so I am trying to install a new parking brake cable (70 GS) from the inside of the car to the engine bay thru the chassis and out. What is the secret to install? The body is on the frame and assembled. The cable doesn’t quite bend. Do I really need to remove the fender and fender well? Or is there a secret. Picture below was the old one that I removed years ago during restoration. Thanks!
Try fishing a piece of mechanics wire or a coat hanger through the frame. Then attach the cable to the wire with duct or electrical tape and pull it through. Before you run the wire through the frame, use a round file to clean the rust from the hole in the frame. It makes it a lot easier to get the cable to snap in. I usually attach mechanics wire to the old cable before I pull it out. It just makes life easier!
I can't say that I have ever replaced that exact cable, but I have replaced quite a few in GM cars of that era and have never had to remove a fender to do it. I can recall some choice thoughts about the GM engineers who designed the routing though. I have long felt that there should be a federal law that says that all automotive systems should be required to be removed and replaced by the lead engineer on the project and the manager that approved the design on their own time - twice - before the system can be installed on a production car. I can think of some beauties involving access to spark plugs.
The cable is inserted from the outside into the cabin and then the other end is inserted into the top of frame and down. So you need to install it from this view. It’s just the cable doesn’t bend and I can get my hand up inveteeen the fender well and the cowl but I can’t make a fist. That’s how tight it is in there.
I've pulled one up with coat hanger and the other I had to remove a few fender liner bolts and jammed a few pieces of wood in between the fender before I could get it go home
I usually remove the inner fender, which make it a lot easier to get to. Unfortunately, I've had to remove the inner fenders so many time, I can pull one in about 15 minutes. Personally, I've found installing one was never as hard as getting the old one out (with those stupid clips into the firewall). The cable bends, but it ain't easy (like bending a piece of rebar).
Yes, just have to be careful with the exterior paint (I usually tape some magazines or something like that over it to protect the outer fender paint). Easier if you jack up the car a foot or so so you can drop the inner fender down and pull it out, plus and you have to remove the wheel. You still have to do a little wrestling to get it out. Left side is a lot easier since you don't have to take out the battery, coolant reservoir, etc.
Well that was a PIA! I’m an engineer (electrical though) but I hate mechanical engineers after today. Bad design the way the cable has to go in to the body and then it the top of the frame diagonal. After lots of choice words, pinched fingers and a few scratches to the lower firewall, it’s finally in. I had to zip tie the crap out of it to get it to bend since my hand would not fit in a fist format. I even had the wife pull on the fender well a bit to get an extra 1/2” of room.
Congrats. Sometimes it takes a little wife torturing to get the job done. When I tell my wife I need a little help in the shop, she disappears and her car is gone all day. Guess holding up bumpers while I try to adjust them has scared her off. I spray a little of the rattle can paint into a plastic lid and use a small brush to touch up those "repair" spots.
I think it can be done easier jacking up the front end and taking off the tire then you can reach in? It’s been a while.
Yep, hand a jack stand underneath and tire off. That cable is just too tough to bend with the inne well in the way. Went thru about 20 zip ties to hold it and create pull points. Felt like a puppeteer.
So now that the foot pedal is in and connected to the front cable. What is the secret to connect the front cable to the middle cable? It appears I am about 3-4 inches off. Do I have the front cable routed they the tranny cross member correct? Do I have the middle cable hooks in the right spot? What am I missing? Or is the middle cable actually too short? I bought a full kit from in line tubes. It had he two rwar, middle, front cables and all the hardware.
Take the saddle off the front cable and both nuts put it on top of the middle cable then pull middle cable over to front cable slide it on the stud then both nuts go on,..then adjust
Nah with a th400 it goes thru the oval slot like you appear to have it You have to pull it pretty good and tight to get over the stud They do have different intermediate cable lengths but if you got a th400 kit you should have what you need
