REB Throttle Cable Inspection and Lubrication

In preparation for my ride to the REunion in Minnesota next week I am doing some routine maintenance on the REB and decided to take a few photos.  The last time I tried this I dropped my camera and smashed it to bits so have to be more careful with this job.  I just wanted to lube the cable and make sure it wasn't about ready to snap.  First step is to remove the tank.  Two bolts, pull the fuel line from the fuel tap and lift off the tank.  If the tank is about empty it's a lot lighter.  No photos of this.  This is a good time to look over all the wiring that runs under the tank and anything else that looks suspicious.

I already knew this rubber cap needed to be replaced and I had two spares on the shelf.  These things are notorious for rotting and splitting.  They sit right up against the bottom of the tank so they don't last long.  Now screw the throttle adjuster all the way in to get some slack in the cable.

 

 

 

With the cable slack unscrew the mixing chamber cap.  You should be able to do this without a tool.  Lift the cap off the carb body, the slide and spring will come out of the body.  Removing that little plate under the spring is the next task.

 

 

 

 

If you hold the whole thing just so with your thumb pushing the spring up and holding the throttle cable you can grab the little tab on the plate with a pair of needle nose pliers and lift it out.

 

 

 

Once that plate is out you just turn the slide away from the cable and it comes right off.  No I didn't take a picture, I only have two hands.  You will see a couple of screws under the plate, keep your tool off of them unless you want to adjust the height of the needle hanging out the bottom of the slide.  Take all the hardware and the old rubber cap off the cable and turn you attention to the twist grip up there on the handle bar.

Take the two screws holding the housing onto the handle bar out and carefully separate it to expose the throttle cable in the twist grip rotor assembly (hey that's what Royal Enfield calls it in the parts book).  Be careful cause there is electrical stuff in there.  Make sure you don't lose the ferrule at the end of the cable.  In fact it's a good idea to take it off and replace it with a dab of silicone stickem of some kind.  Enough to hold it in place and not interfere with the cable operation.  If the cable snaps and you loose the ferrule, you're screwed.

 

Examine this part carefully, most new Enfields break the throttle cable just below that barrel shaped thing cause it binds in the plastic housing on the twist grip.  If yours is binding work it over with a razor knife or dremel until it works smoothly.  The barrel needs to rotate in the housing.  I put some light grease in there to help things along.

 

 

 

 

Remember that rubber cap down there on top of the carb?  Well it's a good idea to take a good look at it before putting it on.  Here is my brand new, just out of the plastic bag, rubber cap.  Of course I didn't notice it until I was ready to drop the slide back into the carb body and I had to take the damn thing apart again.  Good thing I had another one that was better.

That's about it, drop the slide back into the carb body, screw the mixing chamber cap all the way down, hand tight only.  Adjust the cable to about an 1/8 inch of slack at the twist grip.  Make sure nothing is binding and put the tank back on.

You will want to take a test ride to make sure the throttle cable is binding up anyplace.  What's that, you smell gas?  You fergot to re-attach the fuel line dumb ass!  Scooter won't start, got no fire, check the big red kill switch on top of the throttle housing.

Just noticed that the wording in the photos is too small....squint, I'm tired.