Hi everyone - new account and a bit of lurker (the advice and trouble shooting is excellent here).

I picked up a new to me GIO 110CC ATV (YL707 / Mini Beast). And I've done quite a bit of work to it to get it up and peppy for the kids; I had to put it away for the winter and forgot that I head left the brake job for spring and ... well thats now.
My question is - this sucker has front drum brakes but the cables that ran to the drums appear to be normal bicycle type cable with sheathing on them... is this normal for this type of ATV as working with these cables has proved difficult (they're old, stretched, and fraying). I'm not certain what I need for front brake cables or even where I should get replacements from at this point as I haven't been able to find an answer.

The drum has a bracket on it that one of the "bike cable" was threaded around (not through and I'm not sure why) then the bolt was tightened down. The drum doesn't seem to fit with the style of the cables that have the large spring sections on them but I could be wrong as I'm a computer guy not a professional mechanic.

Anyway - if anyone has any experience or advice on what I can do it would be appreciated. Also if you need photos I'd be happy to oblige.

Thanks,
Mike -

 

Put some pictures up. If the cables are bad, you may be able to get new ones from firms advertising Gio spares or Gio dealers. Failing that anyone who can make cables up. There are on-line specialist firms who make motorcycle cables, using your old one as a pattern. Making cables used to be a common skill for cyclists and motorcyclists, sadly it seems to be a skill now lost, workshops tend to buy ready made, and mechanics are not taught how to make cables.

 

Here are a few pictures to help with imaging what I have going on. Currently the brake lines are removed as I've been playing with trying to find replacements. I'm open to suggestions and opinions here. Thank you.


I had to add some solder to this one to keep it from fraying out. It was at this point I figured new cables were probably a better idea.

You can see how stretched out this one is.

You can see the screw inlet and the lever - I have the nut out of the lever at the moment but it's a bolt with an eyelet for threading the cable.

front left.

front right - lever off.

 

Usually inner cables have nipples or something at least, at both ends. As you don't show how the cables attach, I am working blind. If you can't get Gio ones, apart from the "mid cable adjusters" they looks a lot like bicycle brake cable so could be bought at any cycle shop, measure inner and outer cable dia to be sure (about 0.060" inner and 0.2" outer). Mid cable adjusters for 0.2" outer can be got from classic motorcycle specialists if the cycle shop hasn't got them.

 

Thanks! I'll try and put the pieces of it back together tomorrow and post a follow up for review. The cable does have a nipple bit on one end that fits into the break lever on the handlebar and then nothing on the other (straight cable). This is the way that it came to me. I'll run one of the brake lines tomorrow with the full kit to show how it came assembled. If there is a preferred method for running these I'd gladly do it -

Thanks for being super helpful Merryman!

 

I ended up not being able to source parts myself - i did find a local mechanic who services these quads. Hopefully he can do it for me in not too much time lol.
I'll have to learn how to do these things (cables) so I can make it happen.

Thanks for peeking in.

-Mike

 

the cables are just slightly bigger than a bicycle cable. The brake shoes and cable are all over ebay/amazon all the imports use the same setup. I very much doubt that your fronts are shot usually what happens is they get packed up with dirt and need to be cleaned, lubed, and readjusted.. My little one has years on hers and lots of riding and the brakes barely show any wear