Frozen E-brake cables

[burn_your_money]

Not mine but it looks useful.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4702625

[FineFrank]

It's way cheaper and easier to clamp a piece of appropriately sized rubber fuel line to the end of the (brake/clutch/throttle) cable, add oil, and either let it drip through or add a little air (regulated) pressure. I've ressurected a couple cables (on a Caterpillar grader, for one) that I thought were goners. I always use this method when installing new cables on anything.

[Rabbit79]

I used to run an old 600 Prentice log loader that had about a dozen of these type of cables on it and they gave me a lot of trouble. Seemed every year I'd have to replace one or two of them. I tried just about every petroleum based lubricant you can get....grease, motor oil, WD-40, whatever. One day I was in the parts store and was asking one of the guys about this problem and he hooked me up with a little bottle of dry graphite lubricant. I just poured it in from both ends and shook it around and ran the cable through a bunch until it was well distributed. I started using that and it sure cut down on my cable problems. I think perhaps that since it's a dry lubricant it doesn't attract so much dirt and grit. Not saying it's the grand champion of all fixes, but it sure worked for me.

[the caveman]

One of the funniest tricks i've seen was for freeing up  past american style cables. The ones that are flat wire wound around the sliding cable , without any other sheathing or protection. Of course they would freeze up if not lubed. Get a car battery, some jumper cables and attach one jumper to an end of the cable and then the other at the other end, wait a few seconds until it gets red -NOT TOO RED ! While laughing  hose down with cold water. Soak it with ATF [or whatever] . Fun

[Rabbit79]

That IS an interesting fix. Wonder how they came up with that idea?

[Rabbit on Roids]

my favorite is cut a chunk of intertube out and hose clamp it around the cable, then add oil of your choice and hang the cable.

getting a cable red hot and soaking it in ATF would be fun too tho!

[clbanman]

That IS an interesting fix. Wonder how they came up with that idea?

A toaster.