Rear Handbrake Cable Vitesse Mk2

[Paul H]

Vitesse MK2 Handbrake Adjustment 

Having difficulty in adjusting the handbrake as one side of adjustment is rusted solid . Is replacing with new cable as simple as pulling old cable with fittings removed and threading in new rear handbrake cable ?

Paul 

[NonMember]

In principle, yes. In parctice, getting the threaded ends through the angled guides on the floor (chassis on non-rotoflex cars) is a pig.

[Paul H]

Mine is rotoflex so easier ?

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

think the dark art is to feed the cable into the quadrant  opening not feed the threaded ferule through it  its normally too long and wont negotiate the corner

so sort of hook the open cable into the guide rather that 'through it 

but its years since i fought one 

Pete

[Paul H]

Thanks Pete. I guessed it wouldnt be easy. Will try to use existing cable adjusting from one side only .

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

if they designed it right in the first place the 'nut' block in the fork would be made so it wont rotate , not triumph you need 6 pair of hands to undo a seized fork nut

especially if a normal nut has been used ,  can be a Grrrr   job at best 

pete

[68vitesse]

Perhaps Triumph did it to give us something to moan talk about fiftey years down the line.

A social experiment and we are the lab rats, or is the heat getting to me?.

Regards

Paul

[Colin Lindsay]

28 minutes ago, Paul H said:

Thanks Pete. I guessed it wouldnt be easy. Will try to use existing cable adjusting from one side only .

Paul

Undo the freer side, pull the cable back at the seized side without allowing the other end to pop out of anything, and grease liberally where it goes through the grooves before replacing (if you're re-using the old cable). It will help it slide more freely (I usually grease the entire length of my cables as part of the annual service; it helps prevent it rusting through for longer)

However I think the grooves at either side are open to the top except for one very narrow part, (they are on my GT6 anyway) so quite easy to poke a new threaded length through. 

[daverclasper]

Hi Paul. Just checking you've tried un-siezing tricks. My fave, is some heat and penetrating oil, a few times if necessary. Normally works, if getting good purchase a problem, then maybe not?.

Dave  

[Paul H]

18 hours ago, daverclasper said:

Hi Paul. Just checking you've tried un-siezing tricks. My fave, is some heat and penetrating oil, a few times if necessary. Normally works, if getting good purchase a problem, then maybe not?.

Dave  

Hi Dave - I used this method for freeing the drain bolt on the petrol tank ( tank had been cleaned water added ) - I had dismissed the idea as access was difficult until I read Colin's comment about pulling the cable through . So pulling the cable through , applying heat & oil several times the square nut came off - Thanks to you both - 

Just need to clean up , add copper grease and reassemble 

Paul 

[Pete Lewis]

You will need a long  long clevis to fit the fork holes now   Ha 

Pete

[Paul H]

36 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

You will need a long  long clevis to fit the fork holes now   Ha 

Pete

No worries Pete pretty sure Rimmers sell them ?

Paul 

[Pete Lewis]

here you go 28p  1/4 x 4"

http://www.boneham.co.uk/Products/clevis-pins/clevis-pins-imperial

[Paul H]

Cable end all sorted though a bit bent ( the bend was there before I removed the nuts , fork etc ) - Do I risk straightening it ???

Paul 

[Pete Lewis]

Warm it up first

Cool it slowly

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

Put a couple of nuts on it first and tighten them right to the end of the threads; then if you cause any thread damage, unscrewing the nuts will rethread it as they move along. Of course if you have a tap and die set you can just use that instead.

[Pete Lewis]

wonder how that got bent ,has it been tied down for recovery at some time  it wont bend through any normal use ???  or has it been bent to aid aprevious replacement ???

we had a member had his car on the antiques road show  they wrecked the car , tore off the handbrake cable  as most mileage is trailered   and bolted the loose end to the floor  ripped the new hood broke all the dash switches and door handles inside ...hooligan'd the car and kept it for 6 months not the 3 weeks they paid for its use   HQ got involved with mediating this   thrid party mess  

 

 

[Paul H]

Hi Pete. When i purchased we used a trailer to get home so your theory makes sense. Its more or less straightened now

Paul 

[Clive]

For future ease of disassembly, I smear the exposed threads with copper grease, and then push a bit of close-fitting hose over. I have some plasticy type stuff that is about 1/4" or so, no idea of source. But a bit of fuel hose should work? Or denso tape?

I have also done that with brake adjusters. On a new-to-me car I usually take the adjusters right off, totally disassemble and clean. Grease up etc and re-fix to backplate. Once adjusted up a dollop of coppergrease on the outside, and then push rubber hose over the square adjuster. It seems to help keep the grease in place, though may of course be the placebo effect and they get adjusted annually or more so don't get a chance to seize again.

[PeteH]

Threading a new / replaced cable, involves taking it in a big loop after the first pass and then coming at the second hole from the rear. The Nuts inside the Clevis clips should be Square, Not Hex BTW. Mine was far easier as I have a bare Chassis and was not lying on my back underneath, I fabricated new clevis` as it was weekend and I just wanted that bit of the job finished.

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

3 hours ago, clive said:

For future ease of disassembly, I smear the exposed threads with copper grease, and then push a bit of close-fitting hose over. I have some plasticy type stuff that is about 1/4" or so, no idea of source. But a bit of fuel hose should work? Or denso tape?

I have also done that with brake adjusters. On a new-to-me car I usually take the adjusters right off, totally disassemble and clean. Grease up etc and re-fix to backplate. Once adjusted up a dollop of coppergrease on the outside, and then push rubber hose over the square adjuster. It seems to help keep the grease in place, though may of course be the placebo effect and they get adjusted annually or more so don't get a chance to seize again.

That's quite an interesting idea! Never thought of it before, but plastic pipe filled with grease pushed over the exposed threads would help protect them, certainly more than copper grease alone, which I use at present. 

[Paul H]

I plan to use a section of cycle inner tube cable tied at either end, 

Paul 

[Colin Lindsay]

I was thinking of screenwasher hose (have a lot of that!) or the equivalent aquarium air hose, coat the threads with grease, push on, and cut to length once fitted.

[Pete Lewis]

I would hazzard a guess that the inner tube idea encloses the whole like a nice flexible  gaitor 

Colin you worry me with all that tubing   whats brewing

Pete

[Anglefire]

Froidian slip Pete?