Is there some secret techique to this or am I just thick and cack handed?

Ok, I am thick and cack handed but I still can’t get the cable the thread through the swingarm 😕

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Poke it through from the front. Rotate it while looking through the hole at the back, you’ll see it flapping around, and stop when it it’s level with the hole. Pull it back and flap it about some more and you can usually get the end to pop out. Hooking it out with the bent end of an old spoke makes it a load easier.

It’s like pushing a rope 🙂

Best idea is either to use the old cable as a leader and tie the new one to it, but I’m guessing it’s too late for that 😕

Alternatively take the grommet things out and thread through from the front (pivot end of the swingarm) and aim for the back. I think there’s internal baffles at the front and also as the swingarm tapers it sort of guides the cable towards the exit hole for you. You should eventually be able to catch the end of the cable with a bradawl or old spoke or something like that and guide it through.

I’ve also heard of people using loudspeaker magnets as the gear outer is magnetic and swingarm isn’t but didn’t quite have to resort to that.

colourful language and a large unobstructed field.

Got any friends who are gynecologists? Or proctologists?

Tape a bit of wire or old spoke to the end and feed that in first then use it to pull the cable outer through

Managed it. Resorted to the old radio aerial and art wire method.

And what MrNutt said. 😯