Parking brake cable length

[zog]

The RHD S2 that I am restoring is missing the parking brake cable. I have the steel sheath and an adjusting nut. Does anyone know what the overall length of the cable should be? I have some new steel braided cable and I can borrow the "swedging" tool to make one.

Thanks!

Bob

[stugilmour]

Alex Black to the lobby phone please.

Bob, Alex did a bunch of work on the brake cable length and custom adjustable rods for the tree to caliper connection a while back. If you don't get a reply soon you could try contacting him, but do post results for reference. He may be along shortly; he is busy impressing us with his lift again on another thread. Not sure if he noted the correct cable length in his earlier posts, but he mentioned some of the presently available cables are a bit too long for easy adjustment, which he remedied. Believe he supplied the corrected length to Sue Miller. Understand it may be possible to thread the new cable in without the end lug attached if you have the body on.

[FOX5D]

The standard cables (as supplied by Paul Matty's and Sue Miller and anyone else I expect) are all about 6cm too long on the inner cable. Every time that I or indeed the South West Lotus Centre has fitted a new cable to one of my Elans, the outer cable adjuster is always almost entirely used up. And, this is despite taking up the free play in all the constituent parts of the system, and ensuring that the cable follows the correct route.

They are just too bloody long!
Other members have made this point in the past but without the expletive!

Jim

[MickG]

I recently fitted a new hand break cable ordered from Sue and with the adjuster half way it was the perfect length. I understand that Alex told Sue that her cables were too long and she has had them made to his spec. As for the actual length of the inner cable I havent a clue; sorry, best ask Alex.

Mick

[garyeanderson]

106 5/16 inch or 270 cm

Gary

March 20th 2012

I figured I would update this topic with another photo. I got in a new cable today (top) and laid it out beside on I had bought 5 or 8 years ago (middle) as well as the original from an S2 (26/4997) (bottom) just to see how much of a change there was and yest the new ones are a bit longer but I would think that there is enough adjustment available to compensate for that difference. Hope that this helps someone someday.

Gary

[alexblack13]

Heeellooooooo! Aye they needed to be shortened and I am sure Sue has done so removing about 60-70mm from the length.

If you are making up an inner cut a Pc over length and fit the handbrake puller end. Fit the whole ass'y up and thread it all through and when you are sure the calipers etc are all correctly positioned position the cable at the tree the and mark off the length you need. Cut and swage on your end.

Simples!!

AB...

[alexblack13]

meant to say Sue's adjustable rods are a great Idea too... They allow perfect setting up of the calipers and tree..

They do make a big difference.

AB...

[zog]

Thanks for all the info. I found an adjusting nut assembly and the steel sheath in one of my boxes of spares so I will be making up my own replacement cable. It turns out that the steel cable is the exact same diameter as the safety cable for a garage door opener spring.