'65-66 Rear Disc Parking Brake Cable

[hivewax]

Anyone have pix of how the original or aftermarket parking cable attaches to the parking brake lever of the rear discs? TIA

 

[daveSanborn]

Which rear discs? There are differences between the different rear disc calipers.

 

[hivewax]

I have SSBC rear discs... pix on my build thread.

 

[daveSanborn]

pix on my build thread.

Gotcha, but not the best picture of the ebrake mechanism.


The SSBC calipers have an integral eBrake built into the caliper that is actuated by a lever on the backside of the caliper. "Pulling" the lever forward sets the ebrake and the lever is normally spring loaded to the rear.

It's difficult to ascertain from any of the pictures of the SSBC calipers that I've been looking for (for the last hour), but it seems to be a standard cable type "ball and socket" attachment. The cable will have a "ball" on the end of it.... and it will fit into a "socket" on the ebrakes lever.

Lokar makes a kit for this set up. It's a VERY nice kit that is VERY easy to work with. Two seperately sheathed cables can be routed forward (any which way you please) to join at the factory ebrake lever installed underneath the drivers side floor pan. The kit is great because you can easily route the sheathed cables around SFC, custom exhaust pipes, aftermarket rear suspensions, etc., etc. The less bends in the cables the better.

The cables terminate (cut to fit) on a threaded mechanism used to adjust tension on the cables. The tensioner is then connected to the factory ebrake lever.

Here's a picture of my rear caliper. Notice that I have yet to install the ebrake cable onto the caliper.... heck, I haven't even bought the kit for this car yet....

I can't seem to locate any pictures of the Lokar kit installed on my sons '68.

 

[hivewax]

I'll take another shot of the parking brake lever. So, definitely, the original parking cable will not work.

 

[daveSanborn]

So, definitely, the original parking cable will not work.

I'm unsure of that. The sheath of the OEM cable used to terminate on the drum backing plate.... and the cable had a "ball" connection on it that hooked onto the drum brake's ebrake lever.

If you could adapt the length of the cable.... as long as it's existing length is long enough.... which I believe it would be. It's definitely possible to use the existing cable, it's just not the easiest way to go about it, although it may be a LOT cheaper.

 

[hivewax]

if the caliper was in the back, i think i could modify the existing parking cable to work. but since the leaf spring is in the way, the caliper can only go in the front of the rotor. the existing cable would have to bend over 90 degrees to work... it sure doesn't bend easily. a L-bracket for the parking cable is not shown. it bolts to the caliper mount bracket.

EDIT: will this LOKAR cable work?? http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LOK-EC8004U/

 

[TB350]

Hi, I think this one may be the one you need.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LOK-EC-80FUTB/Application/?prefilter=0
I'm in a similar bind, SBC discs installed by PO. Looks like he got them mounted using the original cables, but the length of them puts the equalizer very close to the front u-joint (funny story on that later!!!) So close that it made contact with the revolving joint when hitting rough road at speed (load and scary!). Anyway those are the cables I'm going to try after I finish installing my new front suspension. Good luck! Kip

 

[daveSanborn]

if the caliper was in the back......

I was under the impression that ALL aftermarket rear disc brake kits installed the caliper "to the rear".....

With the calipers installed on the forward side of the rotor..... the parking brake cable would have to route aft of the rearend and come in from behind the axle.

Are you 100% positive that you have the kit installed properly? I can't envision a company designing a kit to operate in this fashion.... especially high dollar SSBC.

 

[TB350]

Agreed, mine are installed to the rear like Dave said. My cable enters an "L" bracket bolted to the bottom of the brake assembly after going over the top of the frame rail (65FB). Kip

 

[BobV]

May (or may not) be of help to you, but here's a few pics of the Lokar cable setup...
In this case, it's a hump-mount handle at the front and Versailles calipers at the rear.

 

[daveSanborn]

Perfect pictures of how the Lokar rear cables attach at the forward end. I installed this kit on my son's car, but connected them to the factory ebrake lever instead of a tunnel mount handle.


Hivewax,

I'd play around with the mounting brackets and calipers if I were you. It just doesn't make any sense to have the calipers mounted on the forward side of the rotor.... something seems amiss.

 

[hivewax]

Cobra Auto doesn't have any examples. they have only one car with rear discs and it has no e-brake. i just sent SSBC tech support some pix... waiting for their reply. i tried installing the caliper on back of the rotor, but the lower caliper thru-bolt hits the leaf spring. 2-piece mount bracket had 2 adjustments... neither worked.

 

[hivewax]

only way i can think of to put the caliper on the back of the rotor is to lift the rear end housing off the leaf springs... just have to remove drive-shaft, unbolt the u-bolts + shocks. PITA. SSBC tech just gave me a stupid answer:

Use the clevis, and L-bracket provided to attach cable jacket to caliper mounting bracket and cable end to parking brake lever. It appears that your OEM cables are quite long, you may need a shorter pair to get a more straight pull on the lever.