E-brake Cables

[79cheyenneblazer]

I have a friend that has a problem with his ebrake cables. He has a 84 Chevy k-10, he put 77 axles under it, 14FF in the rear, its a manual so he wants ebrake cables. The new rear axle has bolt in ebrake cables, and he needs one longer on the passenger side, the '84 cables don't work on the '77 14 FF and the '77 14FF cables don't work on the 84, I was seeing what you all do with your axle swaps. Any info would help, Thanks!

 

[fireplug]

I need help with this too. Anyone have some info? I have no cable guides on the axle and know idea what year the axle is. Sorry to highjack.

 

[73k5blazer]

http://www.inlinetube.com
They can make any cable you want, and the quality is outstanding. Way better then those cheapys from LMC, chevyduty or your local parts store. Call them and they will tell you exactly where to measure, and ask you what ends you want (the '84 connector on the front, the '77 1ton connnector on the back, or whatever you have)

 

[mechted]

another option

the other solution to custom cables is changing the backing plates
you can get the backing plates from a 84(?) up 14b (SEMI OR FULL floater) and bolt them to the FF axle. then cables will mate up to existing ebrake stuff

or you can retrofit the truck to pre-84 style, but this involves more (brackets rivoted to frame) and getting it all adjusted is harder.

 

[fireplug]

This might sound like a stupid request, but does anyone have pics of how the setup should look. Mine is a earlier model 14bff.

 

[dyeager535]

What kind of pics are you looking for?

As far as I know, for the '73-87(91) stuff, there are two styles. Early (up to '84 apparently) and later.

Early is set up with a cable off of the e-brake cable, which connects under the driver to a "U" shaped (as installed of course)cable that runs across the frame, then down each side. Towards the rear wheels, there is a metal "connector" which is where the "short" cable from the backing plate connects to the "U" shaped cable. This setup uses formed metal hangars that fit in holes in the frame. One each side near the front, can't recall if two more near the rear? I suspect yes.

Newer style (IIRC) has the cable from the ebrake go through/clip to the body mount, then through the frame, (or maybe goes through mount and clips on frame?) to a floating bracket (not bolted to the body) nearer the drivers side wheel. The short drivers side cable connects to this bracket, and the passenger side uses a long cable that connects here as well. So one long cable and one short.

Neither can be swapped easily because early uses a riveted on bracket under the frame, (plus the metal hangers) and the later uses a special body mount and hole through the frame.

 

[2Dogs]

http://www.inlinetube.com
They can make any cable you want, and the quality is outstanding. Way better then those cheapys from LMC, chevyduty or your local parts store. Call them and they will tell you exactly where to measure, and ask you what ends you want (the '84 connector on the front, the '77 1ton connnector on the back, or whatever you have)

Noting that link for my project - thanks!!

 

[fireplug]

Thanks Dorian for the description.

I'll have to take a close look under the truck tomorrow and figure out what is what. The truck is an '89, the axle is unknown. So am I right that if the truck and the axle are not of the same era it will be difficult to 'splice together'?

Right now I've got the cable running down the driver's side to the floating bracket. So just to clarify, if this is set up is as per original the floating bracket would then have one long cable running to the passenger side, and one short to the drivers side?

 

[dyeager535]

You are correct on the long/short cable question.

If as was mentioned earlier, the 14SF backing plate is needed and works (along with it's cable) I'd go that route. A later 14FF backing plate would probably work fine too, and be EASY to find with so many here converting to rear disks.

I really don't know much about the backing plate interchange between the 14SF and 14FF (+ year differences) but TSM, the brake people, have measurements on their site that you can use to compare to make sure that at least the backing plate bolt pattern is the same.

I'm VERY unfamiliar with the 14FF e-brake setup, but I don't see why the backing plate would need to be changed...I would have *thought* GM just used a longer cable, which is of course removable from the backing plate. Then again, if later on GM for some reason changed the backing plate or way the cable hooks up on the axle, it could be necessary to get the plate as well.

 

[fireplug]

Thanks so much that is all really good info. I've been running around for 8 months with the e cable ending in the floating bracket tied to the frame because my mechanic buddy didn't know where to go from there. I think an e brake is in the near future!