57 emergency brake cable with type 3 rears

[jason]

I have a 57 that I am going to put type three rear brakes on. My question is what cables should I use? I see that 56-57 have different ends by the shoes. I think I should use the regular 58-64 ones but they are different length. I had them on my 59 and they were fine with the stock 59 ones. Do the cables exit at same spot on the frame horns as a 59?

[66brm]

Pretty sure they exit at the same spot, the reason for the length change is originally the cables enter the backing plate from the rear of the car, ie they loop around and enter in a forward direction hence the need for more length.

If you think the late oval is fun fitting the T3's, I'm currently fitting them to a 54/55, absolute nightmare as the cables are attached at the front beam area of the pan
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Aust. RHD 66 Type 1
Aust. RHD 57 Type 1 Oval

[Snort]

There was a change, not sure what year, where a spring was added to the cable between the flexible housing and the eye which hooks on to the ebrake lever on the shoe, but I'm not aware of any other differences inside the drum assembly and it doesn't affect the fitment. Can you describe what you're seeing as different ends? I'm curious.

The cable exit point on the frame horns is different for 58-up. I've read of people using later cables on 56-57 frames but I've never seen any explanation on how they were able to get them to fit properly, of course they are rotating the backing plates 180 degrees but I measured the difference in the two frames once and my recollection is that it was enough of a difference that it would be a problem.

[Bluemanx212]

You should use the 58-64 cables with the type 3 baking plates as the old ones are longer because they come in the back at the top and the 58-64 come in the front at the bottom.

[jason]

Snort these are the different ends I was talking about, the ones you mentioned. My main concern was if the 58-64 would be too short. I forgot that the original went backwards.

56-57

58-64

[Snort]

Well those certainly show the difference I was mentioning about the spring change. The one without the spring is simply retracted into the flexible housing but otherwise the same except for length.

I would be curious if you end up trying the later style cables on your early frame to know if they fit, or if they don't fit then how much too short or long they are.

You do have the early frame still?

[jason]

Not too early, I wish. It is a 57. I will post pics when I do it. I am going through my stuff trying to find everything. I've moved a few times while I was collecting. I am trying to locate some springs for the rears right now. As soon as I do I can buy the cables. Are the rear springs the same on any other model or year?
My rears are a bit different though. I took a pair of 944 rear hubs and machined the snout down to fit short axles and drilled a 66< drum to fit the porsche pattern hub. I prefer the forged hub over the cast one. Everything is VW but the hub. You can get them at the junkyard cheaper than having your hubs drilled.

[jason]

I finally got around to putting them on. I had to shorten the springs 1 inch and add to the cable length. I think it would of been easier with the early ones. Had to add 40mm. Here's a pic before I ground the weld.

[Snort]

Thanks for the update.

When you say that you shortened the spring by one inch why exactly was than necessary?

[jason]

It might just be the cables were made differently. I've used them on a 59 before and they were the right length inside the drums. For some reason these wouldn't move enough, the springs were binding so I cut them down.

[tisius]

useful thread
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drive it like you just robbed the bank
you don't have to be crazy to be into VW's, but it sure helps!!
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[jason]

Tried a coupling nut instead of welding at first, too wide. It goes along side the brake handle.

[EVfun]