Handbrake cables too short. What to do?

SV1CEC · May 10, 2003

Folks,

My 1984 XJ currently stands at 6" (with Rusty's 4.5" kit). As the subject says, the handbrake cables are too short (brand new, I changed them a few months ago), they fit and operate but are a tight fit and I do not like it.

I think I remember somewhere I read that you can relocate the brackets on the frame, but my brackets are welded to the frame, not bolted.

Any ideas or someone who has faced that before and solved it?

Many thanks and kind regards

Eagle · May 10, 2003

Most of us use cables from the passenger side of a YJ Wrangler.

SV1CEC · May 10, 2003

Eagle said:
Most of us use cables from the passenger side of a YJ Wrangler.

Are you talking about handbrake cables or E-brake cables? I do not have e-brake (I always wanted to know what this is, but anyway).

What YJ years should I get?

Rgds and many thanks

ChuckD · May 10, 2003

Here's mine, I took a piece of 2x2x1/8" angle. Bolted it accross the end of the center hump. Then drill two holes for the emergency cables, 5/8", clip them on the other side. Then pick up a coupler nut and threaded rod and a nut. Extended the original rod about 8" and still have about 4" of adjustment. I tack welded the coupling bolt to both rods so it would not come loose. I' try to post a picture.

I think I got the Idea from Jeepin or madXJ.

ChuckD · May 10, 2003

Here's some pics of mine.

Eagle · May 10, 2003

SV1CEC said:
Are you talking about handbrake cables or E-brake cables? I do not have e-brake (I always wanted to know what this is, but anyway).

What YJ years should I get?

Rgds and many thanks

"E-brake" is shorthand for "emergency brake." That's the same thing as the hand brake. With automatic transmissions that have a Park position, I'd guess that 98% of Americans do not use the parking brake (hand brake) when parked, so it must be in the vehicle as an emergency brake.

I think YJ brake cables are the same for all years, but the ones I used were for the passenger side of a 1994.

Rags · May 10, 2003

Cables................need 2............Longer E Brake Cables from YJ.............#52007522...........need 2 ....pre 96 XJs only

ZPD · May 10, 2003

Yep, I used YJ parking/emergency brake cables too. I bought them from carparts.com but you can probably get them anywhere. They are very long. Probably too long.

SV1CEC · May 11, 2003

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the specs, I appreciate them.

Also Chuck's mod is nice. Tnx.

Rgds

SV1CEC · May 13, 2003

XJCHUCK72 said:
Here's some pics of mine.

Chuck,

May I ask you a few clarifying questions?

Am I correct in assuming that you used that angle steel bar, and the standard XJ e-brake cables?

So in reality, all you did, was to relocate the brackets to a new position, and lengthen the threaded part, accordingly. Am I right?

The reason I am asking, is because I got new XJ brake cablesabout six months ago, so I am -kind of- reluctant to pay for new ones, if I can avoid it. And your mod is very easy to do, so I just want to make sure, in order to go your way.

Rgds

ChuckD · May 13, 2003

That's all I did was relocate the brakets. I had an 8.25 and now an 87' D35, both had thier own ebrake cables. you do have to do some drilling, but otherwise it is very accessible. I used 5/16" rod, but I know the OEM rod is metric. I know it's really close to the 5/16" size.

SV1CEC · May 13, 2003

XJCHUCK72 said:
That's all I did was relocate the brakets. I had an 8.25 and now an 87' D35, both had thier own ebrake cables. you do have to do some drilling, but otherwise it is very accessible. I used 5/16" rod, but I know the OEM rod is metric. I know it's really close to the 5/16" size.

Thanks Chuck,

I think I'll go your way, the two Wrangler cables will cost me around 150 US$ here, so I am not willing to pay this (a second time).

Many thanks and rgds

ZPD · May 13, 2003

The threaded portion is 8mm (just .002" larger than 5/16") I think that it is 1mm thread. If I recall correctly, I first tried to use a M8x1.25 nut and it didn't fit. I could be wrong though. Either way I would assume that those would be easy parts for you to locate John. Good luck!

SV1CEC · May 14, 2003

ZPD said:
The threaded portion is 8mm (just .002" larger than 5/16") I think that it is 1mm thread. If I recall correctly, I first tried to use a M8x1.25 nut and it didn't fit. I could be wrong though. Either way I would assume that those would be easy parts for you to locate John. Good luck!

I hope so, fishing put 150 US$ for newe cables is not my ideal, especially right now, that I am paying for new shocks as well as drop brackets and braces and adjustable LCAs!

I'll probably take out one of the nuts already on that rod and take it to the hardware store, hoping to find that all-thread (or whatever you call it). Since I do not have access to welding equipment, I'll probably go with a double nut (a method I've seen described somewhere).

Chuck, would it be possible for you to snap a picture of the way your cables are routed at the axle area? I just want to get some ideas.

Folks, many thanks to all who took the time to comment/answer, I really appreciate it. My front is flexing fine, but my rear is not doing so well, so I think it should have something to do with those cables reducing my articulation at the rear. Below, I 've attached a couple of pictures for you to check out.

Hopefully, this cable mount shifting will free up my rear axle a bit more.

Thanks again to all and rgds

95MDCountryXJ · May 14, 2003

I've got your same kit and new my e brake lines were close in the back, However I didn't think they were limiting flex. Once I made new brackets one free weekend and went out wheeling the next, it did flex more from the rear. I guess the lines were limiting it. Here's a great article to what I did. Very cheap and not too bad. I just used a standard size coupling nut that fit the threads tighter than a metric woul dhave and it hasnt budged yet

http://web.archive.org/web/20020206212035/http://jeepnorthwest.com/extendedbrake.html

check out that article.

ChuckD · May 14, 2003

That's the one I copied. I remember the fuzzy pictures.

Sorry I can't provide picks of the cables, all I can say is that I reused the springs. Tried to keep them from the exhaust or from just hanging down.

I just welded the rod a couple weeks ago. since the rod is 5/16 and the OEM is metric, the coupling nut is crossthreaded. I just added the weld for percaution sake. Since I have had to actually use the ebrake lately for emergency stopping purposes.

SV1CEC · May 14, 2003

95MDCountryXJ said:
I've got your same kit and new my e brake lines were close in the back, However I didn't think they were limiting flex. Once I made new brackets one free weekend and went out wheeling the next, it did flex more from the rear. I guess the lines were limiting it. Here's a great article to what I did. Very cheap and not too bad. I just used a standard size coupling nut that fit the threads tighter than a metric woul dhave and it hasnt budged yet

http://web.archive.org/web/20020206212035/http://jeepnorthwest.com/extendedbrake.html

check out that article.

I already have that article printed, and it was the one which gave me the idea. I'll be going shopping for the parts tomorrow or on Friday, and I'll try to have the mod done during the weekend. My landlord has a welder (I think we are going to be good friends with this guy) so I can even go that route if the coupling nut fails (I think I should have one, but I am not sure if it is the right dimensions, I used four of them to lift the seat up a bit for my wife).

Rgds

SV1CEC · May 14, 2003

XJCHUCK72 said:
That's the one I copied. I remember the fuzzy pictures.

Sorry I can't provide picks of the cables, all I can say is that I reused the springs. Tried to keep them from the exhaust or from just hanging down.

I just welded the rod a couple weeks ago. since the rod is 5/16 and the OEM is metric, the coupling nut is crossthreaded. I just added the weld for percaution sake. Since I have had to actually use the ebrake lately for emergency stopping purposes.

Well, this is one thing I might be lucky with, metric is the standard here, so maybe I get the proper rod and coupling nut.

Again, many tnx!

Rgds

fatwreck · May 14, 2003

Here another link for this subject:
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/brakes/xjhoseext02/

I wish I would have seen this before I started mine. I didn't know that with the YJ cables you have to do some other mods. I thought it was a direct replacement....just longer. So, after I got it all apart and reassembled with the new cable....I realized it wouldn't work.

Damn.

Now I know though...

Ed A. Stevens · May 14, 2003

The cable bracket relocation is the easiest for the 84-95 XJ's, followed by the 91-95 YJ long cable. Using two long side cables works on the 96-02 XJ's (a different brake cable system).

Another early look at bracket relocation. The old pict's are about 2/3rds down web page 3.

I got the idea from Ray Pilli's V8 XJ (a NAXJA

Member), and I am pleased to see many more folks have built (and featured) different versions of the same idea.

SV1CEC, good to see you participate in the NAXJA

forums (or are there more than one avid XJ fan in Greece).

Handbrake cables too short. What to do?

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