Parking Brake Cables

[cheezsnake]

Does anyone happen to know how long the rear parking brake cables should be?  For the new ones I installed, the long cable is about 128" from the drum, and the short cable is about 24" from the drum.

I was set to finish the parking brake system this weekend.  I already have the rear driver, passenger, and front cables installed (more on this later).  What's left is the bracket and idler.  So, today I started to prep the floor pan for welding the bracket.  I checked out several posts to learn the approximate location of the bracket, and then scraped and sanded the undercoat and paint down to the metal.  I then hooked up the idler to locate it (should have done this first).  It appears that the cable system is too short.  With the cables taut, the bracket and idler seem much closer to the center of the car and the exhaust pipe than I saw in other pictures.  

After checking the parts diagram again, I learned my first mistake was installing the new cables the way they old ones came out, rather than according to the diagram.  The long cable is currently installed in the driver side drum, instead of the passenger drum.  But, I don't know that reversing them would change the total length of the cable system.  Even if they were installed on the correct side, I think the total length would still come up short.

In the attached pics, you can see where I sanded the area for the bracket, and how the cable is coming up short.  Any ideas?  Thanks!









uploaded pictures

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

What pictures or measurements can I get to help you. I have original car I can measure and take pics of anything you want. Just be specific of what you require.

 

[cheezsnake]

Thanks, David.  The prior owner must have installed new floor pans because there is no indication where the idler bracket used to be located.  If it's not too much trouble, what would be very helpful are the 2 measurements from both the side frame rail and the cross member to the idler hole, along with a picture that shows orientation of the bracket to the frame.  And then if you can, a rough length measurement of each of the 2 rear cables, from where they come out of the drums.  If your idler bracket is closer to the frame than mine, I'm guessing that one or both of my brake cables must be too short.  If that's asking too much, please let me know.  Thanks a lot for your help!  Scott

 

[73429mach]

Did you get these measurements yet? If not, I have my original cables off my car that I can measure tomorrow. Ryan

 

[rackerm]

Thanks, David.  The prior owner must have installed new floor pans because there is no indication where the idler bracket used to be located.  If it's not too much trouble, what would be very helpful are the 2 measurements from both the side frame rail and the cross member to the idler hole, along with a picture that shows orientation of the bracket to the frame.  And then if you can, a rough length measurement of each of the 2 rear cables, from where they come out of the drums.  If your idler bracket is closer to the frame than mine, I'm guessing that one or both of my brake cables must be too short.  If that's asking too much, please let me know.  Thanks a lot for your help!  Scott

Here is what I recorded and then used when replacing it on my 73 convertible. The position is the same for all models. On convertibles, it's important that the cable is aligned correctly thru the slot in the seat reinforcement frame. I oriented the drawing so I could hold it under the car upside down to get the right positioning. I can provide pics of the other cable brackets if you need them

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[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Scott,

Sorry I did not see you post asking for the measurements till this morning. Looks like you have what you need now.

 

[73429mach]

The cable lengths coming out from the drums are 126 1/2 inches for the long and 25 inches on the short. Hope this helps. Ryan

 

[cheezsnake]

Awesome! Thanks for the measurements and great diagram, guys! Unfortunately, I'm now at a loss. My cable lengths are in line with Ryan's, if not a little longer. And, if I place the bracket in that location on Rich's diagram, the cable will not reach the idler arm. In fact, it doesn't come close ... like 4" short! And that's with almost no slack taken out at the pedal return spring. I have pulled all the slack out of the cables so that the brake shoes would start to move under pressure.

The only difference, like I mentioned earlier, is I have the long cable coming from the driver drum, and the short cable coming from the passenger drum. I have no problem reversing this to be correct to spec, but I'm fairly convinced it won't make a difference. The sheathed portion of each cable is the same length -- about 21". And, the distance from the frame brackets on each side to the axle is also the same -- about 15". Just swapping one cable for the other would seem to result in the same problem.

Before I tear it back apart, can someone convince me why it would matter? Or, other ideas? Thanks.

 

[rackerm]

Can you provide a picture of the parking brake cable and tension spring to the rear brake cable. Maybe the pic below might help you to identify something different with yours. I can get you other measurements is needed.

 

[cheezsnake]

Thanks, Rich. You guys are sending great photos! I actually have the tension spring nut about where yours is in that pic. My earlier pic shows where my idler bracket would currently land with the cables taut. I could get some help to take a wider shot like yours, from the middle of the car while I'm holding the bracket in that position.

I did have an idea, though ... let me know what you guys think. I buy a RH (long) cable, remove the short one currently on the passenger side, and replace it with this new cable. I then would have 2 of the long cables installed. I weld the idler bracket where it belongs, according to Rich's diagram, and run that new cable around through the idler, return spring, and back towards the driver side drum. Then, I cut the driver side cable to length and install a cable end. I then would have the long cable on the correct side, the short(er) cable on the driver side, and the total length needed for the idler to be in the correct location. Thoughts?

Does anyone know how to install those ball cable ends so they are secure?

 

[rackerm]

I pulled out my original cables and measured the full length of the long cable and it measures 133 1/2 inches when straight and slightly taught. I read that the cable should be 133 1/8". Looks like your cable may be short at 128 inches. I would go get a new one from one of the suppliers. Also, use it as an opportunity to flip the left and right cables around to the correct sides.

 

[cheezsnake]

Thanks, Rich.  Yeah, since my cable is still installed in the drum, that measurement of 128" is from where it comes out the back of the drum.  It looks like there's roughly another 5" inside the drum, so that 133" total length sounds right.  I can get the true measurement when I pull the cable back out.  But, I'm guessing my cable lengths are correct.  For whatever reason, the total length isn't enough to reach the idler in the correct spot on the floor pan.

I think the idea of custom cutting a slightly longer driver side cable would work.  I would just need a way to attach the ball on the end of the cable so it wouldn't pull off.  I'm not sure how those are attached at the factory.

 

[rackerm]

Thanks, Rich.  Yeah, since my cable is still installed in the drum, that measurement of 128" is from where it comes out the back of the drum.  It looks like there's roughly another 5" inside the drum, so that 133" total length sounds right.  I can get the true measurement when I pull the cable back out.  But, I'm guessing my cable lengths are correct.  For whatever reason, the total length isn't enough to reach the idler in the correct spot on the floor pan.

I think the idea of custom cutting a slightly longer driver side cable would work.  I would just need a way to attach the ball on the end of the cable so it wouldn't pull off.  I'm not sure how those are attached at the factory.

There is a lot of tension on the cable and ends even when the brake is off. I don't think reattaching a ball on the end would hold up. I would first weld the bracket in place and try hooking the cable up and adjust the drum brakes. As I recall new cables needed time to stretch into place. Is it possible that the fact that the left and right are reversed is contributing to the problem?

My tensioner hook is 5" long end to end.

I measured 3 1/2" from the left and right rear cable mounting brackets to the center of the first forward frame hole as can be seen in your posted pictures.

Other than that, I at a loss as to why the cable does not reach.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

They cast the ball on the end of the cable. There should be no reason for your car to be different unless it is a rare 4 door model, lol.

 

[OMS]

They cast the ball on the end of the cable. There should be no reason for your car to be different unless it is a rare 4 door model, lol.

Could your primary cable be incorrect ?

There is usually quite a bit of adjustment threads to work with there

 

[cheezsnake]

Two things I know for sure right now ... 1) I don't have one of those rare 4-door models    2) The idler/tensioner bracket can't go where it wants to right now.  Whether I get the existing cables to work, or swap them, or buy new, or custom make them ... that bracket has to go in the proper location on the floor pan for everything to work right.  I'm going to get it welded in the correct location and go from there.  Thanks for all the input guys.  I'll check back in when I get the bracket on and let you know how it went.

 

[rackerm]

Two things I know for sure right now ... 1) I don't have one of those rare 4-door models    2) The idler/tensioner bracket can't go where it wants to right now.  Whether I get the existing cables to work, or swap them, or buy new, or custom make them ... that bracket has to go in the proper location on the floor pan for everything to work right.  I'm going to get it welded in the correct location and go from there.  Thanks for all the input guys.  I'll check back in when I get the bracket on and let you know how it went.

Good luck with it. Like hear about how you solve it.

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

Back about 8 yrs ago when I was in the final stages of restoring my 69 vert I ran into a situation where all the long e-brake cables that I could find thru major vendors (pre-packaged vrs custom made) were too short by an 2 inchs +. At the time Mac's was located close so we took my original and measured several right out the packages....all were identically too short....same story with ones I bought and returned from NPD, Mustangs Unlimited, etc. Everyone I talked to about it said the length in the package was all that was available for my car.

I had the factory length from the manual - the 133 1/8" rings a bell (but I don't have the exact numbers at hand) and none of the reproductions matched (I could say 'measured up') close to what was required. Faced with going custom length from any of several outfits who will make them at $$$, my solution was to custom extend the ball connector piece from 2" to 4".

My thinking was if the cable needed replacement in the future and the same lengths were all there was, they would fit. If they came longer, a new shorter factory style connector would be installed at the time.

 

[cheezsnake]

Back about 8 yrs ago when I was in the final stages of restoring my 69 vert I ran into a situation where all the long e-brake cables that I could find thru major vendors (pre-packaged vrs custom made) were too short by an 2 inchs +.  At the time Mac's was located close so we took my original and measured several right out the packages....all were identically too short....same story with ones I bought and returned from NPD, Mustangs Unlimited, etc. Everyone I talked to about it said the length in the package was all that was available for my car.

I had the factory length from the manual - the 133 1/8" rings a bell (but I don't have the exact numbers at hand) and none of the reproductions matched (I could say 'measured up') close to what was required.   Faced with going custom length from any of several outfits who will make them at $$$, my solution was to custom extend the ball connector piece from 2" to 4".  

My thinking was if the cable needed replacement in the future and the same lengths were all there was, they would fit.   If they came longer, a new shorter factory style connector would be installed at the time.

Another option that might work. Good idea. Thanks!