I'm getting ready for a rear axle swap - aam 10.5 want to see how this cable setup works out.
CK5
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I pulled the parking brake cable out for now so I can drive it. Here is what I've got:
That is basically how it sits under the truck. The transfer case flange is approximately where the orange line is. I need to move the cable back (yellow arrow) a couple of inches to get it over the transfer case. The parking brake pedal attaches down where the black line is and that attachment is adjustable. I think I'm going to need to shorten the bracket in the top left.
The cable that needs to be lengthened is about 42.5".
cable end. Plenty of places to buy cable but I haven't found that cable end yet. Just ordered a universal cable from O'reillys so hopefully it comes with the correct ends.
That is basically how it sits under the truck. The transfer case flange is approximately where the orange line is. I need to move the cable back (yellow arrow) a couple of inches to get it over the transfer case. The parking brake pedal attaches down where the black line is and that attachment is adjustable. I think I'm going to need to shorten the bracket in the top left.
The cable that needs to be lengthened is about 42.5".
cable end. Plenty of places to buy cable but I haven't found that cable end yet. Just ordered a universal cable from O'reillys so hopefully it comes with the correct ends.
Bigblue7-2
1/2 ton status
That end you can't find. Where does that hook?
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
I had to shorten the same bracket you are talking about. Just may need to make it shorter than you think since the brake pedal cable can't get as short and keep its adjustment.
Bp71k5- how much shorter did you go?
it is attached to a connector that links it to the cable coming out of each backing plate.
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
It's about 11" now. My transfer case has some extra length to it because of the doubler so maybe not the same length you need. I also lengthened the cable as well. Inline tube made it super easy. They stock that cable normally so I just told them the new length.
I'm leaking a bit of fluid from the transfer case vent tube. That just means the transfer case is over full, right? I filled it up until it started coming out the fill hole. Is that too much?
I picked up the universal kit I linked earlier for $13 at O'Reillys and it looks like it will work if I can get my hands on a swaging tool.
Kit:
The round cable ends that come on the cable will work fine. I checked it in one of the end connectors and it slips in and holds great. The cable included in the kit is 10' long so I'm going to have to cut it down and put a new end on it at the correct length. The instructions say to use the round button end as a spacer and then the piece with the bolt in it (in the pic) is used to clamp onto the end of the cable to make the end. The problem with that is the bolt clamp will not fit into the cable connector. I need to put a new end on the cable that will slip into the connector.
Will I be able to clamp that button end in the picture onto the cable with a swaging tool? Could I do it with a vise? Anyone with experience here?
Kit:
The round cable ends that come on the cable will work fine. I checked it in one of the end connectors and it slips in and holds great. The cable included in the kit is 10' long so I'm going to have to cut it down and put a new end on it at the correct length. The instructions say to use the round button end as a spacer and then the piece with the bolt in it (in the pic) is used to clamp onto the end of the cable to make the end. The problem with that is the bolt clamp will not fit into the cable connector. I need to put a new end on the cable that will slip into the connector.
Will I be able to clamp that button end in the picture onto the cable with a swaging tool? Could I do it with a vise? Anyone with experience here?
Home Despot has a swaging tool for relatively cheap
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lehigh-Swaging-Tool-ST18S/100243794
And as I understand most garage install places must have them as well, as the counterbalance spring system must be swaged.
I'm getting ready to go through a very similar thing - using aam 10.5 so watching this closely.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lehigh-Swaging-Tool-ST18S/100243794
And as I understand most garage install places must have them as well, as the counterbalance spring system must be swaged.
I'm getting ready to go through a very similar thing - using aam 10.5 so watching this closely.
I'm mostly curious if the round cable end is the right kind that can be swaged. It looks like it, but hard to tell, for me at least.
Solder, and a hammer, that's the way I've done it or buy the ends with an Allen bolt in the side..
I've been driving the blazer around a bit just enjoying it and seeing how it is driving with the automatic. I gotta say, I love not having that big gap between gears that I've always dealt with with the 465/4500.
Of course I did run into another issue. While driving I noticed some vibration from the front like the front axle was still engaged. Turns out my drivers side hub was not fully disengaged and I couldn't get it to turn all the way to free. When I got a chance to open it up the small lock ring that goes on the end of the axle dropped right out and it was bent up.
Might be hard to see, but there were metal shavings all over.
A better look at it:
The end of the axle was boogered up a bit so I couldn't get anything to come out of the hub. I ended up having to weld a couple of bolts on so that I could use a slide hammer to yank it out.
It turns out that the outer nut worked itself off of the spindle and was floating around in there.
As you can see, the nut banging around in there caused it to flatten the threads where it was hitting the end of the spindle. It messed up the threads on the spindle as well, but I was able to clean those back up. The bearings hadn't come completely apart, but they were definitely very loose.
I'm going to replace all of the bearings, seals and hub nuts tomorrow. good times...
Hopefully I can clean up the end of the axle too. As it sits the locking piece won't slide on it.
Of course I did run into another issue. While driving I noticed some vibration from the front like the front axle was still engaged. Turns out my drivers side hub was not fully disengaged and I couldn't get it to turn all the way to free. When I got a chance to open it up the small lock ring that goes on the end of the axle dropped right out and it was bent up.
Might be hard to see, but there were metal shavings all over.
A better look at it:
The end of the axle was boogered up a bit so I couldn't get anything to come out of the hub. I ended up having to weld a couple of bolts on so that I could use a slide hammer to yank it out.
It turns out that the outer nut worked itself off of the spindle and was floating around in there.
As you can see, the nut banging around in there caused it to flatten the threads where it was hitting the end of the spindle. It messed up the threads on the spindle as well, but I was able to clean those back up. The bearings hadn't come completely apart, but they were definitely very loose.
I'm going to replace all of the bearings, seals and hub nuts tomorrow. good times...
Hopefully I can clean up the end of the axle too. As it sits the locking piece won't slide on it.
Well that sucks. Hopefully you can get it back together without having to replace that axle. There's always something, eh?
Maybe a file could clean up the end of the axle.
that is the plan. Hopefully that works ok. I'll try it this evening.
I had the same issue on my K20. First time I'd ever had one of those nuts come loose it backed off and machined the rear of my lockout to death. I noticed because it wouldn't stop trying to lock itself. I ended up having to use an impact on my socket to get the spindle nut to come the rest of the way off.
Oh yeah, getting the inner nut of was a HUGE pain in the ass. I had to have a buddy come over and help me along with a nice long cheater bar.
I got the axle cleaned up and everything put back together.
messed up axle end:
It's hard to see, but there are ridges on top of the splines and the ends are smashed and folded over a bit.
20 minutes with a file though and they cleaned up nicely:
The locking hubs were shot, and most likely close to 40 years old, so I replaced them with new Mile Marker hubs. I haven't exactly heard great things about these, so I hope it doesn't come back to bite me but at least for now they seem to work a lot better than what I had. I'm digging how easy it is to engage/disengage the spring-loaded handle.
Almost forgot to mention that since I had everything apart I replaced all of the wheel bearings and bearing seals on both sides. No sense tearing everything apart and then just putting old parts back in. As you can see by all of the metal in the drivers side those bearing had to be replaced anyway, but the passenger side ones seemed a touch loose as well, so I figured new all around made sense.
messed up axle end:
It's hard to see, but there are ridges on top of the splines and the ends are smashed and folded over a bit.
20 minutes with a file though and they cleaned up nicely:
The locking hubs were shot, and most likely close to 40 years old, so I replaced them with new Mile Marker hubs. I haven't exactly heard great things about these, so I hope it doesn't come back to bite me but at least for now they seem to work a lot better than what I had. I'm digging how easy it is to engage/disengage the spring-loaded handle.
Almost forgot to mention that since I had everything apart I replaced all of the wheel bearings and bearing seals on both sides. No sense tearing everything apart and then just putting old parts back in. As you can see by all of the metal in the drivers side those bearing had to be replaced anyway, but the passenger side ones seemed a touch loose as well, so I figured new all around made sense.
Yea better safe than sorry.
Finally got back to dealing with the parking brake cable. Not much of a problem really. In order to get the cable into a spot that won't contact anything rotating the first step was to pull the adjuster as far back as possible.
Then I cut down the rod on the passenger side by 3"
I also bent it upwards a bit and that was enough to get it off of the output shaft.
I "borrowed" (ie, bought and returned
) a swagging tool from home depot so that I could put the end on the cable at the right length.
Hopefully I got the length right considering I already used up all of my adjustability.
The original cable was about 42" long and I cut the new one at 52". Having a good parking brake isn't nearly as important now that I have an automatic, but if I've got one I want it to work.
Then I cut down the rod on the passenger side by 3"
I also bent it upwards a bit and that was enough to get it off of the output shaft.
I "borrowed" (ie, bought and returned
) a swagging tool from home depot so that I could put the end on the cable at the right length.
Hopefully I got the length right considering I already used up all of my adjustability.
The original cable was about 42" long and I cut the new one at 52". Having a good parking brake isn't nearly as important now that I have an automatic, but if I've got one I want it to work.
