snapped parkig brake cable

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

A few days ago, one of the parking brake cable in my parked Jetta snapped (in the drum) and the car rolled forward and dented the door of a parked van. No damage to my Jetta other than a scuff on the corner of my bumper. My insurance will take care of the damage to the van. I usually leave the car in 1st gear but that one time I was in a rush double parked to run into a stoe and forgot. Damm my first accident in like 30 years!

Any tips to replacing the cable so it goes smoothly? Will I run into any problems? I never liked working on drum brakes.

[R.O.R-2.0]

it probably took longer to type your post, than it will take to replace your brake cable..

they are brutally simple to replace.. with disks, its a 10 minute fix..

i doubt it will take you a whole hour to fix it..

[8v-of-fury]

Removing the brakes as a unit to replace the cable is no big thang.

Obviously you need to remove the drum, and then those two spring pins holding the shoes in, move it all out and unhook the cable. Unhook it inside, slide it out. Slide new one on, hook it up on both ends, and re-install the shoes and drum

I never ever ever ever trust the trans or e-brake alone.. I hate leaving it running neutral even.. lol

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I knew I'd run into problems and I did.  I thought the Wagner Federal Mogul cable BC130988 I bought locally for $23 was the wrong cable at first then find out the metal tube/sheath is a separate part that is NLA! I couldn't pull the cable out from under the car on the hand brake end due to it rusted to the tube and had to hammer the tube out from inside. I will try to use some heat and see if I can separate the tube from the cable and see if it is salvageable. If not, what are some creative ways to make a new tube? Another stupid VW design!

[8v-of-fury]

Hmm, lotsa heat. Damn near melt the sucker.. and it should come out.

And then lots of anti seize when it goes back together. I put that **** on everything.

[srgtlord]

I had the same exact problem. I think I used a screwdriver and a hammer to seperate the two. BUT After reassembly I had the tube crumble as I tightened the parking cable. The brake was functional but if I had to replace it again I would be screwed.

[TylerDurden]

Some guys are making DIY tubes from 5/8 copper.  


Edit: ~5/8" (?)
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5740059-Parking-brake-guide-tubes

[tyb525]

I tapped mine out with a hammer and screwdriver. Neither the old or the new cable had that metal tube on the parking brake end.

[R.O.R-2.0]

just get a new cable tube from another mk2.. they are the same for drum and disk brakes..

what is it, a jetta or golf? late mk2 or early?

ive got tubes for both cars, both early and late..