The Ford Barn

zuburg · 10-29-2016, 12:04 PM

I am having some problems replacing the parking brake cable on my 1956 T-bird. I replaced both the front and rear cables. The problem is when I pull the handle to set the brake, the handle doesn't travel as far as I think it should. It feels tight but the rear brakes are not engaged. I don't believe there is any slack in the cables.

I thought maybe something was binding on the inside of the car so took it all apart again to check it out. The replacement cable has a plastic/vinyl? sleeve over the steel braided cable. It appears to me that the thicker cable may be too tight in the groove if the pulley. Should I try to remove the vinyl covering on the cable on the section inside the car so the steel cable moves better in the pulley?

zuburg · 10-30-2016, 03:22 PM

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I just got it all sorted out. Did not have to remove the vinyl covering. I took it all apart and checked everything. I originally made a minor mod to extend the threaded shaft at the end of the cable so it would reach the lever connected to the yolk holding the rear cable. I removed that extension and pulled the lever far enough to reach the original shaft. That helped a lot. Still doesn't operate as smoothly as I expected, but at least it works now.

10-29-2016, 12:04 PM	#1
zuburg Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 332	Parking brake cable on 1956 Ford Thunderbird I am having some problems replacing the parking brake cable on my 1956 T-bird. I replaced both the front and rear cables. The problem is when I pull the handle to set the brake, the handle doesn't travel as far as I think it should. It feels tight but the rear brakes are not engaged. I don't believe there is any slack in the cables. I thought maybe something was binding on the inside of the car so took it all apart again to check it out. The replacement cable has a plastic/vinyl? sleeve over the steel braided cable. It appears to me that the thicker cable may be too tight in the groove if the pulley. Should I try to remove the vinyl covering on the cable on the section inside the car so the steel cable moves better in the pulley?

10-30-2016, 03:22 PM	#2
zuburg Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 332	Re: Parking brake cable on 1956 Ford Thunderbird Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I just got it all sorted out. Did not have to remove the vinyl covering. I took it all apart and checked everything. I originally made a minor mod to extend the threaded shaft at the end of the cable so it would reach the lever connected to the yolk holding the rear cable. I removed that extension and pulled the lever far enough to reach the original shaft. That helped a lot. Still doesn't operate as smoothly as I expected, but at least it works now.