Handbrake cable stuck

[Guest Anonymous]

I am putting in new rear brakes, drums, shoes, wheel cylinders and hopefully handbrake parking brake cable. Other than pulling real hard for long periods of time, is there a secret to getting the old cable out? It's like rusted in and I am afraid I will bend the pipe. I can't get the old cable out. I already bought the new cable and thought this was going to be easy, not so. Any tips, things I should be doing. Would squirting brake fluid help lossen this up. I understand heat is a last resort as there may be plastic that will melt causing even more grief.

[Guest Anonymous]

so I can relate big time. I spent approx six (6) hours trying to get the old cables out so here is everything I know: First of all, a couple of things can cause the old cables to stick. The first is that the metal part that meets the welded in ("fixed") tube seems to rust/seize at that spot (about 12" or so inboard of the rear brakes) and this can occur even on relatively rust free California cars like mine. The second is that if you have attempted to pull out the old cables by grasping the cable itself toward the end (that hooks onto the brake shoe), the plastic coating on the cable itself gets bunched up inside the welded (fixed) tube and becomes almost impossible to extract. The good news for you is that I had BOTH problems and succeeded by crawling under the car so as to face the end of the fixed tube, facing toward the rear brake. Next, take a hammer and a flat head screwdriver and pound out against the metal part of the cable that seats inside the fixed tube. Believe me, it is very tedious but it can work. By the way, I had to do this for both cables but the second one took less time because I pulled on the outer part of the cable instead of the cable itself so as to avoid the bunching I referenced earlier. Finally, most of this advice was given to me on this board--what can I say but thanks! (And good luck!)

[Guest Anonymous]

Got the cable out, putting it back now the button seems worn and won't hold the spring in. Is that an accessible item?

[Guest Anonymous]

a quarter or half turn to clear a retainer tab...you might try doing that in reverse to see it it'll stay in place. Otherwise, just get a complete lever assy from a parts car. Should be easy to find...

Mike