Installing rubber boot on parking brake
I would like to know the easiest way to put the rubber boot on the parking cable. I have a 70 coupe, and the cable looks like the ball on the end of the cable is crimped or soldered on the cable.
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Re: Installing rubber boot on parking brake
Paul,
If you're talking about the 3/4" long boot that is used on late-C2 (65-67?) parking brake cables, I think the answer is you will not be able to pull it over the ball which is indeed crimped onto the end of the cable. Some years ago I looked into removing the ball, replacing the boot, then using a new ball bearing with a hole drilled thru the center to recrimp onto the end of the cable. At the time, there was no source for the boots, so I molded my own using an original to make a mold and using some RTV compound that came out looking spot on. My problem was I was never confident that my crimped/swaged ball would stay crimped onto the end of the cable under high pulling forces. So eventually I gave up. And a few years later Inline Brake started selling a good reproduction cable. At least for mid-years the Inline Brake repro looked reasonably correct.
If we're talking about some other boot, then you can ignore everything I just said.
Gary -
Re: Installing rubber boot on parking brake
Paul,
I replaced the boots on my 70 and more recently my 81 using this method; I purchased ribbed boots only from corvette central at around $26 for the pair. OK so the small end of the boots will expand over the ball and the spring but you will need some patience. I lubed up the small end of the boot and inserted a tapered punch up to about 1/4" and let it sit overnite. You will need a heavy plastic straw about 5 1/2" long that needs to be cut length wise so that it will slip around the spring and the ball so that once you get the boot over the ball you can slide it down the straw without the boot snagging on the spring coils. Now with everything well lubed (motor oil is ok) start trying to work the small end of the boot over ball....it will take some effort but don't force it too quickly....it will eventually expand enough and assuming that you have the straw tight up against the ball it should slip onto it. Although I used a straw that I found in the kitchen, it looks like polyethlene 3/8" dia X 1/32" wall thickness....something that will not colapse when you press the ends. The small end was not damaged and did return to it's original dia. It works....good luck.
Fred Sarbello 11358
70 LT1 and 81Comment
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Re: Installing rubber boot on parking brake
Fred,
I'm impressed. I never thought it would have been possible to get the boot over the ball and spring.
GaryComment
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Re: Installing rubber boot on parking brake
I'm impressed too. The ball measured 7/16", and the hole in the rubber is 1/8". I never thought it would fit. Thanks for all you input guys, it makes working on the cars a lot easier with all the experience that is collected in this forum.
PaulComment
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