sounds like you haven´t got a cable with a nylon liner. With a liner (off the bike) you can coil the cable around a few times, and still easily pull the inner cable in and out, a cable without the liner will either be very hard to move or will not. A gentle curve to the cable is best in any case, but a cable with a liner will always work much better, even if you have to adjust the length and change the ends it´s worth it. I´m assuming the push rod is adjusted so the 3 ball lift mechanism is in its range. all the best Mark