Yay the ebrake clip came in. *test* *Snap* CRAP!

[Lance-ftw]

So...

Truck went in for some surgery a little while back, had it completely re-wired head to toe, added power windows (weee) and got it back.

Problem, first my horn was on a button on the dash from the previous owner being an idiot so my horn didn't work and my parking break never worked... my safety inspection is out and i wanna drive my truck.

So I order the horn replacement for my truck on *Insert website name I'm not going to slander* based on their recommendation through the "Select your vehicle" and it's not even close to the right part. They were nice enough to make it right and when I asked them how I ended up with the wrong part they said it was because I had an aftermarket steering wheel... which is BS, I've seen a number of these trucks, including 1 full restoration to all original and it's the same steering wheel but I digress...

Got the horn working with the new parts and bought a little C clip to fix the parking brake since that's where it was messed up (looks like the last owner tried to hold the two parking brakes together with a peice of clothes hanger bent around the front and rear cables O_O!)

It took me a week to get the freakin C clip and when I put it on, excited to test my brake before running it up to the inspection center I hop back in the cab, start the truck, put it in reverse (the anticipation is building, I'm starting to get excited now) and engage the P-brake, slowly at first, it's been a while and I need to be gentle with her.... I put it in reverse and test it a little, brakes not 'on' enough... it's ok, I'm sure she can take it a little harder. So I push the pedal down with some force and SNAP. The brake cable breaks. (does that make it a break cable?).

So now I'm back hunting for a part and I'm finding a lot of discouraging information. Everywhere I read people order the cables and get the wrong thing and I'm really not in the mood to deal with all of that again so I'm coming here, on bended knee (or at least crooked hands while typing in as prostrated posture as possible while maintaining proper computer use ergonomics) asking for some pro-tips.

I looked at the e-brake cable set up down there and it's.. interesting. My E-brake is apparently some sort of marionette that is tricked into doing it's job properly by a series of cables connected in strange ways to some all powerful controlling hand (the pedal, so a controlling foot?) The cable that broke is the one that goes up to the pedal I believe. I'm not opposed to replacing them all as they all seem to be a little worse for wear now that I look at them adn I'd rather not replace 1 section only to hvae another section break when it was supposed to brake if ya know what I mean... and I think you do.

So, what I typed all of this random nonsense to say is...

I have a 1970 CST-10 Longbed (orange if yer askin) and I need the appropriate E-brake cable set up. I'd like to order parts 'once' this time if possible so if you have a confirmed part number, link to an interweb site, pro-tip, or magic wand, please share and I will forever (or at least until I forget about you) be in your debt.

Thank you in advance for your help, mysterious benefactor.

-Lance

p.s. This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated.
p.p.s. heh pp.
p.p.p.s I'm not even sure if that's the right format for a third "p.s." but here goes, my tiny dog decided I needed to be awake at 430 this morning and I've been looking at truck parts for an hour before my coffee kicked in so please excuse what was most likely the longest, dumbest post ever asking for help about an e-brake cable.

[lil hoodlum]

You wouldn't happen to have a picture of the part that broke or the parts that you need? There are plenty of forum members in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Maybe someone might have what you need.

There is also a new retail outfit in Arlington on Cooper Street called Southwest Classics. www.swclassics.net

Good luck!

Keith

[El Campo]

Inline tube makes the entire system I believe. And you can get it all in stainless if you want. Can get custom lengths too. They have a weird ordering system though, next time I order from them I am going to just call instead of doing all online.

[Lance-ftw]

yeah, don't have a pic handy and I looked at that tube site... had no idea what I was looking at and the 'full kit' was pretty freakin expensive for a bunch of cables.

The specific part that broke is the cable that runs from under the cab to the cable at the rear of the truck that actually engages the brakes. The two cables meet and there are caps on them that are supposed to go into this little clip dealy. I got em in the clip but the front cable snapped right behind the clip when I hit the pedal (in it's defense it was probably the original cable and was lookin a little... worn)

I just want to pass inspection so I can drive the thing around and do the stuff I can't do in my mini >< .

[El Campo]

You can buy just that one cable from them as long as you can get a length from the one that you already have. If you call them they can tell you a lot and be quite helpful. The problem with old cables is that those 40 year old cables snap easily. I bent the one on mine by hand and it snapped in half in less than 5 seconds of manipulation. Not really something that I want to have happen if I need it haha.

[70chevytruck]

By the way...register your truck as an antique and there are no inspections...I put year correct license plates on mine. Looks cool and you don't have to go through all the hassles of the inspections process. Just a thought.

[webfoot]

Yah inlinetube needs to update their website bad. It won't even look right unless you use internet explorer.

Cable you need on inline tube is only $20 for stainless. The one you need is called the intermediate cable and connects the cables at the drums to the front cable. Only factor now is what transmission you have. If it is anything but a th400 you need IN390. If 400 then IN426.

[chevytruckluver]

Originally Posted by 70chevytruck

By the way...register your truck as an antique and there are no inspections...I put year correct license plates on mine. Looks cool and you don't have to go through all the hassles of the inspections process. Just a thought.

x2^


If you will measure your cable and let me know how long it is I will look at my parts truck, I may have one

[Lance-ftw]

I might have described it wrong. Theres a spot where you connect the front and back cables pretty much right behind the cab on the driver side. The cable in the 'front' of the vehicle is hte one that broke.

If I recall right, theres 1 cable from the pedal back to that connector then a cable that goes back to a T connection that has two cables coming out of it to each wheel. The cable in the front that comes from the pedal appears to be the one that broke.

[webfoot]

What looks like 2 cables is just 1 long cable. That is the part (intermediate cable) I was describing above. The end of the front cable has a long threaded rod on it and a pinched metal channel holds the cable under the rod. If the front one is broke the intermediate is probably not far behind.

This is probably a fair representation of the front cable.

[Lance-ftw]

Yeah, that's totally not what mine looks like. It was just a cable with a metal nub on the end, maybe a 1 inch long metal nub. The C clip looking dealy that you use to connect the front and back cables together, dunno how else to explain it it's shaped like a C, and has a slot in it, you put both cable 'tips' into it... in front of that is where it broke. That pic doesn't look like the part that broke but it's deffinitely not the rear or 'intermediate' cable either... maybe mine was jimimy rigged. I run custom tags on my truck and it gets driven a lot (when it's got it's inspection) I tow my boat, run errands, etc, from what I understand you can't put antique tags on it unless it gets less than X miles or is only used in parades, etc.

[webfoot]

Can you post a pic? Cuz ya it sounds like your ebrake sounds totally cobbled together. The intermediate cable should be 1 long cable.

[chevytruckluver]

Originally Posted by Lance-ftw

Yeah, that's totally not what mine looks like. It was just a cable with a metal nub on the end, maybe a 1 inch long metal nub. The C clip looking dealy that you use to connect the front and back cables together, dunno how else to explain it it's shaped like a C, and has a slot in it, you put both cable 'tips' into it... in front of that is where it broke. That pic doesn't look like the part that broke but it's deffinitely not the rear or 'intermediate' cable either... maybe mine was jimimy rigged. I run custom tags on my truck and it gets driven a lot (when it's got it's inspection) I tow my boat, run errands, etc, from what I understand you can't put antique tags on it unless it gets less than X miles or is only used in parades, etc.

You are correct about the antique tags, if you use it as a truck, that might get you in trouble...haha
I know the cable you are describing, it goes from the left rear to the center front and back to the right rear in a "u " shaped pattern, has the clip you describe on both ends and those attach to the final park brake cable along the trailing arms
if you will measure that cable and let me know I may have one.

[Lance-ftw]

Ok, turns out I'm just a tard. in this picture the cable broke right in front of the clip marked "9" on the right side of the image. So it IS the intermediate cause that appears to be one big cable that goes to both sides. Looks like it's the part marked "4" and I'd need part number 34-3830.

[Lance-ftw]

that's gonna be a PITA to replace I think without a jack or something to pick the truck up.

[webfoot]

I'll UPS you mine, you can borrow it for free. Just pay shipping, it only weighs about 75 lbs.

Seriously though, just use a redneck jack, and drive one side of the truck up onto a curb.

[Lance-ftw]

my regular shop is gonna hook me up. They'r eordering the part and stuff for me and I'll just go up there and get it swapped out real fast on their lift.