# Ribbon cable and clamp question **URL:** \ **Category:** Proton Packs\ **Created:** [September 24, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368 "2014-09-24T13:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Zeke)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/1 "2014-09-24T13:55:00Z")
How is the [ribbon cable](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ribbon-cable) attached to it’s metal clamps? The parts page says the following: “…the end of the Ribbon Cable sandwiched between them.” But the picture makes it hard to believe that the bolts aren’t going through the ribbon cable itself: ![image](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/1X/46cb7c445a66078ac395e3147a23d214e2c2c9c6.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Venkmans\_Swagger](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/6bbea6/32.png) [@Venkmans\_Swagger](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Venkmans_Swagger)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/2 "2014-09-24T14:49:31Z")
I’ve not started my build yet but I’m lead to believe that the [ribbon cable](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ribbon-cable) is indeed punctured by the 2 bolts. ---
**Author:** ![bishopdonmiguel](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/bishopdonmiguel/32/187401_2.png) [@bishopdonmiguel](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/bishopdonmiguel)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/3 "2014-09-24T15:28:40Z")
> [@Venkman's Swagger](#): > > I’ve not started my build yet but I’m lead to believe that the ribbon cable is indeed punctured by the 2 bolts. Correct! ---
**Author:** ![Venkmans\_Swagger](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/6bbea6/32.png) [@Venkmans\_Swagger](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Venkmans_Swagger)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/4 "2014-09-24T15:42:56Z")
😃 Cheers Bish ---
**Author:** ![PssdffJay](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/pssdffjay/32/6529_2.png) [@PssdffJay](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/PssdffJay)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/5 "2014-09-24T22:28:43Z")
![image](http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/09/25/4a3upy2e.jpg) You got it. ---
**Author:** ![venkman30](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@venkman30](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/venkman30)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/6 "2014-09-24T22:39:34Z")
I did the exact same thing jay is showing for my pack. ---
**Author:** ![aj-quick](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/aj-quick/32/187072_2.png) [@aj-quick](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/aj-quick)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/7 "2014-09-24T22:59:29Z")
Yes they pretty much have to be. People used to make the clamps ridiculously big, now they are the correct size. ---
**Author:** ![Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Zeke)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/8 "2014-09-26T16:41:46Z")
Thanks to everyone for their responses. I have an additional question: taking that information I installed the [ribbon cable](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ribbon-cable) (it’s the GB2 version) and I’m curious if there is a trick to making it more flexible because my god I swear that after zig zagging it left from the [Cyclotron](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/cyclotron) and then right through the clamp and over the [booster tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube) and then twisting it and driving it down almost 90 degrees through the pack it’s tighter then a steel spring and feels like it would like nothing better then to find a weak point and rip itself free. ---
**Author:** ![demon-vice-commander](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/demon-vice-commander/32/186000_2.png) [@demon-vice-commander](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/demon-vice-commander)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/9 "2014-09-27T12:31:07Z")
> [@Zeke](#): > > I have an additional question: taking that information I installed the ribbon cable (it’s the GB2 version) and I’m curious if there is a trick to making it more flexible because my god I swear that after zig zagging it left from the Cyclotron and then right through the clamp and over the booster tube and then twisting it and driving it down almost 90 degrees through the pack it’s tighter then a steel spring and feels like it would like nothing better then to find a weak point and rip itself free. The Spectra strip [ribbon cable](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ribbon-cable) shouldn’t be that tough to work with (nothing like the GB1 cable). How tight are you trying to twist it? ![image](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/1X/49792e679ce2a40a907cad29e0fcaa222c3a25b5.png) ---
**Author:** ![Hijacker](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/hijacker/32/4037_2.png) [@Hijacker](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Hijacker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/10 "2014-09-27T13:10:15Z")
A brand new spectra cable is stiff. If you work it a bit, it can loosen up. ---
**Author:** ![PssdffJay](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/pssdffjay/32/6529_2.png) [@PssdffJay](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/PssdffJay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/11 "2014-09-27T14:27:37Z")
Heat gun? ---
**Author:** ![Hijacker](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/hijacker/32/4037_2.png) [@Hijacker](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Hijacker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/12 "2014-09-27T15:41:48Z")
It’s the metal in the cables. Just need to be bent, and straightened a few times to get them loose. ---
**Author:** ![Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Zeke)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/13 "2014-10-02T17:56:50Z")
> [@PssdffJay](#): > > Heat gun? Hair dryer? :oops: ---
**Author:** ![Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Zeke](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Zeke)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/14 "2014-10-02T17:57:15Z")
> [@Hijacker](#): > > It’s the metal in the cables. Just need to be bent, and straightened a few times to get them loose. Hmmm…good to know. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![abaka](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@abaka](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/abaka)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/15 "2014-10-02T17:59:52Z")
> [@PssdffJay](#): > > Heat gun? Would be bit risky, might melt the laminate…What I do is twist it repeatedly and sit it in front of a window (on a warm day) the heat through the window softens it a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Venkmans\_Swagger](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/6bbea6/32.png) [@Venkmans\_Swagger](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Venkmans_Swagger)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/ribbon-cable-and-clamp-question/3368/16 "2014-10-02T18:02:35Z")
> [@abaka](#): > > > [@PssdffJay](#): > > > > Heat gun? > > Would be bit risky, might melt the laminate…What I do is twist it repeatedly and sit it in front of a window (on a warm day) the heat through the window softens it a bit. I have the GB2 cable from the GBFans store. It was fairly rigid when I got it so have been working it to the position I want it to roughly go in for a few days and its easy to manipulate now. Just keep moving it around curling it, bending it and it loosen up nicely