Hi , sorry i posted this in another forum by mistake. I need to know how to reattach the parking brake cable on my drum brakes. It has to go thru a sheath spring which is about 3 inches longer than the cable. Is there some tip to doing this. Trucks been down for a week for these brakes. any help appreciated. thanks.

 

What year is the truck? What size is the rear axle? You can find the axle info on a sticker in the glove box for most trucks.

Welcome to the DTR, by the way. Hopefully we can help you out...

 

Release the cable, or loosen the cable adjustment to give you clearence. Otherwise pull cable loose from spring by pinching while pushing back on spring.

 

When I replaced my left-rear emerg cable on my 97 I loosened the emerg adjuster rod (located under drivers side close to cab...where all the emerg cables meet) all the way to get more slack so I could get more slack at the drum. The cable still is pushed thru the backing plate and the spring needs to be compressed to attach to the drum shoe bracket.

I fiddled with removing the cable at the adjuster but it made it very hard to install later....don't remove it just get more slack.

It still required a lot of patience using vice grips and large needle nose pliers to compress that spring enough to hook it in the emerg bracket that attaches to the brake shoe. Pretty much like "dozer1226" described above.

I struggled for quite awhile and even with my son helping I said some words kids should not be in hearing distance to hear. I don't know an easy way.

Dave

 

struggled with one side ,found the cables underneath and that helped, the other side I decided theres no reason to disconnect that cable even though the book says to. just take the parking brake lever off the old shoe and put it on the new one never disconnecting the lever from the cable, just cleaned it all up good. Whatcha think? I bet brake shops never dissconnect it , unless it needed replacement.

 

I never disconnect the lever from the cable for a brake job for that reason. I had to disconnect the cable when replacing the cable and then its tough to get the cable back on the lever...but it can be done.