parking brake cables

[jettabrendan]

I bought a set of new cables and am having a hard time figuring out how to install them. The old ones broke and fell off so I have no idea how they mount up to the lever. I got them hooked up to the backing plate just fine but I can't figure out how to attach them to the lever.there is just 2 rusted out tubes with the ends of the old cables broken off in them. One tube moves so I think they come out and the new cable just does not have them on the ends. I'm stumped.

[the caveman]

It will be a lot easier if you remove the shoes to attach the cable end. Don't attach the threaded ends at the hand brake arm in the car until everything else is mounted. The new cables sit in the backplate and make sure all the  bits of the old cables are out of the tubes that come out of the tunnel under the car. You must be able to easily shove the new cables into those tubes all the way till they seat. After that you can attach the nuts and adjust it all.

[jettabrendan]

Okay yeah I had to drill out the old cable ends that were stuck in those tubes. One small problem tho, one of the cables are longer than the other, its just the inside part that slides. Is there a way to shorten the cable and then somehow attach it to the handle? I was just thinking I could drill a hole through a bolt then use 2 washers and a nut instead of that threaded post to adjust the tension.

[Patrick]

Been down this road. Sounds like you've got a problem at teh car body (underneath). THere should be 2 tubes coming out of the floor about 6 or 8 inches that the cables need to go through into the brake handle. I had a tube broke off (rusted). Had to manufacture a new tube and weld it into the car. Everything then lines up as it's supposed to. Clear as mud??