# Lawn mower throttle cable broke



## Suemo (Sep 19, 2002)

I have a 2007 poulan pro 6.75 hp push lawn mower. The cable broke this a.m. It is twisted wire and simply crumbled. I have a good piece of the same type cable only a little bigger. Is there any reason I should not use that to replace this shoddy cable with one that apparently does not rust and die as quickly as the one on my mower has?


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

All I can tell you is that couple years ago found out the door release on my Ranger used a short cable going from inside lever to actual latch. Found out when this busted. NO auto parts store carried this cable. Ford wanted $135 for the cable "assembly" Could get a used door with glass, latch and the works for $50 or probably whole junk Ranger for $200. I went to Tractor Supply and bought couple foot (75cents or so) of aircraft cable simular diameter and just reused old housing and cobbled up my own ends since couldnt reuse the molded ends off old cable.

You can also buy universal mower cables of various lengths, sizes etc. if that is easier since they will probably have some kind of ends molded onto them that might or might not be compatible.

I cant tell you definitely what is possible since I dont have one of these mowers.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

The name of the cable is Bowden wire. Inside of the spiral bound housing is a stiff wire that moves within.

Since yours seemed to rust and crumble away you might wish to replace it with a covered house meant for marine use. Getting the right ends, length, etc. would be the trick. http://www.portagebaysystems.com/marine/products2.htm

Personally I have used universal replacements just as HJ told about and found they work just fine.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Why not tie the throttle wide open? I never cut grass at anything less.


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

The only thing that moves is the end and you can have a mile wound up and it will work fine Just might be stiff.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Ok, reread. If this is just plain old throttle cable with a stiff wire inside a spriral wire casing, then use anything simular or universal mower throttle cable from store or hand choke cable from auto parts store. You just twist end of stiff wire to same as currently on there. Best are stiff wire in nylon casing, these slide easier and dont rust up. Cost more of course but never cause problems. The spiral wire throttle cables are lot friendlier and longer lasting if you oil them with some ATF or light machine oil regularly. Oil soaks into the spriral wire casing making stiff wire inside slide much easier.

I was confused cause I havent worked on mowers for several years then somebody brought me a newer Honda mower to work on year ago as personal favor as mower shop was going to charge arm and leg to even look at it. It had expensive fancy cables (more than one) that were like automotive throttle cables with what looks like flexable aircraft cable inside a plastic/nylon housing. 

As to running mower at full throttle. Newer cheapie mowers are set to run full throttle with no throttle cable. I hate that, but modern mowers also seem to all be mulching mowers that have to do all that extra work grinding everything to a pulp. Best mower in my experience was an old Kee mower friend had, kinda open on all sides. Run it at half throttle with sharp blade and it just laid taller grass and weeds down like a hay mower without bogging down. Not what you want on a golf course lawn but hey its quiet run that way and makes efficient weed mower out in the sticks and if lawn isnt overgrown, then it doesnt matter if mower chops grass into oblivian. If it is overgrown, I'd rather rake up "hay" than gooey mulch.


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

Hey.

Make sure larger wire won't bind inside casing.

RF


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