Parking Brake NIGHTMARE: Handle, spring, and equalizer issues

[monkeyspunk79]

Well its been three weekends now that I've messed with the parking brake nightmare on my '98 Cobra and I finally have it back together except for the stupid handle. I'm about ready to torch the car and push it into the woods, but instead I thought I'd grab a beer and post up on SVTP for advice. :cryying:

Long Version
It started about 3 years ago when I was parking the car one night on an incline, and I pulled the parking brake as usual. The handle came all the way up and the release button shot through the center of the handle, ricocheted off the windshield and got lost. The entire handle assembly came unsprung and went limp. From there, I just pulled the cable out and released the tension, and drove it as is due to the fact that I had no money. Then I bought a house, two other cars, and it has just sat.

So I finally get some bread, and I tracked down a working e-brake handle assembly out of a 94 Mustang. I also purchased new rear rotors, calipers (frozen piston on one side and two frozen caliper slides) and parking brake cables. My brother & I installed it all this weekend and thought we were all set. :nonono:

I go to install the handle in the car and the spring tension & position of the cable holder thingy was perfect. I mount it up, pull the cable back and BOING...its all screwed up. What the heck? I'm screwed, I can't get the thing wound back up and I have chewed up my hands and brain trying to figure it out. Any ideas how?


Short Version

I need to know how to wind the stupid spring and ratcheting assembly on the parking brake handle. Mine came unsprung, and I can't get the part to move past the pin that is supposed to 'lock' the ratcheting assembly in place. Can't find a good writeup, so what should I do?

Also, if I were to take this in somewhere, am I gonna take it up the tailpipe price-wise because this is such a PITA job? What's the going rate for this job? And is it better to take it to the Ford dealer, or a garage?

Thanks for any help here, everyone. I'm at my wits end and had to walk away and cool off. This thing has been fighting me tooth & nail lately...and all I want to do is drive it!

 

[monkeyspunk79]

Its this top pin that's messing with me. There's a bolt and a metal clip that I can remove to get the entire spring & ratcheting assembly to come around...but

1. What I do I do to prevent it from springing back?

2. How many times doest this thing need to be wound? Once, twice? Three times a lady?

 

[RIO RED SNAKE]

dont know much about this but i hope mine never breaks...top of this sn95 cobra page there is a How To link..alot of helpful info there..and here is one on the ebrake..never read it so idk but it looks like it wil help u!

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/how-278/691971-handbrake-parking-brake-cable-replacement.html

 

[SVTContique]

Can you buy an OEM handle?


I would think if you replaced everything it would work like new... strange.

Maybe try an 03 one?

 

[006]

Can you buy an OEM handle?


I would think if you replaced everything it would work like new... strange.

Maybe try an 03 one?

99-04 will not fit. Totally different mounting points.

Use my how-to and you'll be set. The whole thing should take you less than 5 min on how to wind and set the handbrake assembly for installation after you read through my instructions.

 

[monkeyspunk79]

006- Thanks, I appreciate the help. GREAT write-up, and it breaks it down for me real simple.

RIO RED- Thank you for posting up 006's how-to. I looked in the common issues sticky but it was in the how-to sticky. This is exactly what I was looking for.


This site rules. :beer: I'll let my hands heal a bit and try next weekend.

 

[SVT Rob]

I know I'm bringing up an old thread, but I used 006's how-to, and the only thing I had to do differently, was to remove the lock so I could rotate the assembly and retension. Other than that, spot on, took me about 15-20 minutes, total. I already had the e-brake handle out and the center console wasn't bolted in.

 

[laddanator]

Bringing up an old post again. I tried to install a 04 Cobra e brake assembly in my 96...wish I had saw this thread first! Anyway I tried taking my 96 e brake cable off to put in my 04 assembly and that failed so I said the heck with it and put my 96 assembly back in. Now I can pull the hand brake all the way to the top before the park brake will engage. I assume by winding the spring is what allows there to be more tension on the cable and I shouldn't have to pull the handle as far up to get park brake to engage?

 

[laddanator]

Never Mind. I found my answer. Nice write up by the way 006!

 

[87lc2]

I know this thread it old, but hoping one of you guys that have done this can help me out. My car is an 01 GT, have brand new pads, rotors, and brake cables on the car. Have them installed and hooked up to the rear calipers. I did exactly what 006 said in his writeup and hold the tension with an Allen Key. I can easily hook up the rear cables to the equalizer, but when I release the Allen Key it doesnt spring back far enough to grab any teeth on the wheel so the brake doesnt work.

Not really sure what else to do here, its almost as if the cables are too short? They are stock replacement and the long cable is on the drivers side as specified. Ive attached a few photos to show how I have it wound, if anyone has a clue as to why this isnt working Id really really appreciate it. Im tempted to just put the car back together without the parking brake but I know that will just bother me, I need to fix this.