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[terry paget]

In my 2.2 MOT exhaust manifold failure tester advised imbalanced handbrake with excess lever travel. I have adjusted it at the wheels, tried to adjust it at single cable end, but it's very rusty and hard to turn the nut. I am not sure whether I am turning the nut or twisting the cable. I suppose I need a new lever end cable. Any tips? 

[dave the builder]

can you get small mole grips in to hold the short cable ?
I'd have thought ,a local motor factor could probably have you a short cable ,same day /next day

[Doctor Gollum]

Read the guide, follow it and report back

Incidentally, a new cable is £30 and a doddle to fit from a pit or ramp

[terry paget]

Thanks for advice, gents. It may be I can get hold of the cable end with a mole wrench and run a tap up it to clean it. Failing that, I could  cut it and replace it somehow. As you say, my pit makes it a much easier task. Main job at the moment is to get and install the new exhaust manifold and get it through its MOT.
I had hoped to change the drop links too (another advisory) but those threads are rusty too.

[BazaJT]

There is a you tube clip[can't do links]showing how you can use a 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone on rusty nuts/bolts and it actually works.

[Doctor Gollum]

Thanks for advice, gents. It may be I can get hold of the cable end with a mole wrench and run a tap up it to clean it. Failing that, I could  cut it and replace it somehow. As you say, my pit makes it a much easier task. Main job at the moment is to get and install the new exhaust manifold and get it through its MOT.
I had hoped to change the drop links too (another advisory) but those threads are rusty too.

Terry, do yourself a favour and stop making life difficult.

Fitting a new cable and following the adjustment guide will take less time than making the existing rusty and stretched cable work properly.

Similarly, cut the drop links off and fit new. Even £5 ones will last long enough to make the next MoT. Again not worth messing around with. 

[Nick W]

Thanks for advice, gents. It may be I can get hold of the cable end with a mole wrench and run a tap up it to clean it. Failing that, I could  cut it and replace it somehow. As you say, my pit makes it a much easier task. Main job at the moment is to get and install the new exhaust manifold and get it through its MOT.
I had hoped to change the drop links too (another advisory) but those threads are rusty too.

Terry, do yourself a favour and stop making life difficult.

Fitting a new cable and following the adjustment guide will take less time than making the existing rusty and stretched cable work properly.

Similarly, cut the drop links off and fit new. Even £5 ones will last long enough to make the next MoT. Again not worth messing around with. 

That.


You're going to really struggle 'cleaning up' the threads with the cable fitted above the exhausts, and it's not worth putting it back when a new one is about £25.


As for the droplinks, if the nuts don't undo FIRST TIME, then do us all a favour, adopt a professional approach and cut the bloody things off. They are not worth spending any effort on.

[biggriffin]

Thanks for advice, gents. It may be I can get hold of the cable end with a mole wrench and run a tap up it to clean it. Failing that, I could  cut it and replace it somehow. As you say, my pit makes it a much easier task. Main job at the moment is to get and install the new exhaust manifold and get it through its MOT.
I had hoped to change the drop links too (another advisory) but those threads are rusty too.

Terry, do yourself a favour and stop making life difficult.

Fitting a new cable and following the adjustment guide will take less time than making the existing rusty and stretched cable work properly.

Similarly, cut the drop links off and fit new. Even £5 ones will last long enough to make the next MoT. Again not worth messing around with. 

.

∆∆∆∆∆this.

Stop continually trying to bodge, and save 10p, fit a new one and save time, because it will only need doing again next mot..

[terry paget]

Thanks for advice, gents. It may be I can get hold of the cable end with a mole wrench and run a tap up it to clean it. Failing that, I could  cut it and replace it somehow. As you say, my pit makes it a much easier task. Main job at the moment is to get and install the new exhaust manifold and get it through its MOT.
I had hoped to change the drop links too (another advisory) but those threads are rusty too.

Terry, do yourself a favour and stop making life difficult.

Fitting a new cable and following the adjustment guide will take less time than making the existing rusty and stretched cable work properly.

Similarly, cut the drop links off and fit new. Even £5 ones will last long enough to make the next MoT. Again not worth messing around with. 

OK. You say the front cable is available from Vx dealers at £30, great, and swopping it simple. I could not see a forum guide for it, and did not know if changing it was easy. I have changed a couple of wheel end cables, and it was not too difficult.-

[terry paget]

Thanks for advice, gents. It may be I can get hold of the cable end with a mole wrench and run a tap up it to clean it. Failing that, I could  cut it and replace it somehow. As you say, my pit makes it a much easier task. Main job at the moment is to get and install the new exhaust manifold and get it through its MOT.
I had hoped to change the drop links too (another advisory) but those threads are rusty too.

Terry, do yourself a favour and stop making life difficult.

Fitting a new cable and following the adjustment guide will take less time than making the existing rusty and stretched cable work properly.

Similarly, cut the drop links off and fit new. Even £5 ones will last long enough to make the next MoT. Again not worth messing around with. 

That.


You're going to really struggle 'cleaning up' the threads with the cable fitted above the exhausts, and it's not worth putting it back when a new one is about £25.


As for the droplinks, if the nuts don't undo FIRST TIME, then do us all a favour, adopt a professional approach and cut the bloody things off. They are not worth spending any effort on.

Cutting off the lower end of the drop link looks easy enough, the upper looks trickier, access tight. Should I use a hacksaw, or airline cutting disc?

[neil74]

Once you've finished your handbrake you can do mine as its not a bit of use to me at the moment..

[Doctor Gollum]

Re drop links, lop off the bottom nuts, then apply full lock and lop off the top one

Use weapon of choice... Personally 1/2" socket of suitable size and a breaker bar having first fitted a thin spanner to the flats.

Hand brake front adjuster should not need replacing. Although the nut(s)* will need to be undone to replace the rear cable bar.

* be either a single nyloc nut or two standard nuts...

[Nick W]

Access is so tight that a cordless 4.5" angle grinder easily does the job.


I brought up the price of the cable(which has increased since I bought mine 4 years ago), but what makes you think it came from Vauxhall?

[biggriffin]

Here goes

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/302274413957?chn=ps&adgroupid=52130532935&rlsatarget=pla-411617453900&abcId=1133946&adtype=pla&merchantid=113619878&poi=&googleloc=9046208&device=m&campaignid=1057748120&crdt=0&ul_ref=https%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-134428-41853-0%252F2%253Fmpre%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%25252Fi%25252F302274413957%25253Fchn%25253Dps%2526itemid%253D302274413957%2526targetid%253D411617453900%2526device%253Dm%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9046208%2526poi%253D%2526campaignid%253D1057748120%2526adgroupid%253D52130532935%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-411617453900%2526abcId%253D1133946%2526merchantid%253D113619878%2526gclid%253DEAIaIQobChMI1PfV9pmW2wIVTbTtCh1R5w38EAQYASABEgKIpfD_BwE%2526srcrot%253D710-134428-41853-0%2526rvr_id%253D1538036416105%2526rvr_ts%253D817081b81630a860cc45b7b4ffe87273

[Alnico Blue]

Never had to cut off drop links even when rusty.  Soak thread/nut in penetrating fluid the day before.  Fit a spanner to the flat section to hold /stop spinning   . . use a socket & bar to shift it, then socket & ratchet to fully remove   .  .simple 

But probably quicker to cut them off