E-brake setup 71 Jimmy
 

Hello all, just registered for the board but have been "lurking" for many months. This is the best board I've found and you guys provide some awsome info.

I've got a 71 GMC Jimmy that needs a little work, actually it needs everthing, but I enjoy wrenching which is a good thing.

Anyway, I'm rebuilding my e-brake setup. P/O had jacked it up so I'm not sure if I have all the parts. Just ordered new front and intermediate cbls from INLINETUBES. Having trouble connecting front cable were it comes through the firewall and connects to the brake assembly. It passes through a clamp that bolts to the brake assembly and then goes to the clevis pin. I thought the clamp when bolted down would prevent the cable housing from being pulled through when you pushed on the e-brake pedal. But it doesn't hold. When I push the pedal the whole cable including the housing just pulls through. Needless to say, no tension on the rear brakes. Is there something that holds the e-brake housing into the bracket to keep the housing from pulling through?

Sorry for being so long winded, appreciate all your comments/suggestions.

Thanks:gmc:

Welcome to the board. Sorry I can't help you with your e-brake issue. I've never actually taken mine appart to see how it works. Post some pictures of your GMC when you get a chance!

Has no one ever replaced the e-brake cable? Should I post in another forum?

:gmc:

I've done some work on my e-brake, but I can't figure out what you're saying. Do you have any pics that might help?

Brian

Thanks for replying Brian. I've attached a picture, hope it comes out ok.

Lets try that again! Phew, made it that time. Anyway, this is under the dash, driver side, where the ebrake cable comes through the firewall and runs through the black clamp with bolt and nut and then attaches to the ebrake pedal via the clevis pin. The ebrake cable itsself has a housing, to protect the cable, I was thinking that the housing should be held in place by the black clamp, in the picture, when the bolt is tightened down. So that when you depress the ebrake pedal, it would pull just the cable and thereby setting your brakes in the rear. However, as soon as I step on the ebrake pedal to set the brakes, the housing comes along with the cable and doesn't set the brakes. Since the PO really messed up the brake system, I'm not sure if I'm missing a part that would hold the housing while the cable pulls tight. Maybe I just need a new clamp.

The stock cable has a "rib" that the clamp captures so the cable can't slip. It appears that the cable you have does not have the "rib" so it depends on friction alone. I can see why you are having trouble with it.

My thought would be to weld a couple of spots onto the cable sleeve and file to fit the cable clamp groove.

Jim

Jim thanks for the reply, you're absolutely correct and confirm my suspicions. I just purchased the cable from inline tube. I'm going to call them tomorrow and find out what's going on. I wonder if there were different ways this part was held in place. As you know, many times a manufacturer changes a part half way through the year just for grinnes.

I'll post what they say after I talk to them.

thanks again!
Roland

:gmc:

I contacted InlineTube tech support yesterday. All they said was that what they sent me was correct for my vehicle, that's all they have, and have never heard of my situation before. Oh yeah, they also added they have no idea of how it connects and never have, they just build'em. Great tech support!
That got me Teed Off, so I took the afternoon off from work, finally a slow day, what the heck, should have done that weeks before. Visited my local recycle yards, but no one had any 69-72 trucks, blazer, jimmys. Man these things are getting scarce, better hold on to them they will only go up in price. Anyway, on my travels I spotted a 72 blazer sitting in front of a business, stopped in, talked to the owner, he let me look at the e-brake setup etc. Later that afternoon I ran across a guy with a truck, he aslo let me look at his setup. So now I know what the heck is going on here. There is no magic, no special pin, hook, groove etc to hold it in the clamp/bracket. The front of the clamp is supposed to be shaped in like a oval, the rest being round so the cable housing sits in the clamp, but the oval at the front is just enough to were it keeps the housing from pulling through. Mine had been mis-shaped by the PO who jacked this up to start with.
I knew it was going to be some minor stupid thing. Anyway , thanks evryone for your help.