Technical Handbrake cable

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Technical Handbrake cable

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Mar 18, 2011
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Hi does anybody know how to replace the handbrake cable? The car is a 1.9 sporting with rear discs. Just been quoted £61.80 for just the cable from fiat so thought I would attempt myself.

Any help greatly appreciated
 
I'd like to know how you get on. My cable's boots are split and I have been quoted £165 by fiat for replacement cables.
 
Techs at works garage adjusted mine a few weeks ago, bit of a fiddle!
Remove your armrest, 3 nuts under the lumbar switch panel and carefully prise/lift up rear of console.

Then the fun starts, you will need fingers like ET to access thru the massively over engineered bracket for the armrest, welded to the floor, and the fixing to the lever end is a real cracker, perseverance and luck along with loads of swearing will eventually do the job, GOOD LUCK!

BTW if the rest of the car was as over engineered as the armrest bracket it would weigh about 2 tonnes and never break down!!!:devil:
 
I don't have an armrest. I have got the cables so going to have a go at replacing them when im off work next week. Will let you know how I get on.
 
Right, to update this. I've replaced both handbrake cables this evening. It's pretty straight forward to do. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures however I will try my best to explain what I did.
Firstly, make sure the car is parked up and put on axle stands with the rear wheels removed and the handbrake off. Then, undo the cable adjuster fully under the centre console.
Then release the cable from the equalising piece.
Next, pull the cables through from underneath the car.
There are a series of metal clips that are really stiff. Best way to open these is with a screw driver and pair of pliers.
The cables will need a good tug to remove from the clips. Work down the car towards the rear brake. The passenger side cable runs under the exhaust heat shield. I just bent mine out of the way for better access.
Once at the caliper the end will be sized in. I used a spanner to wiggle it from side to side and it should come free.
Release the inner part of the cable from the caliper and remove.
That should be the cable completely off.
To put the new one in just follow the process in reverse making sure the rubber protectors are in the right place for the clamps.
Once the cable has run back to the hole and into the car it's just a case of fastening the cables back into the equaliser bar and screw it back onto the spring on the handbrake lever.

Hopefully that should be your lot. Any questions just ask.
 
Right, to update this. I've replaced both handbrake cables this evening. It's pretty straight forward to do. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures however I will try my best to explain what I did.
Firstly, make sure the car is parked up and put on axle stands with the rear wheels removed and the handbrake off. Then, undo the cable adjuster fully under the centre console.
Then release the cable from the equalising piece.
Next, pull the cables through from underneath the car.
There are a series of metal clips that are really stiff. Best way to open these is with a screw driver and pair of pliers.
The cables will need a good tug to remove from the clips. Work down the car towards the rear brake. The passenger side cable runs under the exhaust heat shield. I just bent mine out of the way for better access.
Once at the caliper the end will be sized in. I used a spanner to wiggle it from side to side and it should come free.
Release the inner part of the cable from the caliper and remove.
That should be the cable completely off.
To put the new one in just follow the process in reverse making sure the rubber protectors are in the right place for the clamps.
Once the cable has run back to the hole and into the car it's just a case of fastening the cables back into the equaliser bar and screw it back onto the spring on the handbrake lever.

Hopefully that should be your lot. Any questions just ask.
Hi, sorry to bring up an old thread!

I had a crack at removing the handbrake cable earlier (MOT fail on handbrake) but couldn't get the cable out at the caliper end.

I removed the cable fully from the lever end so it was slack but there seems too much tension at the caliper end to get the thing out!

Are there any bolts I should be removing?

I checked on eLearn but I can't make sense of it.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jacob
 
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