Rusted control cables

[Ozwynn]

The cables on my rototiller are seized. It’s a 15yo powermate so getting parts are difficult. I soaked them in PB blaster overnight and now they’re hanging up with one end stuck into a bottle of motor oil. What else should I do. I don’t think I can save them, they are not ptfe coated…. And even soaking overnight I couldn’t free them. I did find cables from an earthquake tiller that look identical but they won’t be here until Tuesday and I have a Job for the tiller on Sunday. What else can or should I do to free them, they don’t have to work long, just long enough…. Maybe 2 hours or so

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Maybe soak them in a mild acid like vinegar? I use vinegar to clean rust off tools all the time.
Clean the oil off first tho.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Usually I'll soak for 24 hours. Sometimes a week or so.

 

[SenorNoob]

What do they control? Guessing one is throttle. It can be left at idle, then pulled with bailing wire to get the one job done if your desperate. IDK about the other? Maybe the same if it's just choke.

 

[pjtoledo]

flexing, lots of flexing to break the rust up.
at least it's free and relatively easy. ah, on second thought scratch the easy part when dealing with rust.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

I'd go somewhere like Walmart and buy some break/shifter cables for a bicycle.

Then I'd rig those cables up to work.

 

[Ozwynn]

What do they control? Guessing one is throttle. It can be left at idle, then pulled with bailing wire to get the one job done if your desperate. IDK about the other? Maybe the same if it's just choke.

The clutches for tiller tines and drive wheels. No handle bar throttle, the throttle is on the engine.

 

[Ozwynn]

flexing, lots of flexing to break the rust up.
at least it's free and relatively easy. ah, on second thought scratch the easy part when dealing with rust.

NGL…. The rust here is insane. The community college that changed the wheel hub assemblies on my Ram had to bring in specialized equipment to do what 2 big rig shops couldn’t.

 

[Ozwynn]

Soaking in brake fluid and repeatedly whipping the on the ground for an hour worked. And got the job for it done 5 minutes before the rain started. Thank you all for your advice and support