A go-kart throttle cable provides the primary control of speeding up the small vehicle, so installing one correctly ensures that the vehicle control will work properly. Installation of a throttle cable only involves a few different methods when using a steel cable design, so most of the options involve fairly intuitive steps. However, a few approaches can also make the difference as to whether the cable lasts for a long time or breaks very quickly.
A quick installation involves taking a new throttle cable and swapping out the old one with the new one. Once the cable end with a knob or hook gets connected to the carburetor throttle slide inside, the remainder is routed through the go-kart body and up to the throttle foot pedal. After that, the cable gets pulled tight, pinched to stay in place, and the pedal activates the carburetor as necessary. Unfortunately, this approach avoids needed lubrication, which means the cable will quickly break due to friction against its housing.
The full lube approach takes an extra step prior to installing the throttle cable. New throttle cables come with cable housings and the steel cable inside. To protect the cable, many users first pull the steel cable out and completely wipe it with fresh, new engine grease. The grease cable then gets reinserted into the cable housing. Once the cable and housing are hooked to the carburetor and the foot pedal, it will work similar to the setup in a quick installation. However, the inner cable will work much smoother with the grease and will avoid friction. This then prolongs the life of the cable up to a few years of use.
In some cases, a throttle cable-only replacement may be necessary, keeping the housing in place. However, the user still wants to make sure the cable gets lubricated to avoid friction. In this instance, a forced approach can be used. With a cable-lubrication tool, sprayed lubrication can be forced down the housing with the cable already inside. Eventually the spray pressure will force the lubrication all the way through, dripping out the far end of the housing. The goal of protecting the new throttle cable is then met after inserting it through with the old housing unchanged.
The key advantage to avoiding go-kart throttle problems involves assuming a cable will go bad. Regardless of which approach above tends to be taken to repair it, no repair will occur without spares being available. Having replacement cables handy and ready for a fix makes the replacement job go quickly and avoids a ruined day at the go-kart track.
