RatDog

I'm replacing the rear parking brake cable on my '67.

My question is, is it possible to get the catch ball at the end of the old cable off of the parking brake lever and the new one back on without removing the calipers?

Is there some kind of trick to doing this?

Thanks,
-- Steve

MelWff

yes it can be removed, did you first disconnect the cable from the center?

RatDog

No, I haven't disconnected from the equalizer yet. My floor jack developed erectile disfunction so I have to get a new one tomorrow. I was able to get the car on jack stands but, unless the car is supported on its own wheels, I won't go under it without 2 means of support.

So, all I've done is remove a wheel to eyeball what I'm dealing with. Looks to me that if I get slack in the cable, as I think you're talking about, I should be able to push backwards on the cable to dislodge the catch ball. Then I should be able to feed the new cable back to the same spot and hook it in position.

Is that the routine?

Thanks,
-- Steve

DUB

YES...basically that is how it is done. It might take a little bit of time...but can be done.

Also...when you have taken off the equalizer that goes to the primary cable that is attached to your hand brake lever...AND...you are ready to get the ends of the cable off the park brake levers...PAY CAREFUL attention to the location of the spring that is ON the cable. It goes between the lever that the ball ends goes into and the guide bracket with the white plastic sleeve in it.

AND you want a cable like this one....where the sleeving is spiral wound wire and NOT the black plastic covered stuff. I have seen had to replace many of these cable that had black plastic sleeving material that would split and cause the cable to flex...thus you parking brake would not work., I stick with what GM designed.

http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50g&ukey=13560

AND....when you are installing the 'mickey mouse ear' looking clips that hold the cable....do the one that goes in the bracket that is under the car FIRST...then do the one on the trailing arm.

DUB

RatDog

Thanks for the guidance. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

Wish I hadn't already bought the cable. The one I got is a SS one from Ecklers. It does not have the external spiral wound wire like the one I'm removing. It does appear to have spiral wound wire reinforcement underneath the black plastic. You can see it and feel it. The sleeving is extremely stiff.

-- Steve

RatDog

Dub, your guidance was very helpful. You're right, it IS possible to do this without removing the calipers but it's not easy. It took me over an hour to get that catch ball seated. Ended up catching the cable on the backside with a curved-end pick while feeding the cable in from the front.

So, I got the drivers side all buttoned up and, feelling pretty good about things, moved over the the passenger side where I found this lying inside the caliper assembly:




So, I know it's the cable lever and I can see the slot where it goes but I don't see a post where it mounts in order to pivot. I can't find any useful photos or instructions in the chassis service manual, or shop manual, or online so I don't know where to go from here.

My question (to anyone who might care to chime in), is how far do I have to go in disassembling the brake system to get to the point where I can address this?

Thanks,
-- Steve

DUB

Steve,
To comment on the park brake cable....you can more than likely use it due to the spiral sleeving that is covered in the black plastic coating.

AND....you have to remove the rear caliper...and the brake rotor in order to get to the park brake assembly....and then remove the shoes so you can install the lever that you are showing a photo of only half of it.

NOW...depending on the steel brake line from the caliper to the bracket on the trailing arm....IT IS POSSIBLE that you can gain access to the TWO BOLTS that hold the caliper to the mounting bracket and get the caliper to come off...BUT still stay sealed up....and when you get the rotor OFF...keep an eye on the brake caliper and secure it so it is not flopping around on you. A simple wire or an old beach towel may work well.

And I use a tool like this BEFORE I fully remove the caliper so I keep the pads where I want them. I get the caliper up about half way and them install the tool and put a little bit of tension on it.

https://www.zoro.com/westward-disc-b...g&gclsrc=aw.ds

DUB

Powershift

If you Google something like "1967 Corvette Rear Parking Brake Repair" you will find both u-tube video and magazine how-to-do articles that show you all the parts and the steps. Here is just one of many: http://rowleycorvette.com/corvette_repair.html

If your rotor is still riveted to the spindle, you will have to drill out the rivets. Not fun, but doable. Again, much info available including video. VanSteel used to have a procedure on the whole job....including drill sizes etc. You can look for it. EDIT: It is in their latest catalog available on-line. Includes pictures and parts list, so you will get a good view of everything.

We can also help step by step as needed. Many of us (self included) have done this many times in the past.

I simply use a small 3/4 inch thick block of wood or a piece of folded up heavy cardboard to keep the brake pads spread while the caliper is off the rotor.

Larry

RatDog

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate the help.

This isn't something I've done before but I enjoy learning how to do this kind of stuff. It's one of the reasons I bought my car.

I've printed out the instructions from rowleycorvette.com along with a couple of others.

The rivets are already gone and the brake line is not obstructing access to the 2 hex bolts so I'll get going tomorrow.

-- Steve

Powershift

Use a bit of Kroil (or equivalent) on these bolts tonight or tomorrow AM. They can be tough to remove if corroded. Consider a BIT of never-seize on the threads when reinstalling so that it never becomes a problem later on. Use a 6-point socket on these bolts.

Larry

buns

If you are lucky you will find the rest of the lever inside the drum, but you may have to get a new one as the pin was pressed into the lever. The pins on new levers have a flange on the back so they can't come out. Here is a link to lots of good information, also a pic of the lever that fell apart on my car, same way yours did.


https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...df-how-to.html

Revfan

Great information guys!

Best of luck Steve with getting this done... keep us posted!

RatDog

Tim - That pdf how-to you and Dave Z put together is simply awsome. I used to work as a technical writer and I can tell you that, after searching the web most of the day yesterday, there's nothing out there that comes close to your effort as far as ease of understanding and good quality visual aids. The fabricated tools and the trick with the nylon ties are very cool.

The task looks daunting but I'm going to start giving it a shot later today. I'm hoping the other pieces of the actuator lever are down in there somewhere. Otherwise, I've yet to find a place that sells that part outside of a kit that costs $50.

-- Steve

RatDog

Well, I got this far this afternoon. Things came apart pretty easily, however, I have no reasonable expectation that I will ever be able to get those springs back in place <LOL>. Everything under my car was new when I bought it a couple of years ago so there was no rust to be found and everything looked good and moved freely. No need for new shoes.




I found 2 more of the parts inside but the "C" clip is missing in action:



Since the press fit of the post didn't hold, I'm going to go ahead and order the full hardware kit instead of trying to find a clip that will work at Lowe's. I don't want to do this job again in the near future. Plus, that will give me parts-on-hand when the other side fails the same way.

More updates when parts arrive.

-- Steve

DUB

I personally only like to install the park brake kits that DO NOT use the 'E' clip on the linkage that came apart in the above photo. I get the kits that use the same designed crimped on clip that is really FUN to remove so I can rebuild it back as needed when the spindle is in place like the photo above.

I have dealt with park brake kits that have lost this 'E' clip also.....so you are not alone.

DUB

Bill32

Actually, after you do it the first time it's not that hard.

One thing that helps is to sacrifice an old screwdriver and cut a slot in it to remove and install the return springs.

IIRC, that screwdriver can be seen in these 2 videos. And they show installing the coiled retaining springs.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...+parking+brake

Powershift

Steve:

This work has a tough learning curve, but once mastered, doing it for a second time is a breeze. Hang in there.

I did my parking brake retaining springs without knowing about the floss or tie-wraps tricks and also without a helper. Took MANY trials and errors before success. Now I can do it almost without thinking.

You will too.

Larry

EDIT: While you are at it, put a SMALL BIT of never-seize on the adjusting star wheel mechanism threads. That way they will not get dry and bind up later. Also, use a chlorinated Brake-Kleen on the metal parts that the brake pads and shoes will see to remove any grease and petroleum film. DO NOT GET THIS SOLVENT ON YOUR CAR PAINT, just spray onto a clean, lint free rag away from your car and wipe it over the metal parts. Any grease eventually getting into the pad/shoe material will create issues. Use some coarse grit sandpaper and go over the parking brake shoes friction surface to clean and rough them up a bit before re-installing as well.

RatDog

Thanks, Bill. I watched those Van Steel videos the other day. It's almost painful to watch that guy attach the hold down springs and caps. You just want to reach into the screen and give him a hand. I like DUB's and Dave Z's method in the PDF in the other message where he compresses and secures the springs with nylon ties and then burns the ties off with a mini-torch when they are in place.

-- Steve

RatDog

Good advice, Larry. Thanks!

Nothing to do but wait for parts now. What's great about this project is that if I wanted drive my car, I can have the rotor, calipers, and wheel back on the car in about 15 minutes and off I go. I'm tempted to do that tomorrow because the weather is great. However, I still have the brake line attached to the caliper and it's probably a good idea to move it around as little as possible.

-- Steve

DUB

Honestly...I have never tied the springs for holding the shoes in place with dental floss or anything else and burned them off when completed. I actually use very long THIN pointed needle nose pliers and I can go through the hole for adjusting the adjuster and also from the side where I have the shoe pulled out a little bit.

Many ways to 'skin a cat'....so-to-speak....and I hope whatever method you find gets you in and done.

JUST MAKE SURE that the notches on the adjuster...that slide on the thickness of the steel portion of your park brake shoe...are filed smooth...so it will slide on you shoes BEFORE you go and install it. The stainless steel kits nowadays have some slight burrs on then after machining them and these burrs can make it hard for you to get these notches to slide onto the shoe in the correct area. I ALWAYS run my flat file in the notch to get it smooth.

ALSO....do NOT be surprised if you need to slightly nip a bit of wire off the LOWER spring so it can be installed onto the shoe.

AND...please make sure that you install the adjuster CORRECTLY....so all future mechanics and whoever can follow the manual and adjust the park brakes correctly....because the adjusters can be install BACKWARDS...which means what the manual 'tells' you to do will be backwards when you are trying to adjust the shoes using the flat blade screwdriver.

DUB