97-01 low hanging brake line....

I noticed on my g/f's 98 and now on my 00 that i just bought...that you can easily see either the e-brake cable or the reg. brake line hang below the axle. I havent gotten under the truck yet to do any work but i'm assuming i can just zip tie it to the axle or something...it looks like it can easily get snagged while wheeling...any thoughts/ideas greatly appreciated.

JeepXJ93 said:

I noticed on my g/f's 98 and now on my 00 that i just bought...that you can easily see either the e-brake cable or the reg. brake line hang below the axle. I havent gotten under the truck yet to do any work but i'm assuming i can just zip tie it to the axle or something...it looks like it can easily get snagged while wheeling...any thoughts/ideas greatly appreciated.

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I recall someone using a spring to hold it up. With a zip tie as you articulate it might get "short" .

There are supposed to be a couple of springs to hold them up, but they often rust away or fall off. I can't recall exactly where they hook, but they should go more or less to the middle of the unsupported area of the cable, and you'll see a place above to hook them.

Matthew Currie said:

There are supposed to be a couple of springs to hold them up, but they often rust away or fall off. I can't recall exactly where they hook, but they should go more or less to the middle of the unsupported area of the cable, and you'll see a place above to hook them.

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Newer ones had no springs AFAIK.

I put a nut on the exposed threads for the rear seatbelt center mounts (left and right), that are sticking out underneath and a large fender washer that I bent at one corner and drilled a hole through. Could only catch a couple of threads, but enough to hold a spring. Just remember it´s there if you go to remove the seat belt bolt.
Guess another possibility would be a spring hooked to the sway bar. To hold the cable up some. If the cable rubs anyplace an old piece of heater hose (cut lengthwise) and a couple of zip ties, will protect it from chaffing.

Cool, thanks all.

I haven't ripped my off yet, so I don't think it is much to worry about.

I´ve had most of my trouble running the forest edge, in the tall grass. Darned fallen tree limbs, have punctured my radiator, punctured tires, tore wiring and pulled one parking brake line out by the roots. Can´t hurt to get it up as high as possible.

The e-brake cable routing on the newer XJ's to the right rear wheel is not done real well, and it DOES seem to hang down a bit low if you intend to off-road.

My solution was to use a large hose clamp around the rear axle tube where the cable passes underneath it. I don't tighten the clamp real tight, as it might bind the cable, but I snug it up enough to keep it in contact with the axle tube, and therefore out of the path of snagging on stuff.