kansas123

Is there any adjustment for the front park brake cable at the park brake lever? Or is it : It is what it is..... And, if there is not, which is what I suspect, is it a good idea to remove your old cable and measure it, so that when you order a new one, you are sure to at least get one that is shorter than what you have? The one on the car is adjusted as far as it will go and I think I am just beginning to have the feeling that it is tightening the (new) shoes when I have the lever pulled (all the way).... Thanks.

Alan 71

Hi K,
I don't think there's any adjustment at the handle mechanism for the front cable.
Here's a photo of what I believe is a pretty typical connection for the front to rear cable at the adjuster.
You can see the amount of threaded' adjustment' that's left on the forward cable. There's still more than 2".
What did yours look like?
Are both your cables routed properly?
Regards,
Alan

kansas123

I'll try to get a picture, kinda tight down thar. The forward adjustment nut is all the way forward, no more threads....

Alan 71

Hi K,
Is the forward cable threaded through the hole in the underbody and around the nylon pulley properly?
Is the rear cable routed properly? Are both crossmember brackets for the rear cable in place? Is the rear cable seated in both the brackets properly?
Regards,
Alan

kansas123

Yes Alan, not as pretty as yours but in place. I changed nothing while and since finishing all the other work in the rear, which included newly rebuilt trailing arms and all new parking brake hardware. here is a picture of the cable at the adjusting nut area. The previous park brake worked very very well, and the hardware was in good shape, so I'm curious as to if you would expect that the forward cable is now stretched and needing replacement. I would think it would be as good as before....

Alan 71

Hi k,
I don't see anything obvious in your photos.
I measured my cable from the center of the large bolt for the pulley to the end of the cable. (The end at the spring)
I'm seeing just about 17".
What are you seeing?
Regards,
Alan

Spoticus

Hi K. From what I see in your photo you have a nut on the left of the bracket and one on the right. Alan's photo has both nuts on the right. If you moved both your nuts to the right you would have another nut width of thread you could tighten up on.

Regards
Dave

'75

Have you loosened the cable adjustment and then adjusted the park brake shoe adjusters to make sure they are correct?

Alan 71

Hi Dave,
You're right about the nuts… I looked at those photos but didn't see that!!!
Nice 'catch'!
Regards,
Alan

kansas123

I didn't notice that either! PO must have done that. Now I have something else to address. And Alan, I'll measure that cable hopefully this afternoon....

kansas123

Alan, is there where you are seeing about 2" of adjustment left on the forward cable? Are the threads protected with something? Thanks

DUB

100%...but you may find...


AND FOR WHATEVER THIS IS WORTH:

I have dealt with my fair share of Corvettes that I have serviced the parking brakes and I can say with almost 100% certainty that the crossover cable has stretched..

Now this is also assuming that it has not been repaired with an aftermarket one that is NOT like the correct spiral wired sleeved one like GM used. The spiral wire sleeved ones are super stout and do not allow this housing to move when you go to use the park brake...thus...causing your adjustment to work correctly.

Also...this is assuming that the initial setting of your parking brake shoes are correct also.

I have ALSO seen and had to replace the short cable that is attached to your park brake handle assembly. Those you kinda have to pay attention to due to some manufactures doe not make the cable in the correct diameter. They make it out a lager diameter cable.

AS for you having a nut on both sides of the cupped cable sleeve as your photo showed...I have seen this also a lot of times and I do not sweat it. If it is like Alans photo or yours...and some only have one nut...they all work the same and I have never in 30 years had any of my parking brake job come back because the nut decided to loosen itself.

DUB

Spoticus

Hi DUB,
In my comment above I wasn't concerned with the nuts getting loose either Alans way or the original posters way. It was just with Alan's way there is another inch of adjustment available to tighten the cable.

Regards
Dave.

buns

Here is a new one, picture stolen from Corvette Central. Miles of thread.

Alan 71

Hi K,
Yes, it appears to me that on the front cable in my photo there's still 'about' 2" of threads that could be used to tighten the cables.
Take a careful look at the spring in the 2 photos too… I think yours is 'elongated'. I'm not sure if that contributes to your problem or not. Maybe it just affects the 'tension' that is felt when the handle is set or released in the car.
Regards,
Alan

GUSTO14

Also when you get a chance, check the integrity of the Nylon Cable Pulley visible here in Alan's photo...



These pulley's can get brittle with age and break, keeping the cable from riding in the pulley correctly and creating additional slack in the forward cable.

Good luck... GUSTO

kansas123

You are both right Burns and Allen, I mean Buns and Alan, I drove the car up on ramps to get a better look and more room, cleaned the cable and used a brass brush on the threads and gained plenty. The brake works great now, I don't even think I will move the nuts together. Thanks for everyone's help on this, I feel much better having the brake work.

Alan 71

Hi K,
When you get a chance you SHOULD move the 2 nuts together. They're intended to lock against each other.
(The one closest to the equalizer is used to make the brake adjustment, and the second locks that nut in place.)
Regards,
Alan

kansas123

okay

DUB

I agree that if there is a nut on the primary cable before the cupped retainer goes on it you loose a little bit of threads...but I can tell you that if you get the adjustment all the way to the end...you have a problem and parts need replacing....of a finer adjustment at the shoe adjuster is needed.

And if a person choose to use two nuts so one locks on the other. I would ask them to do this to prove my point ...and that is to adjust the cable correctly and then NOT put the nut up to the other one and drive your car for a year and then look down there and see that the adjustment nut has not moved. That nut will always have tension applied on it by the cupped retainer.

But do a you see fit. I am only commenting on this for those who may read this and go out and look at their car and see they only have ONE nut...they do not have to go in and add another one.

DUB