I need a widget to make an inner cable end bulb but don't know if it exists?

Having received a cable operated dropper from a kind forum member, rigging up the actuation is the next step.
The lever on the seat post has the cable bulb end fitting so at the bar’s end, it’d need to be cut and clamped to the actuation lever.
However, I have a redundant Cannondale remote shock lever for the bars which is neat and might just throw enough cable. Problem is that the lever has the fitting for the cable bulb end.
So I need something to bolt to the end of a cut inner at the seatpost to replicate the bulb?
KS do a clamped cable collar but don’t seem to be available in the U.K.
Anything else suitable.
Plan B is the bontarger lever as this has the cable clamp at the lever.

google “solderless nipple”

Spot on, £1.66 from eBay.
Cheers Native.

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Ah fukken used to hate those things. Always made of cheese and would round off right as you reached the amount of torque needed to hold the cable.

Alternatively, get hold of a crimp terminal like one of these[/url] (you’ll probably be able to get them for pennies from your local electrical or car bits shop)

Remove the plastic bit covering the part you actually crimp

Remove the terminal part you don’t want with a hacksaw

Crimp the remains to your cable using a crimp tool, also shown in the link above.

You will probably need some way to take up some slack so include an inline barrel shifter like this if there’s nothing on the lever (again, with a bit of a search you’ll probably be able to find cheaper, the link is for reference).

I once found metal doo-dahs of varying sizes designed to be crimped onto steel wire on a marine chandlery website, but I can’t for the life of me remember what they were called or what site it was, sorry.

Depending on the design of the remote, those solderless nipples might not fit in the hole designed for a normal gear cable nipple.

They’re also known as “trunnion nipples”

Finbar, you were right, it doesn’t fit in.
Back to square one.

I had a similar thing when setting up a second lever on a bike so I could easily move the post.

I drilled out the end stop slightly to accept a barrel nipple which clamped the cable.

Alternatively was going to drill and tap the lever then fit a grub screw

some brake cables are “universal” – mtb one end, roadie the other and you cut off accordingly. I wonder if the 2 different ends can both work and you get lucky on length

Clarks Universal Brake Cable available online at halfords.com. … Front cable includes: outer casing (610mm), and (1000mm) galvanised inner wire; Rear cable

(and that world peace happens soon)
((and that moons on sticks come back into stock at halfords))

Good luck getting a universal inner through the outer……….

rockhopper70 – Member
Plan B is the bontrager lever as this has the cable clamp at the lever.

Good luck getting a universal inner through the outer……….

😳

I can vouch for the Bontrager lever, well made and sounds like less hassle than what you’re try to do OP.

That takes me back. I used to make my own motorbike brake and throttle cables. A right PITA if you’re fussy and don’t have the right tools (poverty).

It’s very satisfying though. 🙂

epicyclo – Member
That takes me back. I used to make my own motorbike brake and throttle cables.

Same here – the difference is that we weren’t dealing with stainless cables and such piddling small nipples.
The secret with motorcyle stuff was getting everything clean and flaring the end of the cable properly before soldering.

Dismantle an old 7-way trailer plug and carefully saw off the brass top of the post where the cable gets clamped?

The brass bit from choccy block might do it. I’ve used them on bike cables before. There’s a few different sizes.

Andy R – Member
…The secret with motorcyle stuff was getting everything clean and flaring the end of the cable properly before soldering.

Yes. I used to enlarge the countersink, then with fine needlenose pliers do a bit of reverse splicing on the cable end so that the solder would fill the gaps and it would form a bulb that could not pull out even if the solder didn’t take properly on the rest of it.

Google ‘cable display system’ or ‘cable display signs’ or ‘cable display system grub’.

It’ll bring up those displays you see in estate agent windows that are suspended on cables. There’s all sorts of different pieces available with grub screw fittings and such.
I can’t visualise exactly how much space you have available having never used a dropper but something might pop up that you can maybe attach then file down to size.
I’ll have a look through the catalogue at work at dinner if I get chance and see if I can find an exact part and supplier.

Edit: ‘grub screw cable stop’ also brings up a fair number of options. It’s easier to search via images rather than clicking link after link.

Found them! Voila:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-2mm-Copper-Steel-Wire-Rope-Ferrule-Crimp-FREE-P-P-/251285841899?hash=item3a81cda7eb:g:iFMAAOSwnNBXY7tf

Do you think the ks dodad would fit? I thunk I’ve a lever assembly in the garage somewhere…

Edit: Though post will cost more than that thingy.

Dodad?
Curious what that even is…… ❓

It’s an oojamaflip, or a whatsit, a doofah, a thingamijig or even a bobsywhatsit if it’s very rare

[Img]http://forums.mtbr.com/attachments/components/1055266d1457432022-thomson-covert-dropper-thread-ks-lev-stop.jpg[/img]

One of these in this case.

Probably a stupid question, as I don’t have a dropper post myself – but if you have cable ends at each end, how do you adjust the tension of the cable?

A dodad is therefore what I was after but they don’t seem to be available on their own. They come in a set with a threaded fandango.

Krix, double cable ends are there to chose one and cut the other off.

Ahhhhh, but i think i might be able to solve that… I’ll have a look see in the garage things evening.

The brass bit from choccy block might do it. I’ve used them on bike cables before. There’s a few different sizes.

I use one of these on my car’s throttle as the OEM cable is poor quality and the curve too tight, shimano brake cable and outer on the other hand is perfect!

On the soldering options, the secret is to use a really good iron. A little 20W one from maplins will never heat up something that big anywhere near hot enough to get solder to stick (they barely melt lead free solder), you need a 150-200W temperature controlled one but they’re £££.

@rockhopper70 – my read of this though is OP is looking to have a cable end at each end – not to cut one off?

Probably a stupid question, as I don’t have a dropper post myself – but if you have cable ends at each end, how do you adjust the tension of the cable?

Because it’s a bodge.

Some droppers require the cable end within the post, and some require it within the shifter. If you want to mix and match a shifter and post from different brands, depending on the combination you might need a cable end at both ends.