Can someone help with a handbrake cable sanity check?

[TimJM]

I have been trying to move my project on today but it has been a very frustrating and unproductive day. But one problem at a time and here is the first.

The handbrake cable
Either I just can't work out how to fit it or the ones that are currently in production currently have a fault. The cable is in the car and routed through correctly. The cable is through the upright (which was a very tight fit) and I am trying to attach the small lever type assemble at the top that connects to the cable.

The problem is I think the handbrake cable connector is too wide and doesn't fit in the upright unless rotated flat or the handbrake lever assembly.

This is the cable I bought:
http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-j0179...

Here are some pictures to try and show what the issue is, the first shows the cable through the upright but to get the cable end connector is much wider than the slot in the upright and has to be turned sidewards to pass through it:




Here is a pic of the connector - the cable end connector is again much too wide to fit into the lever housing:


I have added some red markings to this picture as it is a little blurry to show th ewidth of the outside cable connector vs the inside o fthe handbrake level housing:


Unfortunately I threw the old cable away (I wish I hadn't) so I can't check if this cable is at fault or it I am missing something. This is the only pic I have of the old cable but I can't tell if the cable connector has to fit inside the housing or not:



If somebody could explain or show a pic of how the cable connects that would be very helpful. I just can't see how it would work unless it could fit either through the upright slot or inside the handbrake level housing.

What am I missing? Please help!

[Tanguero]

When I replaced my handbrake cable the eye on the end was a different size to the original one. I had to carefully grind it down in order to fit.

[TimJM]

Tanguero said:

When I replaced my handbrake cable the eye on the end was a different size to the original one. I had to carefully grind it down in order to fit.

So the cable eye is supposed to fit inside the level housing then - is that correct?

If that is the case then why don't they fit the correct part on the cable? It seems like madness that they make a TVR part for a specific car (they are only for 98 onwards Cerberas) but yet they don't make a part that will fit. Sorry, I'm not ranting at you - just had a very frustrating day.

I will go and measure it up as I am concerned that girding it down won't be an option with the ends they now use. The inside of the end looks about the same size as the inside of the housing which means there will be no material left if I grind it enough to fit. If there is enough material left will it be strong enough or will the end just snap in half the first time I use the handbrake?

Is this really what everyone is expected to do now when replacing a handbrake cable?

[pmessling]

Yes inside the housing

[TimJM]

I've just measured the widths,

The inside width of the lever housing is 8mm.

The cable connector end outside width is a fraction over 11mm.

The width of the cable connector material is about 2.5mm on one side and 2mm on the other (it isn't cast evenly).

If I remove 3mm of material I will be left with under 1mm of material either side on the cable connector. I am not sure if that will be strong enough even if I was able to grind that accurately.

Here is a better picture showing how much larger the end connector is that the inside of the lever connector:

[kstearn]

I can really sympathise with you, best advice have a drink, be patient, I spent the best part of 1300 quid on parts from an extremely reputable and v helpful supplier. None of the bits fitted, not one, so they went back and forth, until one was sorted locally and the other is lying on my garage floor waiting for car and parts to drive cross country for sorting out. Not surprisingly I have learn't a lot over my experiences these last 3 months, my car got an MOT yesterday,
Next week I'll be winding up my rebiuld thread(T540), YOU'LL GET THERE, make it fit, or make someone else fit it.

Sometimes though even with the best will in the world, normal rules do not apply, you are working on your TVR CERBERA, its unique, that I am absolutely sure of.

EVERY ONE IS DIFFERENT, priceless!
All the best
K

[Tanguero]

TimJM said:

Tanguero said:

When I replaced my handbrake cable the eye on the end was a different size to the original one. I had to carefully grind it down in order to fit.

So the cable eye is supposed to fit inside the level housing then - is that correct?

If that is the case then why don't they fit the correct part on the cable? It seems like madness that they make a TVR part for a specific car (they are only for 98 onwards Cerberas) but yet they don't make a part that will fit. Sorry, I'm not ranting at you - just had a very frustrating day.

I will go and measure it up as I am concerned that girding it down won't be an option with the ends they now use. The inside of the end looks about the same size as the inside of the housing which means there will be no material left if I grind it enough to fit. If there is enough material left will it be strong enough or will the end just snap in half the first time I use the handbrake?

Is this really what everyone is expected to do now when replacing a handbrake cable?

I agree entirely that it seems mad, however I needed to get the car reassembled so just went for the carefull grinding option. Its not like an alternative cable was available.

I too worried about the strength of the eye once it was ground however metal is strong in tension but the forces involved in the handbrake are not huge and despite my concerns it has been fine ever since.

The air was somewhat blue when I ran into the problem as well!

[pmessling]

I have brand new cables at home. I'll have to measure them to compare.

[TimJM]

After taking Karl's (kstearn's) advice last night and having a drink to be honest all that did was give me a hangover! I felt better at the time but this morning I felt dreadful. Most of today I haven't been worrying about a handbrake cable though - I have been trying to keep my breakfast down. The only solution was to go back to the pub for a few this afternoon and now I feel much better again...maybe the advice to drink was good advice after all.


Anyhow, I am going to try grinding the cable - worst case I have to buy a new cable but they are only £70 and I would be happy to risk that rather then change it - it is a pig of a job now I have everything else back in.

I still can't see the logic though. This cable is a TVR Cerbera 1998 onwards cable and the genius who makes/specs them decides to make it so it won't fit a TVR Cerbera 1998 onwards. Why don't they just make a cable that fits? It is pure stupidity. If it was any other brand of car this would be unacceptable. Can you imaging buying a Mercedes or even a Ford part that wouldn't fit and the solution is to grind it down? Madness.

[FarmyardPants]

In addition to grinding it down, is it not possible to open up the thing that it has to fit into a bit? So as to reduce the amount you have to grind off I mean.

[ridds]

Don't open the clasp out, that will cause you no end of trouble and they are hard to source.

Just grind the edges down equally until it fits with a little space either side (I did this with mine). Best to apply grease of a thin layer of paint as you'll grind the coating off.

The cable was and still is designed for another car I would suspect and the supplier has changed the design. However it still fits said previous car. I'm pretty sure that the cable was not specifically designed for the Cerbera.

[TimJM]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to grind it down tomorrow night after work.

I didn't like the sound of opening up the level housing as it has a pin at one end which the housing pivots in. If I opened the housing up (bent it) then I think it would cause problems when trying to rotate smoothly in the pin. Plus I would also have to grind a wider channel in the upright itself for the cable connector end to go through.

If the cable is off another car does anyone know which one it is? I bet it will be much cheaper if you don't buy if from TVR supplies as you won't have the TVR tax to pay.

[ridds]

Yep don't open the housing.

Have a look in the equivalent parts thread at the top of the forum. There are lots of parts in there. Unfortunately not the handbrake cable.

Chimaera used a Sierra cable and there is rumour that the handbrake mech in the hubs is from a Peugeot 605.

No-one knows for sure though!

[kstearn]

Yep I can vouch for the shoes springs n pins, all off a pug 605, bought a new set of shoes and associated fitting kit, for peanuts off ebay, cos its only the handbrake and it fitted lovely, however the handbrake cable was one of the few parts we took off and reused as it was virtually brand new, bought before i got the car unfortunately. Car got MOT last week so if its good enough for DoT, its good enough for me.
Hope that helps
Karl
PS try not to drink so much next time, it's only the handbrake, for me it was the exhaust, I stopped drinking when I couldn't see it anymore, woke up at 6am on the lounge floor with a day's xmas shopping to look forward to. Spent the day checking out the best loos in town. I find now, given the choice Marks & Spencer have lovely facilites.
All the best.

[TimJM]

Another thank you to the "much more knowledgeable than me" PH gurus. I was convinced it would be too thin after grinding but following a very careful and slowly does it 30 minutes the cable fits.

I tried to grind it as evenly as I could as the connector end was cast very well and was a fair bit wider on one side than the other. Here is the result:


I also filed down the inside of the housing mostly to remove corrosion and create a smooth surface but also to help the fit:


And after a smear of grease where the grinding down had taken place the connector slides freely in and out the housing:



I just need to wait for another grinding bit to arrive for my dremel and then I can do the other side.

Thanks for the advice, I will be needing a fair bit more over the next week or two as I finally get my project Cerbera on the road. The end is in sight...

[ridds]

Good effort with the Dremel!

I used an angle grinder with the cables mounted on the car still.

[TimJM]

ridds said:

Good effort with the Dremel!

I used an angle grinder with the cables mounted on the car still.

That is the second time on this project the dremel has got me out of trouble. They are great little tools.

I don't have an angle grinder, perhaps I should ask Santa for one.

I have another question I need to ask though before I continue with the project. As it is totally unrelated to handbrake cables I will start a new thread.

[ridds]

If you are doing anything with Seats, or involves removing seats, engine mounts or suspension I would buy one.

I've HAD to use mine 4 times to remove stuck bolts on my car and it wasn't a particularly rusty chassis either.

[TimJM]

The handbrake is done! Hopefully.

I am not sure if I have adjusted it correctly but it seems OK. The only concern I have is that with the handbrake off you can hear the shoes slightly rubbing the disc - I'm not sure it that is right or not. The handbrake itself rises three clicks and when on the brake discs are immovable and totally locked.

My method to setup the handbrake was to refit all the bits, wind out the shoe adjuster until I couldn't get the disc onto the hub then wind it back in until the disc would go on and turn easily (but it does have a slight rub). I did this both sides and then (with the handbrake off) I adjusted the cable under the car until it wouldn't tighten anymore. I checked the hubs still rotate easily and then put the handbrake on. It has three easy clicks but it probably wouldn't make the fourth without a big effort. Once the handbrake is on both hubs are locked totally.

I will see if the shoes rub too much once the car is drivable and if so wind them off another click or two.

Right - onto the callipers next.

[ukkid35]

Thanks for this, I'm sure I'll find your experience very useful one day.

As far as the calipers are concerned, do not use a spanner on seized bleed nipples, use a socket on a T bar (unless you like forking out for new calipers).