Replacing Ebrake cable under dash

Has anyone done this before, I can't find a place where I can get the broken cable end out of the slotted shaft. Thanks for any advice.

 

Ecnerwal
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2012, #83039
Location: NW Mass
Gender: Male
Posts: 122



'02 4x4 2.7 A/T Ext Cab2002 Xtra Cab Automatic 2.7L 4-cyl
gradually replacing the bumper with hairy bondo ;-)
Huh. two years and no answer?

Just had to figure this out. Found posts with people removing the whole assembly, removing the pin by driving it out, all sorts of work. Couldn't be right. Wasn't.

Take a flashlight, 12mm wrench or socket, pair of needlenose pliers. Grab the handle above the door and slide awkwardly under the dash on your back (don't take it apart.) Pull the pin retaining the axle on the pulley. Slide the axle out (easier if you push down the gas pedal.) set pulley, axle and pin aside. Use the 12mm to remove the parking brake switch. Now the "trick" - reach up near the dash, on top of the shaft mechanism, and feel for the two ratcheting bits. Push on them until the handle will push in just that extra bit that will let you pull the cable end out with the pliers (over where the pulley was).

Grease all the exposed parts of the cable very well, and use grease or antiseize on all the nuts and bolts for clamps and such, to slow the rate of rusting and reduce the time and frustration the next time you have to do this. Especially grease the exposed cable where the old one rusted and broke...

The pin at the other end (under the truck) was rusted in place, but a simple use of an old sledgehammer head with the hole over the pin as an "anvil" on top of it (with room to drive the pin into) and a hammer on the pin got that out.

 

Now the "trick" - reach up near the dash, on top of the shaft mechanism, and feel for the two ratcheting bits. Push on them until the handle will push in just that extra bit that will let you pull the cable end out with the pliers (over where the pulley was).


The search tool works pretty good. It is the top ratchet pin, and when the shaft goes a in little more the cable end just falls out.
Thanks Ecnerwal

 

Your tutorial was excellent, using it i was able to change out that cable super easy. all of the parts under the truck are all rusted so i have them soaking right now so i can get it apart later, i hope. But the inside part is done.

Thanks for the how to.