Post by Sonny JimI'm looking into repairing the above mentioned car, and I'm curious on
how to diagnose and fix the problem with the brake. When you pull the
lever, it does nothing, so it must be left in gear or it'll roll down
the driveway. Anyhow, I've heard that these cars are prone to this
kind of problem, and I'd appreciate any advice on how to fix it. Can
anyone give me instructions on how to look for problems, or, for that
matter, what to look for under the car? Any help is appreciated.
Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001
From: ***@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: parking brake cable.
This I've done!
Both my '93's had the usual E-Brake failure!
Both broke in the exact same place. Probably same as yours, in the
guide/boot just before the connection to the mechanical acuator
behind the drum on the passenger side! Fixed both for about $3.00 US.
I'll outline procedure and fill in detail later if you need or want
them.
1) Jack up rear passenger end of car and remove wheel. Safety first,
chock all other wheels, remember you don't have an E-brake. Support
the car using jack stands, jacks are not for support they are only
used to lift the car. Look over how the cable is assemabled and put
together. Draw a diagram, I did.
2) Disconnect the part of the cable attached behind the drum. Its
just a carter pin holding the assemably together. Save the cable,
note how the cable is routed and is retained in the "u" shaped piece.
3) Next cut the cable somewhere to the right of the bracket that
connects the left and right cables together, but left of the spring
and stop assembley. Again, very important, note how it is put
together. Diagram this.
4) After step 3) you can now remove all pieces of the cable and put
them end to end. Measure how long this cable is and measure where the
stops are located. Put these measurements on the diagram.
5) Find a good Hardware store, I went to Lowe's, and buy steel cable
in a diameter as close to the orginal as you can. Buy stainless if
they have it. They only sell it buy the foot so you'll buy 2'. I
bought four 2' pieces, just incase I screwed it up, and I did the
first time.Also in the same section they will have wire connectors.
these are used to join separate cables together or make loops in a
single cable. Buy set of appropriate diameter for the selected cable,
I bought extra, at $0.75 US a set was not going to break me if I
didn't use them. If you wish, a special tool can be bought to crimp
these connectors to the cable. I used a hammer, even though the
directions on the connector package specifically says not to.
6)Out of the wire connector set (they have 4 pieces in them) chose
the largest 2 pieces. these will be attached to the cable ends. The
smaller pieces,you only need one, will be used for the spring stop.
7) Attach one of the large connectors to the end of the cable, using
your choice of tool (hammer or crimp tool)
8) now mark on this cable, as accuratley as possible the distance
between the spring stop and drum side connection from the original
cable. Also mark the distance from the spring stop to the point were
the cable is attach to bracket connecting left and right cables.
9) thread the "U" shaped assembaby from the drum mechanism on to the
cable, then the guide/boot, then the spring, if possible a small
washer could be threated onto the cable, to stabilize the spring base.
10) place one of the small connectors onto the cable and side it to
the marked loction. Now crimp or hammer the connector to the cable.
If using a hammer don't crush it flat but make sure it is not going
to move from site of attachement.
11) thread the above assembled cable, with all the attachment through
the hole where the guide/boot will later be attached. run the cable
through the braket and out the other side. pull as much of this
assembaly as possible through the bracket as the slack is necessary
for you to attach the last large connector to the marked location,
via hammer or crimper.
12) if you did all of this correctly the Spring, guide/boot can now
be attache to the subfram by its original clip and the "U" shaped
piece can now be pinned back to the acuator behind the drum, don't
forget the cater pin.
13) If all is well your done! If you can't attach the "U" shapped
piece to the mechanism behind the drum your bracket stop was too
short. If you have too much slack you might beable to adjust the
brake cable inside to car and takeup the slack without engaging the
driver side brake. If not the bracket side stop was placed too far
from where it should have been. Thats why you bough extras!!!!!!!!!!
Cut the cable to remove the necessary hardware and try again!
The manual says the cable should be fully engaged with between 11 and
16 clicks of the brake handle, adjust accordingly.
Hope this helps!
Its been working for me now 3 months , prior to this, we didn't have
an E-brake for over a year. As a plus this genally fixes the
incomplete release or at least makes it much better than what it was.
John
Current Fleet:
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'91 Izusu truck 110K
'78 Honda Civic CVCC 154K
'70 Subaru 360 34 miles!!!!!!!!
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