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Hand brake cable recommendations for 51 pickup


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My hand brake cable was frozen when I bought the truck in August, and am just now getting around to replacing it. Which are a couple of vendors who offer a good price for a hand brake cable? Many thanks for a couple of recommendations. ?

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39 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

is it broken or frozen?  You can work the old one free with time, patience and LOTS of penetrating oil.

Yep, I freed a couple that way...soak it, put one end in a vice and slowly work it.

 be careful not to kink the line though.... a bummer to try and straighten  ?

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To answer a couple of questions.... its a broken, twisted, and raveled up mess that was there when I bought the vehicle  a few months ago. The shop tried the ole WD 40 approach, which did free up a little of the binding. However, when I drove home, I could smell the sickening overheating brake smell that I didn't want. I should have left well enough alone. I have a sawed off 2X4 painted to match the color of the truck, and the previous owner painted on it "emergency brake". Nice sense of humor. 

 

Anyway, I've tried Robert's and Oldmoparts, and VPW, and no joy. Any other recommendations out there? Thanks. ?

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If you cannot find a original e-brake cable maybe try these guys that make new cables to your needs and lengths/ end/connections style- just probably will not not look original- but will work perfectly if that is what you really want?

DJ

 

https://www.cccables.com/

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11 hours ago, DJ194950 said:

If you cannot find a original e-brake cable maybe try these guys that make new cables to your needs and lengths/ end/connections style- just probably will not not look original- but will work perfectly if that is what you really want?

DJ

 

https://www.cccables.com/

Hey thanks for the tip. I did not know such a company existed. I'm going to the shop Tuesday afternoon, and get the truck up on the rack and see what is what, and maybe look into your suggested company. I guess there is a company for everything, and anything, anymore, if you just take the time to look for it. Again, thank you for the info. I had no idea. ?

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I realize that I am a hack and slash make it work or upgrade kinda mechanic and not a proper restoration guy when it comes to our trucks but detroit all sourced from the same suppliers in a lot of cases- would a cable meant for another car or truck be a black cable with a ball end from like an 80s d150 or something do the job? You can look up part specs and details on rockauto for a million vehicles and the driveshaft drum on a pilothouse might be a similar length as a modernish parking brake Cable since they ususally go to the trans xmember then hook to a splitter or linkage in that area. Might work a treat and cost $13.00? 

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7 hours ago, JBNeal said:

I thought a block of wood qualified as a parking brake and a boat anchor chained to the frame was an emergency brake... :cool:

 

I used to have a chock on a rope in my ‘54 truck for my sloped driveway at my old house- I’d park it in gear but to crank up I’d put it in neutral then roll back onto the chock. Once it was warmed up I’d drive a couple inches up, open the door and reel in the chock with my foot on the brake and go! Ha!

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2 hours ago, Radarsonwheels said:

 

I used to have a chock on a rope in my ‘54 truck for my sloped driveway at my old house- I’d park it in gear but to crank up I’d put it in neutral then roll back onto the chock. Once it was warmed up I’d drive a couple inches up, open the door and reel in the chock with my foot on the brake and go! Ha!

Your solution reminded me of this clip from the Africa special . These guys crack me up. I have over 100 hrs saved on my DVR  :) 

 

Edited by John Rogers
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13 hours ago, Radarsonwheels said:

I realize that I am a hack and slash make it work or upgrade kinda mechanic and not a proper restoration guy when it comes to our trucks but detroit all sourced from the same suppliers in a lot of cases- would a cable meant for another car or truck be a black cable with a ball end from like an 80s d150 or something do the job? You can look up part specs and details on rockauto for a million vehicles and the driveshaft drum on a pilothouse might be a similar length as a modernish parking brake Cable since they ususally go to the trans xmember then hook to a splitter or linkage in that area. Might work a treat and cost $13.00? 

Yup, it seems to me I don't need to overthink this; just need to get it unbugger for right now, which is the way it was before the "service" at the shop, then try replacing it. ?

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Sadly I have none around or I would PM you with an offer!   Best of luck in your search, these things are difficult to find.  I always look for them when out picking.  With TLC and time you can bring them back.  So if you find one that isn't a twisted/knotted mess, give it a try.  Just hang it and every day get some oil on it.  I then bend it and bent/loop it as best I can....I've gotten ones that were stiff as a board freed up over about a month. 

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43 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

Sadly I have none around or I would PM you with an offer!   Best of luck in your search, these things are difficult to find.  I always look for them when out picking.  With TLC and time you can bring them back.  So if you find one that isn't a twisted/knotted mess, give it a try.  Just hang it and every day get some oil on it.  I then bend it and bent/loop it as best I can....I've gotten ones that were stiff as a board freed up over about a month. 

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I've tried a few of the usual vendors, and no luck, but, there is a possibility I might have a lead on a used one. In the meantime, I'll be taking it back to the shop tomorrow afternoon, and getting it up on a rack. (Laying on my back on the cold concrete floor so close to the undercarriage doesn't afford me the opportunity to check it out thoroughly. I did, however, do that yesterday, and can see the cable is twisted into one knot, and a couple of inches further down, its got a clip holding the cable together w/a screw to tighten it up. Everything is covered in WD40, and so maybe that is dripping onto the exhaust, and causing the smell?) But, it sure smelled to me like burning brakes, like they are partially engaged. ?

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If you have a part that is frozen up , I have had really good luck freeing up frozen Wheel Horse tractor rear lift cables and "vintage" dirtbike rear brake cables etc. using my electrolysis tank. Another big plus is that the part will come out rust free and usually most if not all the paint that might be on it will be removed as well. You will need to clean / wire brush the part really well when it comes out and give it a good rinsing to get the old crud off . Once cleaned and rinsed the part will start to form rust almost immediately so you have to make sure to oil it or prime it.... something to protect it. E tanks work incredible for removing rust on parts that are rusty but in otherwise usable condition. I also have used it to remove rust from old cast iron skillets and dutch ovens that I have picked up at yard sales etc. They come out bright and clean. Just a thought. 

                                   John 

Edited by John Rogers
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41 minutes ago, John Rogers said:

If you have a part that is frozen up , I have had really good luck freeing up frozen Wheel Horse tractor rear lift cables and "vintage" dirtbike rear brake cables etc. using my electrolysis tank. Another big plus is that the part will come out rust free and usually most if not all the paint that might be on it will be removed as well. You will need to clean / wire brush the part really well when it comes out and give it a good rinsing to get the old crud off . Once cleaned and rinsed the part will start to form rust almost immediately so you have to make sure to oil it or prime it.... something to protect it. E tanks work incredible for removing rust on parts that are rusty but in otherwise usable condition. I also have used it to remove rust from old cast iron skillets and dutch ovens that I have picked up at yard sales etc. They come out bright and clean. Just a thought. 

                                   John 

 

these came originally as CAD plated...

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21 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

these came originally as CAD plated...

Oh I didnt know that. Thank you for pointing this out.  I see your point. E tanking these wouldn't be a good idea seeing as stainless steel etc produce toxic by products and I imagine the cad plating would be equally as nasty so e tanking would be a bad idea in this case. I know that John Sartain has used a molasses bath to strip rust on his running boards. I wonder if molasses might be a safe alternative?

 

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Just my 2 cents, but my '69 Jeep CJ5 had a hand brake cable that went to a drum brake just behind the t-case, my '62 Willys wagon originally did too, and I was able to use a new stock cable and hook to a splitter to put parking brakes on both rear wheels.  May be something to look at.  kaiserwillys.com or 4wd.com......

 

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sorry to bring up the obvious but for others reading this later it might be worth mentioning.... don't for get to check out that return spring and extension while your doing the exam.

I had my spring break a couple years ago and I kinked the cable trying to push the hand grip back into position....

  

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1 hour ago, johnsartain said:

DCM will get you a cable built, send them picks of each end, length of the cable and length of the conduit

Thx for the tip. Someone on our Forum here has offered a used cable to me, and I've gladly accepted his offer. I'm waiting for him to get back to me. I really should post a picture here of the cable I've got now..... its got a loop in it and a metal clip w/a screw to hold together two pieces. Looks like MacGyver was here. ?

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On 12/3/2018 at 3:36 PM, Brent B3B said:

sorry to bring up the obvious but for others reading this later it might be worth mentioning.... don't for get to check out that return spring and extension while your doing the exam.

I had my spring break a couple years ago and I kinked the cable trying to push the hand grip back into position....

  

Its always a good idea, for me at least, to bring up the obvious, as in my case, not knowing all that much about it, I need to have the obvious pointed out. However, in this case, I'd already checked out the return spring and other parts and all was A-Okay. BTW, I sent you a Private Message. 

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