[QUOTEBowden cables are good for pulling actions. But as others have said, if they're not lubricated properly and exercised regularly, they're not that good for pushing actions.][/QUOTE]
Irrespective of maintenance, they are NOT designed for compression but are purely for tension loads.
2 alternatives....1- spring load the tap to "open" , arrange the remote knob to "pull and lock"-upon release the spring PULLS the cable back.
2 -substitute a Teleflex-Morse type cable which IS engineered to transmit push as well as pull-loading.
OK, tou COULD use a heavier, stiffer Bowden-cable to transmit the "push" load, but that's a bodge, not an engineered solution.