Brake Cable Removal

[Donzy]

I can't remove the hand brake cable on my 1971. Removed the 10mm nuts, taped the release button down and tried to pull the out from the back. Any suggestons?

PS:This is my 1st ever post, hope it works.

Donzy

[BillWilliams]

Well the post worked. Those can be real tricky to remove. It takes a lot of tugging, pulling and rust remover. Some use heat.

As a suggestion, look for the Site Search up and to the right, click in there and do a search on Brake Cable Removal or Emergency Brake Cable. Sit back and enjoy the evening reading.

If those suggestions do not work, get back and there are many experts that will jump in and help.

Good luck to you and keep posting.

[Donzy]

Bill, thanks for the quick reply, I will do the the search you suggested. I think they may be rusted in the tubes. Time to get out the WD40. I just got this car, it had been sitting outside for 13 years! Replaced all the brake lines, hoses, backing plates, master cylander, drums etc.Once I get the brake system done its on to the clutch slave and pedel rebuild.

Donzy

[BillWilliams]

Put the WD 40 away. Save that for when you need to displace some water in an electrical component.

Go get some good stuff. I use a Wurth product but you have to have an account with them to get that.

There are many commercial rust penetrants available, e.g., PB Blaster, Kroil, etc.

Some make their own out of ATF and "white lightening" or something. They swear by it. http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,0/page,viewtopic/t,339747/start,1/postdays,0/postorder,asc/highlight,/sid,fab7dd037fa605e38224e98841da35b9/

[M3M3]

yes. wd40 not effective. put back on shelf and avoid using on the car. pb blaster or liquid wrench readily available in auto stores.

[BillWilliams]

Donzy, any good fortune on results from the Site Search?

[Donzy]

Bill,

Picked us some map gas today, Sunday afternoon I plan to address the issue! Appericate the follow up.

Dan, Newburgh NY

PS: decided to use my on my post vs: my grade school nick name.

[jgerock]

If you can get the cable to move a little by pulling from the back, but it won't pull out, then go back inside the car and move the cable end so it clears the tube, then pull it out from the rear. This seems to work best with (2) people.

The larger diameter threaded end will catch on the body tube.

Bad example of the reckless e-brake work by a PO

[ahlem]

On an old e30 318i we grabbed the cable as tight as we could with a vice grips and hammered on the vice grips and got one side out. On the second side, we ground grooves in a chunk of metal rod around the girth so it would bend fairly easily and pounded the cable through from the inside.

[Donzy]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions for pulling the e-brake cable. I decided to give on last shot this evening. Since I had no helper I simply sliped a drinking straw over the threded end and sliped it into the tube. This giuded the threaded end into the tube. Went to the back,locked the vice grip on, put the work gloves on and began to pull! The 1st thing I discovered was that I was not as strong as I was 50 year ago, but I keep at it. I used the grips to twist the entire cable in the tube, left a few turn, then right a few turns.Bingo, out came 95% of the entire cable. I say 95% because the threaded part is hung up where the tube is welded to the pan.

This weld is about 6 inched from the end of the tube. In the morning I plan to ether drill the tube, not sure how that will work with the cable still in the tube or use a long norrow chisle to knock the burr down.

I was suprised to find that there was no rust in the tube, just a tight fit.

THANKS,

Dan, Newburgh NY

[Donzy]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will try the rod from inside, beats trying to drill it out!

Dan, Newburgh NY

[ahlem]

Plan carefully before you decide which direction to bang out the threaded part. You may want to go under the car and push it back into the cab. It's already proved it can move in to the point it's sitting and a couple easy taps might just send it back. Be sure to grind those segments on the rod if it's fairly close in diameter to the tube the cable goes in. If it's enough smaller, you don't have to. I think they have 1/4" smooth and threaded at Home Depot. One benefit to using a threaded rod is you can unthread it out of the tube with your vice grips if it gets stuck. Grease it up thoroughly.

The threaded one is in the hardware section or the electrical section.

The threaded part will help file out some of the crud. (I'm just waiting for the off colored responses to this post) This is not a finesse operation. They also gave 5/16" and 3/8".

[Donzy]

After 2 hours of hitting steel rods I decided it was time from blunt force. I lower the car, blocked the wheels, tied a chain to the e-brake cable and attached the chain to my truck. Bingo, out it came. Not high tech but effective. Now on to installing the new cable!

Dan, Newburgh NY

[Koblenz]

Dan,

I am waching your progress. Mine needs to be done.

[Guest Anonymous]

Probably obvious, but you will want to put Anti-seize on the part of the cable that snugs into the tube under the car.