Emergency Brake for Lifted Blazer???

[Critter]

Ok, I need help. I have searched the forum and vendors and can’t get a straight answer. I have a six-inch lift on my K5. I need longer emergency brake cables as the original ones are stretched to their max. I don’t have a truck around to compare to but my understanding is that the rear of a truck, swb or lwb, are both longer than that of a Blazer. My question is how much longer are these, if any? Then, where do I get a new set? I have looked through a couple of catalogues and a lot of the site venders, but I haven’t seen anything that with a description that I am comfortable purchasing (not sure if I would be getting the right part). I’m sure someone else has gone through this before.

[Jtrux]

Originally Posted by Critter

Ok, I need help. I have searched the forum and vendors and can’t get a straight answer. I have a six-inch lift on my K5. I need longer emergency brake cables as the original ones are stretched to their max. I don’t have a truck around to compare to but my understanding is that the rear of a truck, swb or lwb, are both longer than that of a Blazer. My question is how much longer are these, if any? Then, where do I get a new set? I have looked through a couple of catalogues and a lot of the site venders, but I haven’t seen anything that with a description that I am comfortable purchasing (not sure if I would be getting the right part). I’m sure someone else has gone through this before.

Just weld in some extensions.

[Burt4x4]

Or maybe extend the U cable that gets pulled on when you press down the e-brake lever. Then relocate the side brackets closer to the rear? My 4" lift still allowed them to work..getting parts from a longbed pickup sounds like a possiblity too...now that I have a 14FF w/disk I no longer have an E-brake...
good luck

[skidder111]

Critter

I had the same issue with a 4" Rancho with new springs on my 72 K5. I took the cable brackets right off the frame and bolted them back onto the bottom flange of the frame. This was a few years ago, so I don't remember if I swapped the brackets from side to side, or if I used the original holes. It was free and did make the cables sit more comfortably. Hope this helps.

[Critter]

I guess I can try the "bracket adjustment" approach. Mine are pretty torn up and I wanted some new ones anyway. I looked at LMC and strangly enough, they have replacment cables for 4wd Blazers and basically every style of 2wd truck, but no 4x4 trucks what-so-ever. I called them today and of course the guy could 't tell me anything informative other than "I guess they are all different". Anyway, I need one of y'all guys with a 4x4 Blazer and a 4x4 truck to go out an take a look to see what's different. PLEEEEASE

[Critter]

Oh yeah, here are a couple pics of my current one if that helps anybody.

[Burt4x4]

Ok dude? WTF is that stack of cut up springs being used as a lift block
crazy booty fab Not trying to be negative just looks aweful scary to me. Maybe the rust will help keep that "stack" together...

HighJack Off

[skidder111]

Critter-

You want photos and/or measurements?Could get them to you next week.

[CPNE]

INLINETUBE.COM has 4x4 ebrake cables and can custom make them too IIRC

[Critter]

Originally Posted by Burt4x4

Ok dude? WTF is that stack of cut up springs being used as a lift block
crazy booty fab Not trying to be negative just looks aweful scary to me. Maybe the rust will help keep that "stack" together...

HighJack Off

Oh yeah, it's getto...see this thread for explanation

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=303419

Originally Posted by skidder111

Critter-

You want photos and/or measurements?Could get them to you next week.

Yeah basically I am wondering what is different from my K5 to a truck. THANKS!

Originally Posted by CPNE

INLINETUBE.COM has 4x4 ebrake cables and can custom make them too IIRC

I will take a look.

[Burt4x4]

Ahhh...few..I missed that post

When I bought my K5 back in 93 I knew nothing about 4x4s and after I got the K5 home and started "learning" I found 3 of thoes "hacked spring shims" under my FRONT SPRING PACKS
That is when I learned you DO NOT put blocks/lift shims on the front axel

Glad to hear they are getting removed
Have a GREAT weekend!
Burt
HighJack off #2

[Critter]

Anybody?

[Critter]

Originally Posted by CPNE

INLINETUBE.COM has 4x4 ebrake cables and can custom make them too IIRC

This might be the only way to go. I will call them on Monday. I'm sure they won't be cheap but that's what I would expect at this point. I would still like to know if a factory length from a different vehicle would snap right in place.

[johnnywagon]

Here ya go Critter, a way simple, low tech way to extend your cables. Early Cuyler would be proud: "do not touch the trim!"

Get another brake cable connector (Dorman #705-077 or Help #21126) and a piece of all-thread. My truck has a connection up underneath where the main cable splits to two. This is where I installed this contraption!

[Critter]

Originally Posted by johnnywagon

Here ya go Critter, a way simple, low tech way to extend your cables. Early Cuyler would be proud: "do not touch the trim!"

Get another brake cable connector (Dorman #705-077 or Help #21126) and a piece of all-thread. My truck has a connection up underneath where the main cable splits to two. This is where I installed this contraption!

Looks like a good option. If nothing else it is a cheap fix that will work for a while till my original cables actually wear out. The red "HELP" stand has got me out of binds before, might do it again.

Oh yeah, "Don't touch the trim!" is going in my signature the next time I get the energy to change my user CP, been meaning to do it for weeks now.

[71jimmy]

johnnywagon, could you post a pic of it installed? please!

Sounds like an interesting fix.

I had a thread a looooong time back asking the same question, never did get a response. It's been on my do to list.

thanks

[Yukon Jack]

When I get around to hooking my e-brake cables back up on both vehicles, I plan to do it the way johnnywagon did.

[Critter]

Looks like nylon locking nuts would be a good fit for this. I am going to go to the parts store and see if they have those ends in stock.

[Yukon Jack]

You could also use jam nuts, I think that is what the stock piece uses.

[vanislejimmy]

This should help everyone out. I lifted my Jimmy 6" and am having the same problem. I just measured the cables on a few different trucks and this is what I came up with.
71 Jimmy 4x4 39"
68 lwb 2x4 33"
69 lwb 4x4 38"
71 longhorn 2x4 44"
It makes sense that the longhorn brakelines will work, but I can't say for sure as I haven't tried it.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by vanislejimmy

This should help everyone out. I lifted my Jimmy 6" and am having the same problem. I just measured the cables on a few different trucks and this is what I came up with.
71 Jimmy 4x4 39"
68 lwb 2x4 33"
69 lwb 4x4 38"
71 longhorn 2x4 44"
It makes sense that the longhorn brakelines will work, but I can't say for sure as I haven't tried it.

Awesome, that’s the kind of info I was initially looking for. It is somewhat interesting that the jimmy is one of the longest cables; I guess it all works out with how the perimeter cable is configured. Can you tell us what the cables looked like compared to one another? In other words, were they all basically identical other than the length or did different models have different end styles??? Thanks for posting this.

[vanislejimmy]

They were all the same cable the only difference was the length. The longhorn cables had the extra length between the bracket and the end of the cable that is closest to the front of the truck (the part you have pictured in your first pic). Thinking about it now we would have to move the brackets back to use the longer cables.

[Critter]

Ahh, I see what you are saying. Basically the exposed part of the inner cable will be sticking out more on the longhorn than the blazer. That would make you adjust some of the bracketry. Not that I can find longhorn cables for sale anywhere, but at least I will know what to look for. Thanks.

[vanislejimmy]

LMC has them for $25 if you can't find them anywhere.
http://www.lmctruck.com/ICATALOG/CB/full.aspx?Page=154

[Critter]

Yeah I knew that, not sure why I posted that I didn't. Looking through LMC is what made me curious in the first place. I would prefer to buy them though one of the site venders but have yet to find any who sell them. Any of the venders carry longhorn cables???