PITA parking brake cables..need guidance on installing the pedal cable..

[diesel4me]

My '82 GMC couldn't pass inspection this year--the e-brake cables broke when the inspector tried them--well, not just the cables,the angle bracket that holds the left rear e-brake cable that is riveted to the frame, had rotted away to nothing, and failed when the pedal was pressed.....

I never use the e-brake,being an automatic--but would like to know it works,in case I lose a brake line,or need to park on a hill,etc..the guy who usually inspects my truck was not there today,I got the "new guy" who wants everything perfect..the other guy always asked if I used the e-brake,when I said "never",he said "well,I wont try it,because chances are it might apply the brakes,then not release"..he's had multiple vehicles stuck in his bay because of that..so for the past 10 years I got away with no e-brake...


The front cable off the pedal is junk,its original,all frayed and rotted to death--surprised it even moved.... intermediate cable I had already added another length of cable with cable clamps when I noticed it was frayed at the wire loop guides a few years ago,but it too was ready to fail,all shredded--but I had a brand new intermediate cable on hand....nor sure if the rear cables will free up--they are not rusted that bad,but do not want to move either,they are stuck...hoping a good soaking with penetrant might free them up....

I spent 4 hours under the dam truck drilling,chiseling,swearing and grinding the two rivets,before the remains of that bracket finally came off,and getting the rivets out of the frame was a real pain too...

I made a new bracket out of 3/16" angle iron ,I had lying around--it was a door latch from an overhead door I think--even had the 2 holes I needed in the perfect spot !...all I had to do was drill a hole for the e-brake cable ,it even looks original.....the passenger side bracket looks like new..go figure....

One thing I noticed that made my stomach turn after I got the bracket off,I saw the bottom lip of the frame right where that bracket meets the spring hanger,has a nice "slit" about 1/4" wide missing--the rest of the rail is rock solid ,and there is a lot of reinforcement on the back side of the spring hanger and to a crossmember,so I'm not too worried about the frame cracking there--I can weld the new angle iron bracket to the frame rail and to the spring hanger,to help beef it up and bridge the gap..

This is just another nail in the trucks coffin--the cab mount on the drivers side is crushing in from rot,and the curved support rail for the cab between the front & rear cab mounts are roached now on the drivers side--the whole nose is ripe too,patched up fenders,the body mounts blew through the frame brackets,etc..

...the more I look at the truck,the less I feel like fixing it...the bed is getting crappy too,I should just take it off and put my old flatbed on it...but its to the point I am sick of looking at it,I cant be lying on the ground any more,my back is "done" after just doing what I did today..I'm not up to that kind of labor any more..

I'll likely have to order the cables and wait for them to come in--the sticker expires next tuesday,so at least I can drive it over the weekend,and the guy did not scrape it off right away,thankfully...

Ticks me off I have to throw another 100 bucks I do not have just to keep the stupid truck "legal"..this month sucked-- I had over 1500 bucks of bills,property taxes,house insurance,etc,and the usual utility bills..my monthly income is less than 850 bucks,you do the math..bad enough the sticker is 35 bucks IF it passes..

Every year I dread this BS--I know its the law to keep the truck in good working order,but I managed not to kill anyone or myself due to the lack of a good e-brake..feel like moving to a "no inspection" state when this time of the year comes up..

OK,now the question...how much of a suck pill is it to install the pedal cable ?..despite me owning a dozen or more GM trucks,I've never had to replace one,and searching online hasn't brought up any threads on how to do it..
Also,it seems those little horseshoe clips that hold the e-brake into the brackets are one of those "unlisted" parts you cant find anywhere--they do not always come with the cables...

I suppose an e-clip or snap ring would work,but I have none on hand that size..
I went through this on the front brake hoses--2 stores "can order" the spring steel clips,I ended up doing what my friend said he does--use small hose clamps instead..I trust them more,they do not rot away like those clips will..

 

[Chevy305]

What idiot honks on a parking brake on a rusty truck that hasn't moved in years

I've replaced that cable before. The one I got came with clips. I don't remember where I got it from (maybe LMC?) It's not hard just a PITA. Undo the clips at both ends of the cable, pull some inner cable into the cab and release from parking brake pedal bracket. Route the new cable along the frame and pull up into the pedal. All this of course is easier said than done...

BTW at what point would it be easier to get your Burb on the road over continuing to band aid this truck?

 

[diesel4me]

Thanks,I was not sure if it required taking the whole pedal out from under the dash,to get the new cable on where it connects..
I'll be lucky if I can see the dam thing,never mind lie on my back after yesterdays battle with the frame bracket..

I ordered a cable awhile ago--Autozone just down the road from me will have it this afternoon after 2 pm or so,about 15 bucks.....they can get the rear cables,but I'll have to pay first,those are not in stock at their regular warehouse--if I let them know soon enough,they might get them tomorrow,otherwise,it'll be tuesday after the "holiday weekend"..


Well,as far as the Burb,that's another story--the Burb has sat since fall of '09 when I got it,now the rockers and door bottoms have rotted thanks to 2015's blizzards that completely buried it for a month,then all the snow melted and ended up inside the doors,and probably inside the truck too..

When I got this truck it had spent only about 3 years in the northeast--2 in VT and one in MA...it was from Washington state originally,and in dam good shape underneath,someone undercoated the pee out of it when it was new by the looks of it--still doesn't look bad as far as the frame,it still has paint in places,but other areas have surface rusted --the floor looks good from underneath,but I am afraid to lift up the rugs and look under them now--it was nice when I first got it--looked like oil had been sprayed on the floors,then the rugs put back in...
Nothing rots worse than a K5,but a Suburban is a close second..

The rear quarters are blistering now over the wheel arches,it was perfect there when I got it--only the inner wheel house had rotted ,and allowed water to get tossed in there by the tires,so that will need patching...inside & out..the tailgate is roached,but I have a much better one to put on it..(I hate tailgates & power windows--I'd like the truck a lot more if it had barn doors..)

Worst part of the truck is the 700R4 supposedly loses reverse after a ride long enough to heat it up,and it wont go in overdrive or tries too,but drops right back in 3rd gear...so,basically it needs a tranny,or it rebuilt...

I hate 700R4's and if I were up to doing a tranny swap I'd probably locate a TH400 and transfer case and ditch it--I dont care about overdrive,I never go far away and tend to use alternate routes rather than highways....but like my pickup,its a lot of work,for a patched up P-O-S in the end...the Suburban may be in slightly better overall shape--but not by much..and its a 1/2 ton..not the end of the world,but I prefer 3/4 tons..

It was all I could do to put a friggin front brake line on it last summer when it popped in my yard...it'll likely need all new lines,calipers,hoses,etc,and e-brake cables if I were to put it on the road again,it sat so long...and I don't know how good the rear end is--its a 12 bolt,looks original,but its an '85 truck,so it may not be..

I put a nice Diamond plow on it 5 years ago--plowed the driveway once to see how it did,and that was it...since I had my pickup registered,that was my daily driver and plow truck...figured I'd use that up first..so it sat..

In a way I don't even know why I bought the Burb,other than it was real cheap,a diesel,and if nothing else,it could be a good parts donor for the pickup..
I "need" a pickup to haul rubbish to the dump,and haul stuff like a riding mower--the Burb is about useless for that--unless I take a sawsall to it...

I also am tempted to put my '81 G-10 van back on the road,I really miss having that to use in the summer--I did the rear brake lines,a new master cylinder,and put a muffler I had on it last summer,but the brakes will likely need work (calipers probably stuck from sitting),and many of the other steel lines are original..and I'm sure 100 other things will be fubared from it being parked since 2003...it does look pretty dam solid underneath though..better than both the square bodies..
If I were younger & healthier I'd put the suburban 4x4 chassis under the van..

Anyone else but me would have scrapped all three of these trucks 15 years ago---.....but I'm unwilling to step up to the later trucks,I'd rather deal with welding frame patches & rot, than computers,check engine lights that wont stay off long enough to pass inspection,etc....also I have seen much worse frame & body rot on 2000 and up trucks too!..I think the old trucks hold up better plowing too..

 

[diesel4me]

Giving up..done...

.My body cant take another day of this s***...

I have put ENGINES in trucks easier and faster than a stupid e-brake pedal cable...I think its time to give up being my own mechanic..

I have spent 3 days lying under this P-O-S rust nugget,removing and installing the home made cable bracket yesterday & Thursday---and I did manage to get the new pedal cable in today,but what a frigging nightmare--"looks" easy enough,but it takes an hour to get the clip that holds the cable to the pedal bracket in--1" clearance to the FUSE BOX with HOT fuses,and grounded screwdrivers make for a sucky day...

Lucky I didn't burn it to the ground..(and was tempted too,and collect the 50 dollar fire & theft coverage )...if my front inner fender wasn't rotted half off,that would have had to come off too..I used a crowbar and pried it out of the way..

Oh yeah--forgot to add I spent most of yesterday making a new cab support "rail" out of that slotted angle iron you see at hardware stores--it fits perfect..had to cut,bend and weld it--then drill a bunch of holes to bolt it to whats left of the original..

1/4" nuts and bolts x a dozen..had to remove the cab mount bolt and jack it up to install it..(The bolt I had out 13 years ago,actually came out thanks to never seize!--was a bitch to get started back in though)...oh,and I had to patch a 6x6" hole in the center of the drivers side floor--I used self drilling screws--the patch will outlast the rest of the truck--it doesn't deserve a weld!.....the truck does seem to ride much quieter now and the door shuts better ,no more rattles..

By then,I was ready for traction ,and a bottle of percocets..but I cant use those,and dont have any..

I installed the new intermediate cable I already had--right part #,but it seemed too short--couldn't put it in the wire guide things along the frame,and have the pedal cable reach it...had to use some links of chain on the wire guides to fudge it,then I was able to connect it,and after stepping on the pedal a few times,it stretched just enough to allow the links to be removed...

Next problem--drivers side rear wheel cable "flares out" in the center,instead of applying the brakes,when I step on the pedal.....seized tight,despite lots of penetrant and some heat..JUNK...

Passenger side cable I was able to pull out with a crowbar,but then it stayed stuck "on"...now the wheel cant turn,nor will the brake drum come off,after removing the 125 lb tire in the 94 degree direct sun..

Beat drum with 5 lb hammer for 15 minutes--finally comes free enough to pull off...spend 15 minutes trying to get brake shoes "aligned" so I can get the drum back on,so it can at least be driven..
But I am staying home..don't need any troubles on a holiday weekend..besides,I'm tapped out till first of next month--AFTER the sticker expires..

I have to go pay up front in order to "special order" the rear wheel cables,and all the the stores cant get them till at least wednesday..why NO store has any, when they fit from 73-87 and are the most likely ones to seize up,but they keep a pedal cable in stock,I do not understand..
Its not like I own the only square body in MA....

I was so beat and sore by the time I got the tire back on,and it rolled freely again,I decided I'm not going to even try installing those rear cables..I know how much that jobs sucks,and I'm not up to it..

DONE..

I shouldn't be doing anything under a vehicle any more--the clean bill of health my eye doctor gave my eyes a week ago,is now history--I have enough rust & dirt in them now to grind up the artificial lenses in them,and I feel more like I got run over by the truck a few times,my back,legs and chest are so sore..

I not only feel sore,but defeated--I'm not used to not being able to fix anything on my own vehicles like before--makes me feel like a useless cripple..

I'll have to pay my friend whatever he wants to do it at his shop,(IF he'll do it--he hates my truck,knows what a rot box it is,and it barely fits on his lift.. )--and probably either have to wait weeks for him to do it--or pay another shop twice as much,if he wont..by the time I get it to pass inspection,I'll have spent more than it is worth...

I may get aggravated enough to list the truck and the Burb for sale..hate to get rid of the truck,its done a lot of plowing and still could do more,if I were able to keep fixing the things RUST is destroying on it..I'm tired of owning trucks I buy in decent shape,and end up watching them crumble back into iron ore..
"Memorial Day" has me bummed out too--like I need to dwell on those I love I have lost too...on top of having no wheels,a house that needs a roof bad,the trim and window frames painted,etc..The lawn is a foot high,had to put off doing that the past 3 days--cant get anything DONE......feel like giving up..