Handbrake cable attachment at rear wheel

[jjbunn]

I am puzzled how to re-attach the handbrake cable to the hub/radius arm - photo below illustrates what I mean:



Somehow the cable has to go through the hole at the right of the photo, and there is a slot that looks like it should be wide enough to pass the cable through (when the boot is pulled back), but isn't.

What am I missing? I looked in the KB, and in the workshop manual, but there was nothing specific to this that I could find.

Many thanks!

[rascott]

this is what mine looks like with the cable removed, if that helps.

[BDA]

I don't remember in detail but basically you push the boot away (and it looks the retaining clip is still attached so take it off, too). Under the boot is a brass shieth end with a flange. As you surmise, the exposed cable should fit in the slot - if not, you need to open it up. The nose of the shieth end should fit in the hole up to the flange. The clip holds it to the radius arm. The boot is pushed back over the nose of the brass shieth end.

Does that make sense?

[EuropaTC]

This was how mine looked a while back during an attempt to improve the handbrake prior to rear disc conversion.  The rubber boot is missing from the handbrake cable but otherwise you can see how it slips together.

Brian

[jjbunn]

OK - thanks for the helpful descriptions and photos. It looks like I had the right idea, and just need to open up the slot for the cable to pass through.

[jjbunn]

Well, that was successful - I opened up the slot and it slid right in (said the bishop to the actress).

I've now replaced both rear brake lines, both sets of pads, and both brake cylinders. There is one remaining problem: the handbrake cable on the RHS appears to be frozen in its sleeve, in the fully applied position. So, this means the brake lever is pulling the shoe out, preventing the drum from being replaced (not to mention any adjustment).



It seems to me that if I soak the cable with liberal dousings of WD40, it might free up. Other suggestions are most welcome!

[jbcollier]

Yes, get a new cable!

[EuropaTC]

^^^  what he said.....

If the inner cable has some corrosion then yep, you'll free it off with penetrating fluid and if you pull it off the car to give it a proper soaking you might even get it sliding again.

But it's never going to work properly in the long term.  My experience has been that I can get old cables moving freely and yep, they will apply the brake. But there's a yard or more of outer casing on either side of these rear cables and when you have some dirt, rust, etc, inside, that's a lot of friction for a couple of return springs to overcome.  So I've found they never release smoothly after a few days and gradually seize up again over time.

If it's truly stuck and the cable is showing signs of corrosion, flaking plastic covering, etc, then I'd use the Mk 1 angle grinder to remove and get a new one ordered up. Life will be so much easier....   

Brian

[jjbunn]

Ugh, I was hoping to avoid that. I've read all over that the handbrake cable system is "impossible" to work on. I'm going to try the WD40 treatment, hoping for the best, whilst fearing the worst 

[4129R]

 The cable could be seized at the end where it attaches to the drum brake, or at its centre (center), where it disappears into the Y of the chassis. See attached photo.

If it is at the middle, you might as well put in a new cable. Take about a week off work to to this.

[jbcollier]

I don't quite understand why everyone is saying replacing the handbrake cable is so difficult.  It's not that bad really.  Just fit the new cable to the "horseshoe" in the chassis first.  It's all pretty straight forward, really.  I suppose if you have hands like meat cleavers and fingers like sausages, it would be difficult.  If so just get someone with dainty hands to do the work inside the chassis.

[4129R]

How did you get the C clips off the cables in the tunnel, and even more difficult, get them on the new cable?

How did you get the spring from the U clamp to the chassis undone, and get it back on again?

[rascott]

The cable could be seized at the end where it attaches to the drum brake, or at its centre (center), where it disappears into the Y of the chassis. See attached photo.

If it is at the middle, you might as well put in a new cable. Take about a week off work to to this.

this picture is worth many words.

[4129R]

It took me a while to clean off the oil and general crap that gets in there. I used paraffin.

If I knew those cable outers were held in place to the chassis by C clips on the other side in the black hole, that would have saved a lot of time and skin.

[jbcollier]

Large flat screwdriver to open the c clips.  Make sure the c clips are a snug slip-on fit to the new cables while the cable is on the bench.  Slip the c clips on and squeeze the ends of the c clip together.

Now a little secret, you don't need the c-clips at all.  Once the cables are adjusted, they are held in place and the clips are superfluous.