Rear Parking Brake Cable

[PVacco]

In Nov. I acquired a 51 Starlite to satisfy a life long interest in owing a classic vehicle.

After putting new tires on it and driving it around town for a while, I put the car up on stands to change the trans fluid and I noted that the front left tire was not spinning freely. Further investigation revealed a frozen brake cylinder which has lead to a rather extensive brake job. (Decided to replace the master cylinder but the lines were so badly corroded that I've been forced to replace the entire system.)

In working on the rear brakes I noted that the spring on the parking brake cable on the right side (the spring that is located just before the lever and pin mechanism) is broken in several spots but I cannot figure how to get the spring off so it can be replaced.

I have several questions. 1) is there a replacement spring that can be slid on the cable? 2) if there is, can the cable be removed from the backing plate without cutting off the retaining ball on the end? If the end needs to be removed to slide the cable out, how can it be reattached so the cable will once again fit into the brake lever mechanism. 3) if the rear cable needs to be replaced where can I get one?

I don't know if I am using all of the right terminology here. I'm pretty good at figuring things out but I am not a mechanic so anyone else that has tackled this problem I would appreciate their input.

I guess the good news is that although I am poorer because of the parts I've had to purchase, I'm still having fun

[jclary]

Very often, one question is answered with other questions. Yours is no exception. You have the car, do you have the shop manual? If not, you need to purchase the shop manual, body manual, and chassis manuals. They are available from several vendors. Like good brakes, you will never regret having them. With the correct manuals, you can get exact part numbers and it will help with terminology. I have replaced the rear emergency brake cables on a couple of cars but it has been so long, I don't remember the details.

John Clary
Greer, SC

I have only two limitations ...BRAINS & ENERGY
SDC member since 1975

[PVacco]

John

I do have all the manuals you make reference to. The two paragraphs devoted to the removal and installation of the rear break cable refer to "pull[ing] the cable rearward, remove the stop and then pull the cable froward and out of the backing plate tube." I guess my problem is that I haven't identified what the "stop" is. The end of the brake cable has a metal ball that is holding the end of the wires and acts as an anchor to retain the cable in its operating lever. In front of this is a small washer then the spring and then another washer (all of which were apparently installed on the cable before the metal end locked everything in place.) One end of the spring and washer slides into and through the backing plate tube and is held in place by what appears to be a cap on the end of the braking plate tube that allows the cable to slide through it. Is this "cap" on the end of the tube what the manual refers to as the stop? And if it is, how does one go about removing it? If you can jog your memory on what the manual refers to as the stop and how to go about removing it I would appreciate your suggestion.

[BobGlasscock]

Philip,

I have not done this yet, but have looked at my rear hubs, read the manual, and imagined the replacement of the rear cable. My cable is long gone, so I have to replace. I think the stop is the bead attached to the cable inside the drum. Not having the old ones, I can't see if there is a way to split open the bead and then re=attach it. I've been expecting to use wire cutters to cut them off and having new parts already on the new cable I will buy. Anyway, I guess your biggest question is what is the stop and I would say it is the bead pressed onto the end of the cable inside the drum. Hope this helps.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[dpson]

The springs on the rear brake cable are part of the whole assembly and are not readily available seperately. My advice is to find a NOS rear cable and replace the whole unit. It is likley that is frayed in other places anyway. The part number for the rear cable is 519795. You may have to search around as these cables are not always available through the larger Studebaker part vendors. Don't dispare they are out there.

Dan Peterson
Montpelier, VT
1960 Lark V-8 Convertible
1960 Lark V-8 Convertible (parts car)
1961 Lark Crusier
1962 Lark V-8 Regal Convertible

[41 Frank]

I show one of the 519795 on my inventory sheet, would have to look for it to make sure it is still in stock. Contact me for pricing through my profile if interested.

Frank van Doorn
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[brngarage]

Hi:
I'm replacing the brakes on a 52 Commander with the brakes from a 56 Hawk and I've encountered the same issue regarding removal of the 52 parking brake cables. I don't think the ball on the end is the "stop", but I sure as heck don't know what is the "stop". I'm assuming it is somewhere in the tube on the backing plate but I've tried the procedure in the manual and still haven't seen anything I can remove without destroying the cables (which I want to save for any future use; no point in ruining them just to remove them).

Thanks

Howard
53 Commander Starliner
56 Sky Hawk

[PVacco]

Ok folks I solved the puzzle. As I suspected what I referred to as a "cap" earlier is actually the parking brake stop.

If you look at the backing plate tube you will see that the cable enters through a "inner ring" this is the stop. The problem I was having was that it was so corroded that even with several applications of penetrating oil it didn't want to budge and I was afraid to force it. But as you can see persistence has paid off and I am ready to install the new cable.