# Stretched emergency brake cable



## Marster (Aug 12, 2009)

I have a stretched emergency brake cable in a Dodge Dakota. It happened when a mechanic used the e-brake to adjust the rear brakes. (????) So I was told. Now the e-brake sticks and drags on the brakes if I use it. I havent used it since last year but was told by the guy who inspects it that it needs to be replaced. My question is can I adjust it to eliminate this problem or is replacing it my only option? I put WD-40 on the adjuster even though it wasnt rusted. It appears to be in decent shape as far as no rust. Any suggestions?


----------



## d.n.f. (Aug 12, 2009)

My father in law is a mechanic and he always told me, use it or never engage it.  One or the other.


I use it all the time now.  Because the day you park on that super steep hill and pull it and it breaks you will be hating life.


----------



## Marster (Aug 12, 2009)

LADYGO DIVA said:
			
		

> doesnt make sense that a stretched out cable would result in brakes sticking. does ebrake pedal return fully upon release?



It appears to come back but it's very sloppy. Like it doesnt have enough tension. A guy used it to adjust the rear brakes.....so he said. Since then the pedal is sloppy and it sticks and drags the rear wheels. I was thinking adjusting it tighter may help. I need it for inspection.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Aug 12, 2009)

To adjust your rear brakes the mechanic first set the emergency break.  Then he disengaged the emergency brake without pressing the brake pedal.  He then put the truck in reverse and let the truck coast.  The forth step is to slam on the brakes and this adjusts the brake.  

On my Dakota you can tighten the brake cable fairly easily.  On mine, IIRC, when the cable travels under the passenger seat it makes a 90 degree turn back toward the rear of the truck.  It goes through a bracket that you can tighten the cable with by turning a nut.   I can't remember exactly what it looked like but it must function like a turnbuckle.   

It sounds odd that it would be sticking.  Going back to your title a stretched cable would stop the brake from engaging completely.  Can you push the e brake pedal to the floor?  

Are you saying the brake feels like it's engaged as you drive around?  If so, he just adjusted a bit too much.  

Matt


----------



## Gooserider (Aug 13, 2009)

Not an expert, but it sounds to me like you have a wrong diagnosis...  On every vehicle I'm familiar with, the e-brake cable runs from the control (pedal, lever, whatever) in the driver space back towards the rear wheels, where it will connect to a "bridge" or cable splitter that converts the single cable from the control to a dual cable that goes to each rear wheel.  The brake engages when the control causes the cable to tighten, and disengages when the cable loosens.  The cable SHOULD be somewhat slack when the contol is released, usually there will be a spring to help disengage the control, and springs in the rear brake mechanisms to pull some slack in the cable and allow the e-brake to disengage.

If the cable is slack at the bridge, but the brakes feel like they are still engaged, either the cables to the wheels are corroded and need lubrication / replacement (very common in vehicles in salted roads areas, especially if the E-brake is seldom used) or there is something wrong with the brake release mechanism inside the wheels.  Possibly the issue is that the mechanic got the brakes overly tight as EBL suggested - most brakes these days are automatically adjusting, and shouldn't need any mechanic adjustments unless possibly right after a brake job.

A stretched cable should keep the brakes from engaging, not causing a release problem.

If I was a betting person, I'd put my money on one or both of the wheel cables being sticky, and not releasing properly - this would cause the brakes to drag, and keep the slack in the cables from getting used up by the release mechanisms, with the excess slack causing the sloppy feel at the pedal...

Gooserider


----------



## JustWood (Aug 13, 2009)

Me thinx your cable is rusty and mayB spring brokey. NOT stretchy.
Lube with PB blaster at highest point of cable freequentLEE or replace.


----------



## Hogwildz (Aug 13, 2009)

Put the new cable in and be done with it.


----------



## Marster (Aug 13, 2009)

EatenByLimestone said:
			
		

> It sounds odd that it would be sticking.  Going back to your title a stretched cable would stop the brake from engaging completely.  Can you push the e brake pedal to the floor?
> 
> Are you saying the brake feels like it's engaged as you drive around?  If so, he just adjusted a bit too much.
> 
> Matt



Yes, my inside pedal goes completly to the floor. Before he used it to adjust the brakes, I had a half a pedal. Now it's clean to the floor in order to get it to engage. 

It drags on the one wheel unless I go under the truck and pull the cable back to get it to disengage. I did notice just last evening while I was spraying everything with penatrating oil that where the one tube goes into the backside of the hub looks loose. Could this cause it? It's the tube the cable goes through.

Thanks for your help. I am not real familiar with rear brakes but this appears to be something simple.


----------



## Marster (Aug 13, 2009)

Gooserider said:
			
		

> Not an expert, but it sounds to me like you have a wrong diagnosis...  On every vehicle I'm familiar with, the e-brake cable runs from the control (pedal, lever, whatever) in the driver space back towards the rear wheels, where it will connect to a "bridge" or cable splitter that converts the single cable from the control to a dual cable that goes to each rear wheel.  The brake engages when the control causes the cable to tighten, and disengages when the cable loosens.  The cable SHOULD be somewhat slack when the contol is released, usually there will be a spring to help disengage the control, and springs in the rear brake mechanisms to pull some slack in the cable and allow the e-brake to disengage.
> 
> If the cable is slack at the bridge, but the brakes feel like they are still engaged, either the cables to the wheels are corroded and need lubrication / replacement (very common in vehicles in salted roads areas, especially if the E-brake is seldom used) or there is something wrong with the brake release mechanism inside the wheels.  Possibly the issue is that the mechanic got the brakes overly tight as EBL suggested - most brakes these days are automatically adjusting, and shouldn't need any mechanic adjustments unless possibly right after a brake job.
> 
> ...




You may be right about it being the brake mechanism in the wheel. As I said in the previous post, I noticed the tube that carries the cable to the one wheel is loose.....meaning it turns. The cable looks to be in decent shape. This weekend I want to pull both wheels and take a closer look inside. Maybe something did break or got stretched while he was using the e-brake to adjust. This is when it all started.

Do they sell kits or do these parts come with a new cable? My cable does appear to be fine as far as rust. I never had to replace a cable or any part that related to the e-brake....so my knowledge is very limited in this area.  Appreciate your help.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Aug 13, 2009)

Autozone or any other auto parts store should be able to get you the parts you need.  Opening up the brake to see what is going on is a good idea.  Randomly spraying penetrating oil into a brake isn't the best.  Luckily the front brakes do most of the work.  I'd bet most of the people in the US only use their front brakes since the back brakes are not adjusted correctly after being worn down.  

Matt


----------



## Flatbedford (Aug 13, 2009)

Cable is rusted or rear brakes are way out of adjustment or very worn or return springs are shot.  The truck may need some rear brake work. Drum brakes are pretty easy and cheap to work on. Corrosion is keeping something from not moving the way it should.  My $.02.


----------



## Marster (Aug 15, 2009)

Thanks everyone for all the very good advice. Hopefully,  today I will be pulling the rear wheels and taking a look at what is going on.


----------



## fbelec (Aug 26, 2009)

if you are doing the job yourself  you will be able to tell what your problem is. and that is if it is drum brakes, and you have a hard time removing the drum. if you can get the drum off by wiggling and turning clockwise and counterclockwise and it releases then you will need new cables. if it is just plain hard to get off then readjust the self adjuster and put the drum back on set your e brake and release and then try taking off the drum again. if it is tight again then the cables are junk. if the drum comes off easy as it went on then that is all it was if you are going to have someone else do the work then don't take it to the same monkey.

oh ya if your doing it yourself buy a can of brake clean. any grease you get on the pad surface you can get off with the brake clean


----------

