55.2-59 Parking brake cable to replace rod

[unclebrad]

Just had MII front put onto my 55.2 and the guy had to remove the bracket for the parking brake rod that goes from the handle through the firewall.

I was at a show on Saturday and saw where a guy had run a cable from the handle, to either the pulley or the arm under the cab.
Something like this sketch I think.
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1694447728

Has anyone done this?

Could you provide a link to the cable that you found?

Any other advice about the parts needed or running the cable?

Thanks!

[_Ogre]

there's another parking brake thread in process today
someone posted this

[mr48chev]

It seems like fabbing a new bracket to mount the brake handle on would be part of the job. That said, have you got what was left of the old bracket or did he toss that in the junk.

Looking at this handle on Ebay it just should not be very hard to modify or fab a bracket to mount it on in the original position unless he placed something there that blocks mounting it.

[unclebrad]

Thankfully, the original handle is still there. He left me the rod and cables too, and I was planning to just make a new mount near where the original was (by the steering box) but when I saw this other truck, it seemed so much cleaner in the engine bay without that stuff.

So I think (hope) all I have to do is figure out what cable to get, and where to route it.

The guy whose truck I saw on Saturday, kept it inside, running it down the inside of the firewall until it met the floor, and then he then ran it through the floor. Something like my sketch.

Unfortunately, the guy's truck sat low and I couldn't get under enough to see what happened next.

[dsraven]

it should work with the cable going through the firewall as others have posted but maybe think about a brace to support the firewall to the column bracket for things don't flex. a positve distnce that can't vary because of the bracket between the two parts makes the assembly more like one piece.

[unclebrad]

Thanks.

Yes, I agree.

Both "fixed" ends are going to need to be very solid.

[leegreen]

I'd get a cable with a long enough outer sheath to bring the sheath up to a bracket attached to the ratchet assembly of the brake leaver, so the dash and floor are not being pulled against each other all the time. And just a rubber grommet where it goes through firewall

I looked at using the exact same style handle in my '52 because I had one. but the complexity of routing the cable in the engine bay and bracing everything became too much, and the 50ish year old lever was kinda worn out.
The kick panel mounted foot brake I used from a 90's pickup was dead easy to install and the cable it came with was long enough to get down to the frame where I could mount the lower end solidly. Plus the assembly was cheap like dirt and not worn out. See the other parking brake thread this week for a couple pictures.

[57tailgater]

Ran across this pic on a high end build.

[unclebrad]

I just finished installing a cable in mine, similar to that one you found on the high end build, 57tailgater. My cable exits lower than the one shown there - through the floor where it meets the firewall - and keeps the firewall tidier. And since I was drilling, I ran the speedo cable right next to it.

Although Lokar doesn't currently make a kit for the Task Force trucks, the one they make for the earlier, "Advance Design" trucks, can be made to work nicely. Gotta make up a couple pieces to replace the ones that are specific to the AD and don't work on our TF trucks, but they are easy enough with basic tools.

[mr48chev]

Had to look to see what I wrote last night but unless they put in swing pedals it should be reasonably easy to fab up a bracket that fastens to the dash and the firewall and position the handle in the right spot to work right.

[fauXGT]

Ogre's pic he posted is my truck.
I found a heavy bracket for the handle and bolted it to the top of the column support bracket. I wanted to put it as high as I could, so hence the angled indent on the firewall to keep the cable fairly straight. Then found a seller somewhere for the universal cables. A single to under the cab to split into 2. Came with splitter bar and extra hardware.

[dsraven]

if you lift the carpet on modern trucks you will likely find cables and wiring under there. modules etc. sometimes the floor doesn't match the contour needed for decent carpeting so syrofoam, or something like it, is used to build up areas to fill or smooth uneven spots. under the pedals on an envoy I wrecked there were 2 such pieces, one is about 4 inches thick! anyway, I am just putting the seed in a mind that may want to, or could, do the same thing to insulate things like speedo cables or park brake cables from mechanical damage and also hide the bump in the overlay material.

[unclebrad]

This one would be a little better than the one I got, because it includes one of the ends that I had to make myself. The under-dash bracket is all you would need to make.

Lokar EC-8001U Connector Cable for Foot Operated Emergency Brakes with Black Housing.
Cable length 6 ft long. $140
https://www.amazon.com/Lokar-EC-8001.../dp/B000CONKBU
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1701280437

Here is a template for the under-dash bracket I made from 2" angle stock. (Maybe a bit on the heavy duty side, but that is what I had here.)
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1701280494
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1701280494
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1701280494

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1701280698

[mr48chev]

Classic parts and no doubt others show several options for the cable that works with that style of handle for 60/66. https://www.classicparts.com/Hardware/products/198/

The handle is the same 55/68 according to their listing.

Remembering that my 57 Panel, 64/65 long bed 1/2 ton and 67 half ton (the first Chevy truck I ever owned) all had that handle.

From the looks of it you need to know what length of cable you need though.

[57tailgater]

Nice install unclebrad!

[mr48chev]

Unclebrad's post is pure gold for this thread. Anyone with a hacksaw, grandpa's old mill file and a drill can make their version of that. Well done sir well done.

[unclebrad]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

[unclebrad]

One last thing.

The process is pretty straight forward, and we covered most of the issues already, but I did do a little write-up about it.

Since the file is a little larger than is allowed on this site, I can't upload it but I am happy to email a copy to anyone thinking of taking this project on in the future.

Just email me or message me with your e-mail address.

unclebrad@aol.com

[dsraven]

Yup, if you're a hotrodder you gotta have some skills and be able to think outside the box. Seems like most here have that covered. If they dont the rest of us are here to help and give constructive criticism. Lol.

[dsraven]

if anyone is interested, here is a link to the cable clevis that could work for someone's build. they also wouldn't be that tough to build. these style cable clevises are used on aircraft, go carts, lawn equipemnt, motorcycles etc
https://www.amazon.com/Azusa-32-Clev.../dp/B078XQYCKM
or theres this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/131723523050

[dsraven]

nice jib Unclebrad. good to see you're willing to share too.

[mr48chev]

Simple is almost always best. The ability to be able to visualize, sit down and draw what you visualized and then fabricate it helps a lot.

[unclebrad]

Originally Posted by dsraven

if anyone is interested, here is a link to the cable clevis that could work for someone's build. they also wouldn't be that tough to build. these style cable clevises are used on aircraft, go carts, lawn equipemnt, motorcycles etc
https://www.amazon.com/Azusa-32-Clev.../dp/B078XQYCKM
or theres this
https://www.ebay.com/itm/131723523050

Crazy what level of detail we have to address when doing custom stuff.

The longer clevis that is offered on ebay, would be the better of the two for the 55-59 trucks, since it is longer.

The cable kit that I bought (before knowing about the one mentioned below) came with a short clevis, similar to the one offered on Amazon, and it turned out to be too short due to insufficient clearance for the end of the cable. (photo below)
I ended up making my own pretty easily.

But the kit that Mr48chevy pointed us to, comes with a clevis that will work fine:
Lokar EC-8001U Connector Cable for Foot Operated Emergency Brakes with Black Housing.
Cable length 6 ft long. $140
https://www.amazon.com/Lokar-EC-8001.../dp/B000CONKBU
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...1&d=1701280437

[regan56]

subscribed...

[mr48chev]

I spent probably an hour looking though park brake cables last night while more listening to more than watching the football game and you don't save much on an oem cable that you buy new over what the Lokar cable costs. Usually you can find an oem piece that sells over the counter for way less than the "trick" aftermarket units but so far no luck on this for me.