E-brake cable replacement

[Stretch44875]

After putting up with a sticky cable for a year, I put on a new cable. Got the cable from saturn surplus, forget how much.

I cheated and rasied the bed to replace the cable. My tool rack is removed also, I would recommend removing the tool rack for access.

I have the newer style e-brake handle. To remove the old cable, I pulled the pin on the e-brake handle, then removed the 4 outer nuts around the handle, leaving the one nut to hold the handle assembly in. The bolts are welded underneath, so removing the nuts from the top side is a snap.

This allows the bracket under the floor to be removed. The cable is bolted to the bracket by two plates, these have ridges to hold the cable in place.

There is a flat plate clamped to the cable where it rubs the edge of the toolbox. Couple of bolts and it is off also.

Where the cable goes through the frame, a clamp is installed to prevent rubbing.

The cable is bolted to a bracket on the brake by one bolt. On mine the head of the bolt was facing the transfer case, kind of hidden. You may have to pry the slot apart a little to remove the cable.

The adjustment nut needs removed from the cable end, There is a place on the cable to put a small wrench(approx 3/ to prevent the cable from turning when removing the adjustment nut. Adjustment nut was a 3/4 wrench size.

When installing the new cable, I ran the adjustment on the handle to approx. the center, then tightened the adjustment nut on the cable till I had a good brake.

My adjustment nut was still tight, but if loose, tighten another nut next to it
so your adjustment stays put.

Dennis

 

[Stretch44875]

pics

 

[mangus580]

I should have lifted my bed when I did mine....

Sure woulda been easier!

 

[Recovry4x4]

Nice Stretch, thanks for sharing that with pics.

 

[houdel]

Put a jamb nut on that adjusting lock nut at the x-fer case end no matter what! I thought my lock nut was holding fine, it wasn't, kept randomly loosening and tightening, drove me crazy until I put a lockwasher and 5/16"-24 jamb nut to lock it in place, now it holds fine! BTW, my cable has streched to the point that about 2/3s of the threaded portion is above thelocknut, makes it a bi**ch to get a wrench on there with the cab brace in the way, next adjustment I'm going to Dremel off the excess adjusting stud for wrench clearance.

 

[cranetruck]

Great pictures Dennis! I put a jamb nut on mine after it kept coming loose.
My cable kept freezing up in the winter (water in it) after I fiirst got the truck. The fuel tank (1,200 gallon one) was off so it was easy to work on. I took it out worked it clean, relubed it and it has worked great ever since, except for the need for the jamb nut.
Mine has a lube nipple (zerk fitting) not shown in your images.
I have the "old" style handle and have had no problems with it.

 

[Maverick1701]

I am REALLY glad I found this thread!!!!

I am going to be doing the same thing in a couple days....fun fun fun

 

[cattlerepairman]

Put the old and new cable side by side and compare the diameters before putting the new one in. There appear to be New Star replacements that are either mis-labelled or simply the wrong part.

If your replacement cable is not the same diameter but thinner, do NOT put it in; you will find that it will break in short order and you get to do it all over again.

 

[Heavysteven]

Good post, some of my brackets are not in the right place.