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Barry Van der Ende

Lubricating Parking Brake Cables?

32 posts in this topic

How do you lubricate stickly (or siezed) parking brake cables. Can it be done from inside the car? Do the cables come through to the leaver in a accessable way so that you can put some oil (penerating, or other) on the cables so it can run down into the cable. I use to do this to my motercycle cables yearly before puting it away for the winter season, and never had any sticking problem. I want to do this yearly for the car as well but don't know where to but the oil. Thanks in advance for your help in this.

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They are under the car. You can trace them back from the rear brakes quite easily.Good luck!

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Why oil or grease ? I was very sure that there was a PTFE hose inside

the bowden cable. Found a pair, parted from a '00 Cabrio in my garage.

But no, - the PTFE hose application were somewhere else. So, clean

oil and grease them is a good idea. Now I know where I saw it, the

damper at a steam boiler at work is regulated with a special bowden cable.

Here is a picture with the spare part number.

Yours, CcL :-)

post-90-1269114211_thumb.jpg

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Another application for Wurth HHS 2000...

What on Eurth is Wurth HHS 2000?? Where can I get it? I've seen it mentioned in other posts but I've never heard of it.For the parking brake cables at least, wouldn't good ol' WD-40, Liquid Wrench, or something similar from Princess Auto also do the job?

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Posted (edited) · Report post

It can be purchased from the head office; address from their website at http://www.wurthcanada.com/ follows:

Würth Canada Limited

6330 Tomken Road

Mississauga, Ontario, L5T 1N2

Telephone: (905) 564-6225

Toll Free Phone: 1-800-263-5002

Toll Free Fax: 1-800-347-0677

I.T. Pager 905-564-6225 x4848

1-800-263-5002 x4848

For inquiries about the website, please email webmaster@wurth.ca

For all other inquiries, please email info@wurth.ca

Edited by smart65

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For the parking brake cables at least, wouldn't good ol' WD-40, Liquid Wrench, or something similar from Princess Auto also do the job?

WD-40 and Liquid Wrench are penetrants. They could loosen the 'stuck' cables if they are not too far gone, but a real lubricant should be used to ensure proper performance of the cables. Wurth HHS 2000 or a number of other quality lubricants is something a DIY'er should not be without ;)Ron

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Seized up spring rod and equalizer mechanism is a more common problem than stiff brake cables....

Yah... Mike T's new "Canada One" had a seized parking brake. He wasn't sure what it was that seized but I suspect this is what it was.Thanks,Bil :sun:

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That is indeed what it was. The car must have been stored for a while in a damp place.

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WD-40 and Liquid Wrench are penetrants. They could loosen the 'stuck' cables if they are not too far gone, but a real lubricant should be used to ensure proper performance of the cables. Wurth HHS 2000 or a number of other quality lubricants is something a DIY'er should not be without ;)Ron

The parking brakes still work but they appear weak and not as good as they were when I first got the car. I noticed the difference with the Mazda 3 I rented while the Smart was being fixed last week.

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If your cables begin to seize it might be a better plan to buy a new one and pre-lube it before it is installed.

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If your cables begin to seize it might be a better plan to buy a new one and pre-lube it before it is installed.

And fit grease nipples to avoid premature "brakedown" which was one of my many next to do projects. The plan was to modify a new pair of Morris Minor cables which come with grease nipples.

Posted Image

Morris Minor van/ pick up handbrake cable - price each GBP 11 incl of P&P.

I later found that a new pair of Eicher hand brake cables fitting my Smart Cabrio can be bought (in the UK) for only GBP 14.50 inclusive of VAT and UK mainland delivery.

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I later found that a new pair of Eicher hand brake cables fitting my Smart Cabrio can be bought (in the UK) for only GBP 14.50 inclusive of VAT and UK mainland delivery.

Do you mean they were a straight-across substitution without modification? If so, did you get a part number?... picking your brains again!Bil :sun:

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Do you mean they were a straight-across substitution without modification? If so, did you get a part number?... picking your brains again!Bil :sun:

Hope this link works.

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Hope this link works.

Yes, thank you! I misunderstood that these have grease nipples?

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7.19 pounds?? Isn't that like $16-17?? Mercedes wanted $160 for a handbrake cable - plus installation!

For real!? That's what they quoted you? :oh:

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For real!? That's what they quoted you? :oh:

Victoria Star in Kitchener quoted me $333 for a spring and $160-170 for the parking brake cable, plus about three hours installation which would have brought the bill to > $800.

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Victoria Star in Kitchener quoted me $333 for a spring and $160-170 for the parking brake cable, plus about three hours installation which would have brought the bill to > $800.

Overcharge by $3-400 IMHO!

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A new:-drum-set of shoes-brake springs-wheel cylinder-handbrake cableplus labour was worth about $1100 at TPM under warranty, so $800 for that stuff seems ridiculous.

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And fit grease nipples to avoid premature "brakedown" which was one of my many next to do projects. The plan was to modify a new pair of Morris Minor cables which come with grease nipples.I later found that a new pair of Eicher hand brake cables fitting my Smart Cabrio can be bought (in the UK) for only GBP 14.50 inclusive of VAT and UK mainland delivery.

Another addition to my Bookmarks folder, at that price I may just try the grease nipple mod....now to tackle the P brake cable/drum backing plate lever on my Tacoma before it rolls into the river w/my boat trailer still attached, the P-brake's been fubar for too long, <_<

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Victoria Star in Kitchener quoted me $333 for a spring and $160-170 for the parking brake cable, plus about three hours installation which would have brought the bill to > $800.

surprise....they quoted me 12000.00 for a new motor instead of simply changing the oil pump,chain and drive gear.

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Motorbike and bicycle shops have a little clamp-on cable lubricator. http://tinyurl.com/26jvuyv Works well, may need a little modification to fit and seal properly on a cable as large as a parking brake cable. May come in larger sizes at a moterbike shop, not sure. Or just use some electrical or other stretchy tape to hold the spray tube from lube can in place and seal it off so it forces the lube into the cable. Multiple small bursts working the cable back and forth to help it get all the way up.

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Victoria Star in Kitchener quoted me $333 for a spring and $160-170 for the parking brake cable, plus about three hours installation which would have brought the bill to > $800.

I recently paid GBP 50 for one complete set of 4 springs. 2 front and 2 rear. OEM springs made by Lesjöfors Automotive AB of Sweden.

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