LCGB Forums

Within the last few weeks, I decided to do one of those upgrades that I’d meant to do some time ago.

So, armed with the Ø2.5 mm disc brake cable (pear nipple) bought from Scooter Restorations, I replaced the existing cable that had been supplied as part of a complete kit but was the standard Ø2 mm.

I’d probably done no more than 10 miles since fitting it but I could tell the difference with the sintered pads, reverse pull set up.

Approaching a roundabout just out of town, I was braking hard when the pear nipple pulled off. Fortunately, a pro-active car driver about to enter the roundabout sensed my entry speed was too fast & held back/gave way & I was able to scrub off speed with a combination of back brake & left shoe sole.

We all must have experienced dubious quality with many of the parts that we need to keep our machines running, but when it comes to a Bowden cable pulling out of its end nipple, I consider that a new ‘low’ & something I’ve never had occur previously. Normally, any cable gets replaced due to other factors such as age, fraying, outer failure & the pear nipple, in particular, I have never had fail.

I will be communicating with Scooter Restorations but would advise anybody using the same type of cable to replace it because the one I bought was not fit for purpose.

There is definitely an issue here. I bought one from the same source a few months back and the nipple feel off under light breaking within 100 miles, more like 50.

I assumed it was a one off.

dickie wrote:There is definitely an issue here. I bought one from the same source a few months back and the nipple feel off under light breaking within 100 miles, more like 50.

I assumed it was a one off.

Thank you for that information.

Since the occurrence, I've had a look on WWW @ the way that the ends of the cable are supposed to be 'balled up' like a fist so that they cannot pull out of the nipple. There was no way that the cable I bought was assembled correctly.

(I haven't got over the shock of what happened & what could have occurred yet)

Thanks for the tip.

Glad your ok and it didn't end in serious injury.

Hopefully the cables will be quarantined and appropriate steps taken ....

hope you took/sent it back and complained as that's the only way these poorly made parts will be take off the market (hopefully)

missing lynx wrote:hope you took/sent it back and complained as that's the only way these poorly made parts will be take off the market (hopefully)

Thank you for responding & yes, I have emailed them this morning & await their response.

The broken cable will be replaced today with a thinner, but more trusted inner that will have been bought via Taffspeed/BGM or whoever but I’d like a Ø2.5 mm alternative that I can trust.

I don’t want to go to the barrel nipple type as I figure that Lambretta utilised the pear nipple in conjunction with a trunnion for good reason so might have to research the motorcycle market.

Crikey- lucky escape. I bought one of them last week. Will have to check it later.

Once upon a time cable nipples were made of brass and as said, the cable was passed through the hole, Claire's and soldered. Cables today seem to have one end crimped on and smaller ends just formed out of solder.

Good job for the car driver taking notice, very lucky escape. Glad you're ok mate. That's the main thing.

Thank you for your concern , Folks.

In the light of day, the actual pear nipple part (the housing with a hole through it) must have simply exploded under the pressure, because a small ball of the cable end remains.

The part that has gone AWOL was, I suspect, made of a poor alloy, what we might call 'monkey metal' & it must have just split apart under load, precisely when it was needed the most.....

coaster wrote:Once upon a time cable nipples were made of brass and as said, the cable was passed through the hole, Claire's and soldered.

SIP sell these brass nipples that you feed the cable through and then solder. I have never had a problem with them. Of course, this helps resolve issues at the other end of the cable only.

thank god you are ok, I have had a similar failure thankfully not a brake cable but 2 clutch cables that the straight end of the cable were just butted into the nipples maybe with a bit of solder but were not crimped. worried now as I have one of the thick disk brake cables from that supplier bought years ago but never fitted I'm sure because the outer did not fit in the lever housing.

Any response from the cable supplier yet? I'd assume they'd be very keen to contact purchasers of similar items to warn them of the potential problem.

Chadley wrote:Any response from the cable supplier yet? I'd assume they'd be very keen to contact purchasers of similar items to warn them of the potential problem.

Scooter Restorations have responded to me & are aware of the bigger issue, but they have not stated if they intend to research their Customer Base with regard to contacting any other buyers. I would prefer that they do, rather than simply reimburse me TBH as I can 'wave a flag' on here to highlight the issue but that's all.

I suppose I could make a rare appearance on Scooterotica. Hah! I only avoid doing so as there is so much duplication I find, with respect to both Forums.

I have regained my temporary loss of confidence & fitted a NOS inner cable from a motorbike that must be 40 years old that despite being only Ø2 mm seems very good, easily bottoming out the forks on our dire roads. In fact, the front brake (sintered pads) squeals now, something I've never experienced even with hydraulic conversions....

I’d forgotten about this thread and I’d even commented at the time that I had bought one and better check it. I didn’t check as I forgot, but last week trying to get the front brake to work better on my TV for Llangollen I used it. I went for a test ride. Ok. Then was about to nip out with the missus for a spin in the sun, tried it again in the garage and it pulled the pear end straight off!

Thanks all for the warning. I too had 'upgraded' (seems not!) to the thicker front brake cable from Scooter Restorations for my reverse pull disc and am now very wary of relying on it.

Regards,

Adam

I saw this and bought a new cable from a different place,to replace the(faulty)one from SR.Up until now the(faulty)cable has worked as it should,leaving me to think that the offending cable must have been part of a faulty batch.This is the new cable that I bought to replace it with.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAMBRETTA-GR ... 5b44461da3

Take a look on Vehicle Wiring Products site.
They can supply various cable sizes and brass nipples etc.You can then make up to the spec you require.

A good thread for various reasons, glad you are OK most of all. Does anyone think the reverse pull set up puts any extra strain on any cable regardless of make. Looking forward to hearing my new disc and sintered pads.