Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

[Steve G.]

I was lifting body off my 1970, and found the E-brake cable was still attached. I am trying to disconnect it from underneath the car. I'm trying to remove the nuts from the end of the cable, where it meets the cross cable. I sprayed it with PB blaster and got one nut off. The other is moving slowly with a lot of difficulty. I have a 1/4" wrench on the end of the cable to hold it while I try to back off the nut. Am I going about it wrong? Is it easier to remove it from inside the car? Any suggestions would be welcome! Steve

[Harmon C.]

Re: Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

It's not easy to remove the cable from the handle. I would wire brush the threads with a battery powered drill with a wire brush attached. I would hold the cable with vice grips. It should move easy if cleaned up. If you take the nut and turn it back on when it gets tight it will clean the rust out of the nut and make it come off eaiser.

[Alan S.]

Re: Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

Hi Steve,
I think you're headed the right direction with lots of PB.
I believe the end of the cable at the handle mechanism does have a formed slug swaged onto it's end. It can be slipped out of it's connection if there is some slack in the cable. Can you get any slack at all?
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

It makes removal/installation easier if you first remove the white plastic guide from the front of the assembly. It is held on by one screw that goes throgh the guide and is fastened with a nut. These are very often somewhat rusty but never so badly that they won't seperate. Once this is removed you can then move the cable around and get it out of the metal "U" bracket. Same goes for installation. Leave it off until the cable is inserted in th "U" bracket and then slip the guide over the cable and secure.
Jeff

[Steve G.]

Re: Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

Thanks guys - I appreciate the help. I got the cable off this morning. I also now have the body off. The frame is in good shape with only minor surface rust. I am thinking of getting it sand blasted and painted. I saw another thread earlier on dipping the frame. Is dipping less or more expensive than having it sand blasted? I got a price of $1000 for sand blasting and painting with epoxy. Do you get a better job with dipping or blasting?

If sand blasting, is it better to leave rear end in place while they do it so I can have it stripped without having to worry about the media getting into the pumpkin?

Any recommendations for a good quality kit to buy all the suspension rubber seals and bushings for front and rear? Steve

[Harmon C.]

Re: Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

That frame needs to be totaly bare of parts. Send the rear crossmember, center crossmember,gas tank support, front sway bar,and any other parts you want blasted with the frame loose. Send nothing like the pumpkin as the sand will destory it.

[Steve G.]

Re: Removing E-brake cable - suggestions?

Thanks Lyle. How would I go about cleaning up the rear end if it can't be sand blasted? Wire brushing? Are there any other parts that can't go to be blasted besides the rear end? I assume I can send A-arms, rear springs, etc? Would you sand blast or dip these parts? Steve