Frozen TCS Handbrake Cables - any hope?

[FourLoti]

Hi:

Mine are seized up for sure. Managed to undo the clevis at the backing plates, but noting budging with the inner cable.

Does it make any sense to try penetrant on the sections I can reach, or would that just be wasting chemicals?

Thanks,

Ron

[4129R]

The cable inside the outer cable is about 4ft long each side.

If the inner cable has corroded, and is therefore bigger than it should be, it is not going to move inside much of 8ft of outer cable.

If you took the whole thing out and soaked it overnight in an acid to dissolve the corrosion, you many have a chance of getting it moving.

My advice, fit a new complete cable.

[EuropaTC]

Sorry Ron, but it's "what he ^^ said"

You might be able to get them moving but leave them alone for ten minutes and they'll be sticking again. Not worth the hassle, fit new ones and move on to the next job !

Brian

[kram350kram]

Try an Evapo-rust soak. I have had pretty good luck freeing up rusted landscaping equipment cables and other rusted items.

[Richard48Y]

+1 on Evapo-Rust, 24 hours should do it.
Try getting them to move after the first 12 hours.
Rinse and dry after, then soak in Sili-Kroil.

[EuropaTC]

Yep, you're right, it will be possible to get the cable moving again and if it wasn't possible to get a replacement or I needed the car moving asap, then I'd also free it off. I've done exactly that with an old MR2 going in for it's MoT test and probably even the Europa over the last 30-odd years.

But it doesn't last because if it's rusted the galvanising will have gone on the inside of the bowden cable and sod's law is that it's in the middle where you can't see. You can pour oil in or even molten waxoyl but the chance of 100% rustproofing is low, so it's going to go again.

The best you can do is remove the cable and soak in oil but if you use the car regularly or in wet weather then it's only a matter of time before you're going round the loop again. A new cable is £55-ish, not cheap I grant you, but I suppose it's how much value you put on your time to remove/soak/free/replace. The handbrake is lousy but it's the only emergency brake you've got so it might as well work.

[FourLoti]

Thanks everyone! Not super worried about the cost of new, but I read somewhere it's very difficult to remove these things. One thread mentioned removing the engine. Is it actually possible to pull them out without that much work?

Ron

[jbcollier]

The engine is not really in the way.  The tough bit is getting at the u-shaped “multiplier” buried in the chassis.

[4129R]

The engine is not really in the way.  The tough bit is getting at the u-shaped “multiplier” buried in the chassis.

and prising the ends of the U apart to get the cable out.

Easier to disconnect the spring, undo the two 1/2" nuts used for adjustment on the single cable to the reaction lever, take the cable with U attached on to a bench, and carefully open the crimped ends with a metal chisel and hammer.

BTW, the cable outers are held into the Y of the chassis with C clips.

[dakazman]

  I think if you disconnect the front lever the cable pulls up in the tunnel to allow better access. Tie a wire on to the end so you can pull it back .

  Dakazman

[FourLoti]

Thanks everyone. Just figured out how to get a good look at the U from the console. Makes more sense now. Also, I found this thorough thread I'd missed before. http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1480.0

I will inspect with my bore scope camera but am hoping to see that I have the large center hole in the slot at the rear, so I can pull everything up and out. A bit concerned about the c clips, however.

Will report back.

[FourLoti]

OK, after vacuuming out several dozen acorns, (along with a rusty 7/16 wrench!) I'm making progress. Released the single cable from the pivot bar and backed off both adjusting nuts. Also was able to finally get some movement from the inners so I had enough slack to remove the ends from the slotted tabs near the backing plate. (The cables were seized in the fully engaged position - had to cobble up a slide hammer implement and attach it to the clevis.)

And my car does have the center opening in the slot! So now, my remaining challenge is those c clips. Had to take a break but headed out to do battle shortly. Any clip tips would be great! OH, also how the heck to unhook the tensioning spring with its full circle end?

Ron

[GavinT]

And do yourself a favour by replacing the 2 x adjusting nuts with a single Nyloc.
That's plenty and with a pair of pointy nose vice-grips you won't need to invite over our mythical 70 pound Filipino buddy because he's the only one who can get two ams down the access hole.

The spring? - the same pointy nose vice-grips.

[4129R]

OK, after vacuuming out several dozen acorns,

You wonder how they got in there !

So now, my remaining challenge is those c clips. Had to take a break but headed out to do battle shortly. Any clip tips would be great!

I used a flat blade screw driver to ease them away.

OH, also how the heck to unhook the tensioning spring with its full circle end?

I put electrical wire around the end, pulled the wire to get it as far back as possible, and with the other hand and needle nosed pliers eased the spring off the chassis. 

[FourLoti]

Thanks - very helpful!

As for the acorns, pretty sure it was through the convenient round "cable extraction" hole in the center of the slot.

Ron