1996 854 Parking brake cable seems short

[Klausc]

It's been almost a year since I replaced the driver's side parking cable, along with both rotors and hardware.

A couple of week ago, I heard a noise while navigating a low speed right hand turn. To isolate the noise, I pulled up on the E brake handle and heard a strange click noise. After much thought and close inspection, I noticed that the brake cable was next to the inside tire and actually touching the raised letters when the brake was engaged.

Today, I tried to move the cable and no luck. There never was enough cable to use the original suspension mount (plastic clip and rivet) when I installed the new cable and I didn't even think of the cable touching the wheel.

Is this just a short cable? Did I do something stupid? I thought I routed it correctly, there isn't much to do wrong. It is only 20F in the garage these days and I really don't want to lift the carpet and risk breaking plastic. The cable stay under the carpet was reused and holding the cable.

Thanks.

[ajm]

This was discussed on another forum recently and a few people (including me) have found something similar. I think the consensus was that the overall length of the cable is probably correct, but the larger diameter outer protective sleeving covering certain parts of the cable outer is possibly in the wrong place.

I seem to have excess slack between the cable entry point to the cabin and the plastic clip held in with a torx screw by the sill - there's an extra sleeve there that stops one pulling more cable through the clip; this leaves the remaining section which runs back to the wheel a bit too short to route neatly.

I've "solved" it with several large cable ties to pull the cable back towards the suspension arm and away from the tyre but it's still pretty close (though it doesn't touch.)

The cable still works fine as the overall length of both inner and outer seems to be pretty much correct, it's just the routing that's an issue.

(Edit to say - in every case this has been with third party cables, not genuine parts)

[Klausc]

This was discussed on another forum recently and a few people (including me) have found something similar. I think the consensus was that the overall length of the cable is probably correct, but the larger diameter outer protective sleeving covering certain parts of the cable outer is possibly in the wrong place.

I seem to have excess slack between the cable entry point to the cabin and the plastic clip held in with a torx screw by the sill - there's an extra sleeve there that stops one pulling more cable through the clip; this leaves the remaining section which runs back to the wheel a bit too short to route neatly.

I've "solved" it with several large cable ties to pull the cable back towards the suspension arm and away from the tyre but it's still pretty close (though it doesn't touch.)

The cable still works fine as the overall length of both inner and outer seems to be pretty much correct, it's just the routing that's an issue.

(Edit to say - in every case this has been with third party cables, not genuine parts)

It has been a year since I put the new cable on, but I believe it is aftermarket junk. I wondered if I could cut some of the large outer sheathing off so the attachment to the sill plate will give me more room by the rear tire.

[ajm]

It has been a year since I put the new cable on, but I believe it is aftermarket junk. I wondered if I could cut some of the large outer sheathing off so the attachment to the sill plate will give me more room by the rear tire.

I thought the same thing, but worried about damaging the sheathing underneath - it doesn't take much of a crack before the salty water gets in and ruins the cable... possibly better than having it rub on your tyre though! It's a pity that such a tiny detail ruins an otherwise perfectly acceptable part.

[Klausc]

The cable IS too short. As soon as it gets above freezing, I am going to go to the local bone yard and pull a brake cable off a 1998-99. I will then compare the lengths and update this thread.