parking brake cables for 1963 C10

[dmjlambert]

Hi folks, can you please tell me if this looks like the normal setup for 1963 C10 parking brake cables? The setup is different from what I'm used to seeing on my 1969 C10, 1/2 ton 2WD shortbed fleetside. The brake cable coming from inside the cab has a conduit and it pulls a lever. Looks OK.

From that point rearward it looks like one single cable for each side of the truck connecting to that lever below the tail of the transmission, and going all the way into the backing plate of the rear brakes.

The parking brakes are working.

The cables are old and frayed, so I think it's time to replace them. Not sure if I should use flexible conduits or some sort of nylon or other type of bushings. What's "normal?"

Here is the first view under the tail of the transmission where it's attached to the lever. I'm under the truck looking forward.


I back away, still under the truck and looking forward, and show how it goes through a crossmember.


Now I'm looking rearward, the cable goes through a bracket and straight into the backing plate of the brakes.

[cwcarpenter98]

Looks exactly like what my 63 has. If you don't want the current setup, you can easily convert to the 66 cable setup which is similar to your 69

[dmjlambert]

Thanks for helping me get familiar with my new truck. There is a whole bunch of stuff that I look at and say to myself, yup that's the way it's set up, and other things I look at and think that's just weird, and just a few items like this parking brake thing with metal rubbing on metal that make me curious. I'm finding the truck to be pretty much stock and overall in better condition than my 1969 truck. I did some upgrades on the 1969 truck and I'll need to pick some things to upgrade on this 1963. I probably will want to find something like nylon or teflon bushings or inserts to route the cable through the crossmember hole and the bracket near the rear brakes.

[cwcarpenter98]

Happy to help! It wouldn't surprise me if there originally was some sort of bushings in those holes, but they deteriorated over time and fell out. I did put new cables on mine since the old ones were frozen up, but I haven't noticed any issues yet and I use it frequently. The 63 system works just fine, but if you decide to step away from the original transmissions in these trucks, the 66 system will provide additional clearance around the transmission area

[Agv63]

Not my image, one i found on web but what mine looks like. Also 63 year. 2 flat pieces made in a t configuration. Center link has a couple of holes so can adjust it to get proper tension.

Adriaan.

[Clyde65]

My 65 had the same setup, lever action on a crossmember behind the trans. When I went LS, I ended up updating to a 66-72 c10 ebrake setup which employs a half loop and hand lever to activate. Much better than the cobled mess I had.

[notsolo]

The brake cables on the trailing arms were shielded half way and attached to that clip. Not sure I've ever seen bushings in the cross member but probably were.

[dmjlambert]

Do you have any picture of what it should look like if shielded half way and attached to the clip?

[notsolo]

I'll keep looking, no clear shot of just that section, that clamp on the trailing arm held was the end of the shielded part and plain cable from there. Might have the cables not found yet.

[Agv63]

It just so happens i am standing next to mine, so took a pic quickly. I have also found later type where the clamping method is different. Cant say on what years it changed. Pic 1 and 2 is mine. And last pic is how my t-bar looks like.

Adriaan.

[notsolo]

The second pic is what I remember....I think the clamp has slipped on that one, the end has extra meat for the clamp to hold.

[Agv63]

My trailing arms is from a later model, had those brackets on, i removed it and used my setup, that cable always slips to that position, park brake works so now i leave it there.