parking brake cable
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 52
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From: Tx
parking brake cable
so i bought this 77 a while back. the parking brake never worked. its a 4 speed tranny. i just rebuilt the parking brakes on both side with all new parts. the main brake cable with the two ***** on each end that has the pulley in the middle....well more or less a pulley where it attaches to the main cable coming from the e-brake handle. well either way my brake cable is wayyy to long. so there is not tension on the brake handle. and the adjuster is all the way out? is there any way a previous owner installed a wrong cable. what the heck do i do to fix this?
and yes both ends of the cable with the ball are hooked into the correct spots on the parking brake
and yes both ends of the cable with the ball are hooked into the correct spots on the parking brake
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
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From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Cable from the e-brake handle goes down (forward) and then around a pulley (trans cross-member) (this is a 72 auto but I believe it's more or less the same as the later/standard
and back to a bracket that clamps around the cable going from side to side
M
and back to a bracket that clamps around the cable going from side to side
M
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 2,192
Likes: 345
From: Allenton Wisconsin
good pictures Mooser, on my 68 all new parts with new calbes, rotors.I needed to install a sleeve on the adjustor thread of calbe which comes from handle. this one holds good. on my 69 had to do the same, all oem parts[ what's there and very worn shoes] just barely holds. did a 69 vert over the winter - rotors, shoes, spring kits,original calbes also needed to install 1.5'' spacer to get adj. on a friends 68bbc we installed rebuilt trailing arms oem calbes, spacer required. adjustment of the parking brake shoes is hard to determine on first adj with caliphers on and half shafts connected, they create a lot of drag ie shoes not adjusted properly, looser calbe. that covers my experience. PS sorry no spacers left.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
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I have a '78. I had the same problem with the parking brake not working. This was an issue since I also have a manual transmission. I tried to shorten the cable but that was ineffective. I assume the cable had stretched over time. So I bought all new hardware including the cable, pulley, etc. Had to adjust it once installed but now it works like it should.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
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From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Your certainly right on the cable's stretching, seems like they are worse than on "normal" cars. 
That and the parking brakes were apparently never all that great to start with (or so I've been told)
It was the OP's mentioning of a pulley on the cable between the two wheels
"...the main brake cable with the two ***** on each end that has the pulley in the middle....well more or less a pulley where it attaches to the main cable coming from the e-brake handle..."
that made me thing someone had done something odd with the cables
M
That and the parking brakes were apparently never all that great to start with (or so I've been told)
It was the OP's mentioning of a pulley on the cable between the two wheels
"...the main brake cable with the two ***** on each end that has the pulley in the middle....well more or less a pulley where it attaches to the main cable coming from the e-brake handle..."
that made me thing someone had done something odd with the cables
M
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 52
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From: Tx
hey guys thanks for the great input. and those are some great pics. and when i said pulley i meant the bracket that holds the cable between the two wheels to the single cable from the brake handle. please excuse my bad wording on that. i wasnt aware these cables would stretch. so i guess my next move is to replace the two cables as they appear to be OEM. and i'm envious of how clean your undercarriage is mooser. mines been caked with mud and oil throughout the years. thanks again guys
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,336
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
hey guys thanks for the great input. and those are some great pics. and when i said pulley i meant the bracket that holds the cable between the two wheels to the single cable from the brake handle. please excuse my bad wording on that. i wasnt aware these cables would stretch. so i guess my next move is to replace the two cables as they appear to be OEM. and i'm envious of how clean your undercarriage is mooser. mines been caked with mud and oil throughout the years. thanks again guys
Check the diameter of threaded rod on the forward cable and go get a chuck of pipe from the local hardware store. Put on your best Bubba hat and check in the plumbing area for an adapter pipe, 5/16" ID, maybe 1-1/2 or 2" long.
Take the cable clamp off and leave off the forward nut, add the clamp, pipe and then the last nut.
See if that will work to your liking before getting in too deep.
Mooser
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
nut size???
Love this photo of the parking brake cable equalizer. Can anyone tell me what the thread size is on that cable end where you attach the equalizer? I just got a '76 and someone has rigged the cable (and it doesn't work) and it's missing the nuts, I got a new equalizer but don't know what the thread size is for these.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,336
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Love this photo of the parking brake cable equalizer. Can anyone tell me what the thread size is on that cable end where you attach the equalizer? I just got a '76 and someone has rigged the cable (and it doesn't work) and it's missing the nuts, I got a new equalizer but don't know what the thread size is for these.
M
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
love this photo of the parking brake cable equalizer. Can anyone tell me what the thread size is on that cable end where you attach the equalizer? I just got a '76 and someone has rigged the cable (and it doesn't work) and it's missing the nuts, i got a new equalizer but don't know what the thread size is for these.