Correct E-Brake cables for 59(60?) with Big Nut Transaxle

[Riff Raff]

I did a search but did not find an answer to this specific question.
I have a big nut transaxle to swap into my Sept 1 59 Mango.
Will the existing small nut park brake cables work with the big nut transaxle?
If not, which ones will work?
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The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin

[Mikee]

yes they should work
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[Eric&Barb]

Hi Riff Raff,
You need 1964-67 brake cables and look in yellow pages for "wire rope" for a shop that can swedge on new ends after you cut down the later cables to the earlier cable length.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[Mikee]

[Lind]

[Riff Raff]

The Mango has the forward e-brake handle (I think)as it is a tunnel trans and bent shifter, (VIN 503184) but the e-brake adjustment is under the front floor, not part way up the handle in the cab like the later models.
So there is not a stock cable that will work?
I will have to cut the 64-67 to length?
_________________
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin

[Campy]

Check out a thread that I did on this some time ago and don't splice your cables!
It's true that you can't use the later emergency brake cables in an older bus because they are longer but you can adapt the later model rear brake plates to accept the metal "stop" at the rear end of the cable housing of the earlier cable/housing. Make sure that you save the "stop" which the end of the cable casing rests against inside the old brake plate for use on the later brake plate.
I have done this many times. If you can't find the thread, let me know and I will explain it, again.

[Mikee]

I like camrods idea, here is the thread campy was talking about

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=188724&highlight=brake
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[Campy]

My mind must be tired but I'm not sure what camerod meant about extending the cables. In Riff Raff's case, the later emergency brake cables are too long because the threaded ends don't get poked up through the floor and the later rear brake plates have the external, spot welded on cable casing stop, which is wrong for the older style cable housing end.
For the 1958 bus body on a four-wheel drive jeep chassis that I was restoring, I mated the front part of the bus cables to the jeep cables at the rear by cutting the jeep and bus cables, and connecting the ends together with one of those over one inch long metal connectors, then crimping it twice on each end with a special, large crimping tool. It has worked fine.
By far the best way is to remove the spotwelded on cable casing stop on the outside of the later model brake plate and do what I suggested in my thread in the other post. You use the stock emergency cables (no splicing) and your later model rear brake plate will look like the original, but smaller, brake plate. I did it over twenty years ago to my 1957 bus and, more recently, to the 1958 walk-thru bus I was restoring when I put a big stub axle transaxle in it.

[Riff Raff]

Thanks for all the suggestions!
The cable casing stop on my big nut transaxle is certainly different from the small nut. It looks as though someone welded on a small metal cylinder. Is that correct?
_________________
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin

[Campy]

That was what they changed: they went from the metal end of the cable casing going through a hole in the brake plate and being held on by a removable clamp, to an external spot welded on pedestal or stop to hold the end of the casing. That pedestal is what you remove by grinding off the four spot welds, leaving a hole, then enlarge the hole to make it look like the hole in the old brake plate. That includes not lengthening the hole too much at the front so you can bend the metal towards the brake drum, to act as a guide for the casing, just like on the older plate. Then, all you have to do is drill a hole in the plate so the clamp from the old plate can be mounted, with a small bolt and nut, to go over the metal end of the cable's casing to hold it in place, just like the old one.
After thinking about it, camerod's method must be to have something solid like a tube go over the end of the longer, later model cable to take up the extra length where it goes through the linkage below the emergency brake. Is that right?

[incynr8]

note to self.......stick with crashbox small nut.
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..........
Do it right, or don't bother.

[camerod]

[Riff Raff]

I still have not resolved this.
These cables are one year only (May 59 to May 60)and there seems to be little demand for them as WW has been out of stock forever and no one else has them that I have found.
The original park brake cables are still on the original transaxle, but I can't get one of the drums off to retrieve the cable on that side.

I have soaked the spline with penetrating oil regularly and occasionally whacked the drum with a hammer on my way by for the last few months. That drum is stubborn. Nobody has a wide 5 drum puller around here, so I suppose I will have to commision one of my buddies with a welder to build me one based on that design that has the puller sub as a shop stool when not in use. (Props to the designer)
I have not been doing any work on the Mango over the summer as my philosophy is that summer is for driving and winter is for wrenching.
I am going to have to address this problem soon though.
Camerod - do you have a couple of those extensions custom built that I can get from you?
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The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin

[splitpile]

[Riff Raff]

[TimGud]

[Mikee]

[spiritwalker]

For the thread...

19??-1958 ????mm ( I measured 124.5" on a early model 59)

1959- 5/1960 3330mm (131.1")

5/1960-7/1963 3460mm (136.2")

8/1964-1967 3465mm (136.4)

1968-1969 3150mm

1970-Death 3440mm

[DubStyle]

Great thread and I like camerod's idea as well. Another option is a 64 - 67 cable cut to lenght with the set screw type ends that you can buy at CIP1. Thanks to widefive for this info!
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Anthony

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