Parking/Emergency Brake Cable R & R

Red Bull 78

Red Bull 78

True Classic
Got the old ones out. Now trying to figure how to get it all back together.
Thought I got some Pix before I took it all apart, but couldn't view the camera, so junk pix.
Working on the floor, Nose just inches from the trans. Can't see very well, up close.

Question 1: Once the cables round the Pulleys, are they suppose to Cross to the other side of the Drawbar or go to their own side?
I'm thinking it should be their own Side for a Direct Pull vs an Angle.
My head isn't up to that kind of Physics Formulas at this hour.

On the bright side, I got no Question #2.
Anybody know any Tricks?
 
The cables go around the pulleys in a 90° turn directly to the pull bar as seen in this image taken from the manual. Beyond being fiddly there isn't too much to it.

IMG_1358.PNG
 
Yep this can be a frustrating task as you have to juggle the cables, the pivot wheels, the two cap screws and washers, and the cover, all at the same time. And the cover conceals whether the cables have inadvertently slipped off the wheels while you were futzing with cap screws!

IIRC, when I did it on my car, I found it helpful to slacken all of the adjustments as much as possible (sliding the hand brake lever frame all the way to the rear, plus back off the adjusting nuts (#23 in the diagram, thanks Karl for posting the diagram), and ultimately, removing the caliper-end of the cable from the caliper arms. That takes all of the tension off the cables which makes it much easier to get all the pieces lined up and not fighting each other while you are trying to herd them like cats into their correct positions :)
 
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Thanks. Didn't have my manual handy. Like that it shows LEFT REAR Hub going to Right Cable.:(;)o_O
Just wondering if there's an easy way to get everything together considering the Bolts go thru the Pulleys.
 
Red Bull 78 said:
Thanks. Didn't have my manual handy. Like that it shows LEFT REAR Hub going to Right Cable.:(;)o_O
Just wondering if there's an easy way to get everything together considering the Bolts go thru the Pulleys.
Click to expand...
No, each cable stays on its own side of the car. Not sure about the early cars, but my '86 has a squarish cutout in the tunnel bottom cover that gives you access to the ebrake spreader/adjustment bar #27 and its adjusting nuts #23. The cutout has a rubber cover on it.
 
Isn't the 15 part removable? I recall having taken that off in the past or is my recollection incorrect? This allows installing the cables to the pulleys and the drawbar and then install it as a unit
 
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kmead said:
Isn't the 15 part removable? I recall having taken that off in the past or is my recollection incorrect? This allows installing the cables to the pulleys and the drawbar and then install it as a unit
Click to expand...
Could very well be, hopefully that's a better way than what I did. One thing is for sure, I am NOT gonna take it apart to experiment LOL:p:D
 
Yep, Karl is correct: the mount is removable (#15).

Since mine is already apart and I had some time, here's a picture of it disassembled:
IMG_0527.jpg


there are 4 bolts that hold #15 to the car. the two "front" ones simply bolt the plate to the tunnel. The longer ones go thru the spools along with the bushings. You need to put the cable at a 90* then slide them into the bracket. The long bolts hold both the spools as well as clamping it all to the frame of the car.

Here it is assembled:
IMG_0528.jpg


There should be some grease around the spools too (mine was cleaned off until reassembly).

Hope this helps.
 
Excellent feedback from everyone!

Red Bull 78 said:
Like that it shows LEFT REAR Hub going to Right Cable.
Click to expand...

I get what "RedBull" means, the image from the manual shows the rotor/caliper (#11) reversed, as if it was for the other side of the car. Not real helpful for Fiat to show stuff backwards that way, but typical of many factory service manuals from all makes. Kind of makes me realize one reason (or should I say one of the many reasons) why dealer repairs are so bad.
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Excellent feedback from everyone!



I get what "RedBull" means, the image from the manual shows the rotor/caliper (#11) reversed, as if it was for the other side of the car. Not real helpful for Fiat to show stuff backwards that way, but typical of many factory service manuals from all makes. Kind of makes me realize one reason (or should I say one of the many reasons) why dealer repairs are so bad.
Click to expand...

Ha Ha Ha Just proves I've spent more Time UNDER this car than Driving it. :(:mad:
Plan A: Cleaned and Paint the Cover #15. Going to stick the Gasket to the Car so it will already be in place. Once I get the Cables around the pulleys , I'm going to put the bolts in place and hold them with Duct tape, while I put the rest of it back together. Then Attach Cables to Calipers and Adjust.
 
darwoodious said:
Yep, Karl is correct: the mount is removable (#15).

Since mine is already apart and I had some time, here's a picture of it disassembled:
View attachment 3616

there are 4 bolts that hold #15 to the car. the two "front" ones simply bolt the plate to the tunnel. The longer ones go thru the spools along with the bushings. You need to put the cable at a 90* then slide them into the bracket. The long bolts hold both the spools as well as clamping it all to the frame of the car.

Here it is assembled:
View attachment 3617

There should be some grease around the spools too (mine was cleaned off until reassembly).

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That looks much simpler than laying on my back, looking up at it. Going to pull the Swinging Arm #27 Out, Attach cables to it, Run Cables thru the Cover, install the Pulleys, use Duct tape to hold the Bolts in place, while I fidget everything into position.
Having adjusted the Cables many times before, through that tiny access hole, in the body, I'm tempted to Drill a Hole in the Cover so I can put a Ratchet or even a Power Screwdriver on the adjusting Nuts, to run them up the Tierod. Size of hole depends on what size Plug I can find. ;):)
PS: Just noticed your cover already has a Hole in it, where my 78 Doesn't.
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Excellent feedback from everyone!



I get what "RedBull" means, the image from the manual shows the rotor/caliper (#11) reversed, as if it was for the other side of the car. Not real helpful for Fiat to show stuff backwards that way, but typical of many factory service manuals from all makes. Kind of makes me realize one reason (or should I say one of the many reasons) why dealer repairs are so bad.
Click to expand...


I beleive my cable(s) have also jumped off the pulley(s). Would it be possible to replace screws #22 with longer ones so that they could be started back into the threads, but still leave a gap above part #15 to manipulate the cables with a hook or needle nose pliers? '86 F I, if that matters.
 
Jimmy II said:
I beleive my cable(s) have also jumped off the pulley(s). Would it be possible to replace screws #22 with longer ones so that they could be started back into the threads, but still leave a gap above part #15 to manipulate the cables with a hook or needle nose pliers? '86 F I, if that matters.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea in and of itself, BUT I would be careful.....don't know for sure but the first thing that I would be worried about would be the positioning of the capscrews in relation to the undercar cooling pipes. I would want to visually confirm that longer capscrews, which would of course penetrate further into the tunnel than the originals, would not end up hitting and damaging the tubes, which are in the vicinity. If you can confirm that longer screws would not get in the way of other stuff besides the cooling pipes, like the shifter operating rod, the main starter power cable, and the accelerator cable (all of which are in there), then you'd be clear to try the longer capscrews.
 
I went under the car today to sort out the various implications and remove the bolts for examination. It was my first time using my Kwiklift. Perhaps because I had more workspace, or more confidence about being under the vehicle. But in any case I was able to "feel" the cables well enough to coax them onto the pulleys and reassemble in a reasonable amount of time using the original bolts.

I'm not sure longer bolts would have helped due to the lip on # 15 blocking the sight line. With the shifter linkage (not shown) also running through #15 there are limits to moving #15 around.

A dentist'mirror might have helped.
 
darwoodious said:
Yep, Karl is correct: the mount is removable (#15).

Since mine is already apart and I had some time, here's a picture of it disassembled:
View attachment 3616

there are 4 bolts that hold #15 to the car. the two "front" ones simply bolt the plate to the tunnel. The longer ones go thru the spools along with the bushings. You need to put the cable at a 90* then slide them into the bracket. The long bolts hold both the spools as well as clamping it all to the frame of the car.

Here it is assembled:
View attachment 3617

There should be some grease around the spools too (mine was cleaned off until reassembly).

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Finally found a good picture! My ebrake cable is too slack such that the only way to hold the car is to have it pulled as far up as it can go (seems too far up to me), and even then you can still push the car with a little effort. It can't be reliably used to hold on a hill. I would like to take up the slack, and it seems to me I can access this part in the second picture, loosen the locking (second) screw on main cable, tighten up the first screw, and then tighten the locking screw. Is that the way to go about this? I've been searching for a post on point but haven't found it. Thanks!
 
Michael Oxman said:
Finally found a good picture! My ebrake cable is too slack such that the only way to hold the car is to have it pulled as far up as it can go (seems too far up to me), and even then you can still push the car with a little effort. It can't be reliably used to hold on a hill. I would like to take up the slack, and it seems to me I can access this part in the second picture, loosen the locking (second) screw on main cable, tighten up the first screw, and then tighten the locking screw. Is that the way to go about this? I've been searching for a post on point but haven't found it. Thanks!
Click to expand...

You have found the first adjustment method, awkward and frustrating as it is.

Try the reverse of what Dan said: loosening the bolts on the ebrake handle retainer and pull the unit forward and re-bolt it. This can take up a lot of slack. Doing the opposite is helpful to get slack for undoing the brake end of the cable where the swedged ball inserts through the slot on the actuating lever.
 
There have been prior discussions on the E-brake:

Hand brake Adjustment

O.K., I have a new one. Done it many times. But now , no luck. It looks like I have moved into one of those new regimes where another method must be used for something that I have commonly done in the past and I am not finding the magical new method required.. Problem: Tightening the adjusting...
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Brakes - Brakes & More Brake ???

First look at the photo and see why I changed my brake fluid reservoir. It was pretty ratty and not sure how it got that way but I found an original on eBay and now it is fixed thanks to the search engine on this forum. Now my brakes are not fantastic so I set out to replace the pads. First...
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Different E-brake access hole, who did this?

There was a thread in the last year about providing an access hole in the emergency brake cable mounting plate so that a deep socket could be used to tighten the cables. Was it Dr. Jeff? Can anyone find the thread as I'm about to make that mod after spending a whole morning turning the...
xwebforums.com
 
Brake grips fine now thanks to PaulD, but as a follow up, I'm not ashamed to say I'm too weak to push in the parking brake release button! I have to use both thumbs, which means that I cannot hold the brake lever up to grip when stopped on a hill. Is that an adjustable part? That's a topic I haven't located.
 
Michael Oxman said:
Brake grips fine now thanks to PaulD, but as a follow up, I'm not ashamed to say I'm too weak to push in the parking brake release button! I have to use both thumbs, which means that I cannot hold the brake lever up to grip when stopped on a hill. Is that an adjustable part? That's a topic I haven't located.
Click to expand...
How about when you want to release the brake, pull up hard on the lever and then press the button?
 
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