JohnnyBs68S

I'll need to install a longer front parking brake cable to accomodate my trans swap (moving the crossmember back requires a shorter intermediate cable and longer front cable). I've not been able to locate any instructions / advice on replacing that front cable from the pedal to the "Y" right behind the crossmember. It mounts / clips to the frame, and then snakes up through the frame, behind the wheel well liner and dissappears where I presumes it goes through the firewall to the pedal assembly. Anyone have advice or hints on how to do this replacement w/o taking out the (plastic) wheel well? TIA.

Alternatively, if there was some "gadget" that would extend the effective length of the front cable by ~6-7" that would allow the existing cable to work w/ the new crossmember location (like a turnbuckle or something), I'm all ears on that solution too.

oldcutlass

It's normally just the intermediate cable. On mine I fabricated a shorter hook on the passenger side and tightened up the slack with the adjustment. No cable replacement needed, and been working for 5 years like that.

jag1886

Look under (Putting a 200r4 in my 65), I didn't change any cables just slightly rerouted them and it works better than than it did stock. If you need any questions answered just ask, I went through hell getting mine to work as good as the stock transmission did but it does now and I'm glad I did it. There is a wealth of information on the Buick GN sights about this transmission, those boys have it figured out.

joe_padavano

We have this same discussion every time. The factory didn't use different parts just for the heck of it. The e-brake cables need to work under the full range of manufacturing tolerances, brake wear and adjustment, etc. The cables are cheap and frankly probably need to be replaced after 50 years anyway.

Both the front and intermediate cables are different. A 200-4R uses the same ones as a TH400. As I noted in your other thread, be sure the intermediate cable matches your car's wheelbase, as there were three different ones for 68-72. The front cable snaps into a hole in the floorpan. There is a special tool for compressing the retention fingers, but I've had success by using a small hose clamp to compress the fingers so the cable sheath can be pulled out.

Octania

Also, if you are replacing the old cable, feel free to break off the retaining ears for easy removal.

If you really had to, you could gain some few inches of cable by extending the threaded adjusto-portion of the front cable. The right sizes of these:

http://www.grainger.com/product/Thre...ers&cm_vc=CFTS

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-8-16-x-1-1...item5d4a138e00

joe_padavano

The correct front cable is Raybestos P/N BC92407, under $24 at RockAuto.
The correct intermediate cable is Raybestos P/N BC92352, $13 at RockAuto.

JohnnyBs68S

Thanks for the PNs Joe. I'm definately getting a new intermediate cable, that's real easy to install, and too cheap to screw around with.

I'm still undecided about the front cable though, given its higher level of difficulty. I like Octania's idea w/ the threaded sleeve / rod, it seems like it'd be alot easier to do. But before I commit to that solution, I'm going to do a little more checking on removing that front cable and those retention clips you describe. If they are anything like how the rear cables clip into the backing plates of the rear brakes, I found that the right sized deep-well socket works quite well to squeeze all the "tangs" at the same time. I probably just need to get up under the dash and dig under the corner of the carpet to see where it comes through the floorboard. You make a good point that its probably ready to be replaced anyway after nearly 50 years. The compression spring on the cable under the floorboard is kinda crusty.

Thanks all for the ideas!

joe_padavano

They are exactly like the ones at the backing plates.

charlie_hustle

Sorry to jump on an old thread, but I just replaced my front parking brake cable last night and was grateful to have found some good info on the forum. Thanks especially for the part numbers, Joe! First, you definitely need both cables if you swap from a th350 to a 2004r like I did. I saw on some other thread here that only the intermediate was needed, so I tried that first and failed. Releasing the locking prongs was definitely a bear for me. I tried the hose clamp trick, the socket trick, then I tried breaking off the prongs, then the hose clamp trick (again), and lots of cursing mixed in. It still wouldn't budge. There was a prong in the back that was just ridiculously stubborn. Eventually, I got it out by using a box wrench to compress the last prong, while simultaneously forcing it down with vicegrips. Once the prongs were finally clear, it was fairly easy to remove and replace it by removing a few of the wheel well liner bolts and pulling the plastic back just enough to get a grip on the cable with a channel lock and wriggling it free. The new one snapped in like a breeze. Like so many jobs on these old cars, it seemed like it would be relatively easy, but all bets are off when it comes to parts that haven't been moved in four decades.

JohnnyBs68S

Indeed, these old cars with crusty fasteners can be a real treat to work on. However, at least you don't need a computer and a PhD in programming to figure out how to make them work.

As a follow up, I did replace the front brake cable on my car, thank goodness that front wheel well liner was plastic and not metal, it would've definately left more bruises / cuts in my forearm had it been metal.

joe_padavano

Yup. The cable housing needs to be perfectly perpendicular to the sheet metal and you need to push up on it to compress the rubber seal and provide enough clearance for the prong to be retracted.

That usually requires at least five hands...

charlie_hustle

I think the modern engines are a blessing and a curse. I love it when I'm able to read a check engine light code, google the result, replace the part, and be on my way. Other times, I am left wondering why some engineer thought it would be smart to bury a spark plug so far back that you have to practically pull the engine to replace it, or what possessed them to design interference engines that are never more than a snapped timing belt away from committing ritual suicide. And the OBD cars definitely can't complete with the satisfaction of keeping an old rocket on the road with a vacuum gauge, a timing light, a few tools, and your senses.

joe_padavano

Unfortunately, all my OBD cars seem to have failures that either don't set a code or aren't fixed by the textbook solution. This is also why "mechanics" today are really just "parts changers" who couldn't diagnose their way out of a paper bag.

Octania

The '06 Charger has a habit of throwing a code on a long trip, for no apparent reason.

P0296 I believe.

search says it might be a leak in the xst, or silicone contamination of the rear O2 sensors. The $20 code reader clears it away and motoring resumes w/o the SES light.

It was handy I guess when the EGR died and the code said "EGR malfunction" and since there isn't much to it besides the electromechanical device, it got a new one and voila solved.

I did use silicone grease on the tube where it enters the intake plenum so maybe some molecules of silicone worked thru the engine and are now hugging the rear O2 sensors.

They say you can tell the car to ignore these rear sensors with the Predator (R) Fiddling Tool which I do have.

joe_padavano

The only purpose of the rear sensors on any OBD II car is to monitor the health of the catalyst. They do not provide any useful information to the EFI, only to the emissions inspection station. If disabling them does not send the smog police after you at inspection time, you'll never miss them.

oldcutlass

On my 67 the cable actually needed to be shorter. When I moved the xmember back for the T400.