Clutch and rear brake Cable adjusting

[antvespa]

Working through my VBB restoration and getting to the cables. 

Problem 1:

Is there any easy way of tightening the cable? I have used a draper cable tool but it just keeps slipping.

I have someone else pulling on the cable to pull it tight and then I tighten the Nipple clamp just before the arm to what I think is tight but when I test the clutch lever it won't pull in the clutch and then it seems slack. 

Problem 2:

With the rear brake cable, I also feel like the foot brake doesn't spring back when it's pressed down. 


This bike is fighting me at every step haha, I should just take it to a professional but I want to learn how to service this bike myself. 


Any tricks or tips

[phattanglo]

The brake pedal is very prone to seizing due to road crap and salt gumming it up.
Does it come back up after use or do you have to pull it back up by hand.
If so it's worthwhile stripping and re-greasing as they can pick up a lot of road crap and start getting tight.
With regard to the clutch cable there are various ways of doing it but I just leave the adjuster with a few turns out from fully in.
Take all the slack out of the cable and hold it there with little mole grips.
All I do then is tighten the trunnion and if necessary screw the adjuster in a bit if the clutch lever has no slack as ideally you should have a couple of millimetres free play.

[ianmartin40]

Problem 1
the clutch arm will need to be moved to the point where it is about to push the plates apart, you can feel this by hand as you can move the arm with the strength of your fingers and you will feel the resistance when the arm starts to actuate the clutch, your fingers will struggle to actuate the clutch, so this is where you need to have your trunion on and like Phattanglo says adjust either way.

problem 2
I think on a VBB the brake pedal pivot is a pin welded onto the frame above the floor, so remove pedal from pivot and clean/lube so pedal moves freely, make sure cable is lubed and smooth, check brake actuator at hub is clean and moves freely and returns to home position or may be brake shoe spring issue, the brake shoes are on fairly strong springs so should return with force

[phattanglo]

Also check if the cam on the actuator arm is very worn.

[antvespa]

It has new cams al round.

I think I solved the clutch problem, the previous owner cut a line into the clutch arm so the cable was coming loose when ever the clutch was being pulled in.

I think with the foot brake i might need to sand down the fresh paint a bit more so it pivots on the arms a bit better and is not getting stuck