Parking brake cable mods

For all of you guys (and gals) still looking for ways to adapt the parking brake cables onto your ZJ/Explorer/Crown Vic discs, I found a simple solution (sorry no pics): What I did, when I put Explorer rear discs onto my D44, was to get 2 long side (passenger) cables from an Explorer or Crown Vic (wrecking yard= cheap) and cut the barrell end off that goes to the equalizer bar, slide the inner cable out and cut the outer to the desired length, unscrew the outer cable end off (it's left hand thread) screw it back onto the shortened outer cable slide the inner cable back in, cut the inner cable to the new required length and silver braze (mapp gas works fine) a new barrell end on (made it out of a piece of 3/8" rod with the center drilled out). Looks and works like a factory unit! Hope someone finds this useful-------Hans

just thought I would bring this up as I used it as the basis for buying 2 new explorer long cables.
this has not worked for me - yet. I bought new Raybestos cables and the fronts are crimped onto the outer sheath and cannot be unscrewed. right now I am hmming and hawing about cutting them anyway and figuring out 'some' way to put the ends back on the shorter sheaths.
also - why 2 longer side cables? the 2 that I got are at least twice as long as they need to be. seems you could start with much shorter cables.

fuzzydog said:

just thought I would bring this up as I used it as the basis for buying 2 new explorer long cables.
this has not worked for me - yet. I bought new Raybestos cables and the fronts are crimped onto the outer sheath and cannot be unscrewed. right now I am hmming and hawing about cutting them anyway and figuring out 'some' way to put the ends back on the shorter sheaths.
also - why 2 longer side cables? the 2 that I got are at least twice as long as they need to be. seems you could start with much shorter cables.

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I was at the wrecking yard and decided to dissect two cables (the Explorer cables are a tandem affair....one short (too short) and a long one tied together) the extra length is good for the additional wheel travel we all strive for. Did you try unscrewing them like normal, cause' they're left hand thread and you might have been tightening them instead of loosening them but, then again, I was working with OEM stuff. I'm sure you'll figure something out. I just hit upon my solution by accident and it's worked out great for me. Good luck!-------Hans

I just reread my post and realize that I may have come across as critical of your info - which, for the record, I am not. Any mod that works for someone - Great!

I think you're right about the difference being the OEM vs Raybestos lines. the Ray lines are definitely not threaded on, but crimped. I'm going to tinker with this a bit and see what I can come up with. Thanks for your info.

fuzzydog said:

I just reread my post and realize that I may have come across as critical of your info - which, for the record, I am not. Any mod that works for someone - Great!

I think you're right about the difference being the OEM vs Raybestos lines. the Ray lines are definitely not threaded on, but crimped. I'm going to tinker with this a bit and see what I can come up with. Thanks for your info.

Click to expand...

Hey, no problem, no offense taken. I looked through the local yellow places for a place that could maybe swedge new ends on the cables.....with no luck (I got the cables with no real idea about how I was going to make them work but, I was determined!) and just happened to stumble upon the solution. Hmm.....maybe a tractor supply shop(?)------Hans

buy a set of swedgers.... i know they're like $100 but you could check w/ tractor supply, they are used in high tensile fencing also! or, if you got a buddy who does his own fencing like i do, just bum his for an evening!