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Lube the parking brake cables?

M

montanaman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Western Montana
One of my rear parking brake cables is bad, so I'm replacing both. The OEM cables are covered with vinyl or something, so they don't need to be lubed. But the aftermarket (Dorman) replacements are metal cable inside a nylon housing.

Should I lube those, or install as is?

Thanks.
 
I've never heard of having to lube those. The nylon housing allows the cable to slide freely. Install them and see how they work by setting and releasing the parking brake a few times, they should be fine.
 
Never hurts to lube them up. Lube them with something good though if you do.
 
Why not try cable lube like the motocross guys use on their bikes? It's designed to lube things like brake & clutch cables on motorcycles. I gotta figure that would probably be best.
 
I use the cable lube on my dirt bike, but that is just liquid suspended graphite. It is the best you can do without pulling the cable out of the sheath. As long as you can pull it out, I'd still go with the grease. If the cable is in place on the vehicle, yeah, the cable lube would be the best. Good for hood release cables too.
 
Old Dodges were known for the parking brake cable to hang in the sheath. The fix was graphite and synthetic oil or Moly B.
Grease might get stiff at very low temperatures and cause grief.
Graphite has always been the preferred lube for cables. It doesn't get thick and doesn't attract grit. Getting it in there without some sort of medium (oil) can be a little rough. The oil attracts grit, but is sometimes necessary, for flow.
 
Motorcycle lube kits have a block that fits over the end of the cables and directs the spray down the tube. I used it on my clutch cables for years.
For doing my XJ I open the hood all the way straight up and then using small spurts shoot lock-ease down, takes a few minutes to work it's way down but it does. Give it a shot, walk away and go do something else, give it another shot, after a half dozen of those it gets much smoother.
 
8Mud said:
Old Dodges were known for the parking brake cable to hang in the sheath. The fix was graphite and synthetic oil or Moly B.
Grease might get stiff at very low temperatures and cause grief.
Graphite has always been the preferred lube for cables. It doesn't get thick and doesn't attract grit. Getting it in there without some sort of medium (oil) can be a little rough. The oil attracts grit, but is sometimes necessary, for flow.
Click to expand...

I've usually just blown dry graphite down the cable sheath - a heavy shot of dry graphite lock lube, then chase it down with "canned air" or a gentle shot of compressed air. Repeat the cycle for each foot of length of the cable (1' cable = 1 shot. 2' cable = 2 shots. &c.)

Worked rather well for me so far.
 
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