

My '69 had a plastic sheath at the trans-axle/clutch cable end, but it is an integral part of the cable (appears to me to be there to protect the bare cable from abrasion?). It ALL comes out together on mine? Others need to opine.

[fred cook]

You should be able to remove the clevis from the cable. There is a small locking nut that jams against the clevis that must be loosened first. Once the clevis is off the cable, the cable will pull out of the sheath from the engine end. Unless a previous owner put something on the cable, it should just pull out. Hope this helps.

[Crazy Horse]

I have removed the clevis. The cable gets stuck because the boss binding the cable to the thread end is too large to fit into this "thin clear plastic sheath" inside of the black cable carrier tube.

Please help me - this is my work car - I need it back up as soon as feasible.

This has to be something simple.

[Gunter]

Looking at the Bentley 301-5.
After the clevis and nut are removed, the old cable is pulled out fro the engine side.
No mention of any plastic sheath?
Do you mean the shield that's around the wire cable itself?
Both parts, inside wire and outside shield, should come out together through the guide tube when pulling from the rear.
Unless the old cable/sheath is really stuck in the guide tube?
Is it possible that the PO made some changes to the guide tube?

[cantdrv55]

I have a '79 and I believe the plastic sheath is part of the cable. Can you push it through towards the front to loosen it in the tunnel then yank it out from the back?

[bob deluke]

I just changed mine on a 77 Targa. Plastic sheating was broken in 3-4 pieces. It was stuck partway in the tube, thought, oh s**t, I'm in trouble now! Vice grips on cable, near rear of tranny, taped flat of vicegrips with hammer, don't wail on it....came right out. Plastic sheating was brittle and came out in pieces. Greased new cable with lubriplate, installed no problem....patience is a virtue.

[Crazy Horse]

Bob,

I ended up putting vice grips on the engine end of the cable - but I did have to wail.

I also found that the plastic sheath was brittle and broken into 3-4 pieces. The cable is back in and it is amazing how better it is working !

[khamul02]

Blast from the past but I had the same issue. Love Pelican!