How To: Fix That Ugly Hanging E-Brake Cable A CFans Members Mod Project by dirtydawg Skill Level: Easy Disclaimer: Please use caution and seek professional assistance when necessary. ColoradoFans.com, the author, and all associated members are not responsible for any damages, injuries or other harm which may occur with this modification. This post does not reflect the views of ColoradoFans.com and it's ownership. Before attempting this modification, it is advised to verify this will work on your Colorado or Canyon, as not all GMT 355's are same! PURPOSE: Several times over the course of the last couple of years I've seen someone comment or complain about the way our emergency brake cables hang down below the frame. It's no big deal if you drive a stock truck on the highway all the time. But if you lower the truck (enough), it could become a problem. And if you off-road, the hazards are obvious. It's not a matter of if it will hang up on something, it's when. And all off-roaders know that "when" will be at the worst possible moment and in the worst possible place. So in the interest of benefiting my fellow 355'rs I thought I'd share how I fixed mine. As the title says, it's really simple and cheap. The only thing you'll have to buy is a couple of cable ties and most of us probably have some lying around. I did, so it was a free mod and quick. REQUIRED PARTS: Black zip ties REQUIRED TOOLS: 10mm socket Ratchet Flat tip screwdriver INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Here s the before shot. 2. You can see here that the lower cable, which actually runs to the right rear drum, is hanging a good 2-3" below the frame. Below, you can see the two clamps which you will need to loosen in order to remove the slack from the E-brake cables. 3. The clamp on the left is the first one to the rear of the "yoke" where the single cable splits into two. It is located right where the two cables are routed under the frame. Page 1 of 6
4. Remove both of these clamps from the frame. Below you can see the approximate distance you will need to move the front clamp forward along the E-brake cable. 5. The cable which runs to the left rear drum is easily removed from this clamp; it just lays in. Remove it from the clamp. The offending cable (the one hanging the lowest) will be captured in this clamp. Use a large flat screw-driver to just relieve the grip of the clamp on the cable housing as shown below. Page 2 of 6
NOTE: If the screw-driver slips while attempting this, and you begin to leak vital fluids, please see disclaimer above. 6. Once the clamp is loose enough to slide on the cable housing move it forward until the cable lays tightly against the side and bottom of the frame. Reattach the front clamp, holding tension on both the cables until the clamp is snug enough to hold them in place. 7. Repeat the procedure on the rear clamp. This one holds only the cable running to the right rear drum, and is found where the cable turns to run across the cross member, rather than along the frame. This cable should also be the one which was hanging loosest in the beginning. You can see in the photo below that there is a protective sleeve on the cable housing at this location. The sleeve will allow the clamp to slide much more easily than the front clamp did because the whole sleeve will slip along the housing, not just the clamp. 8. As with the front clamp, when you are satisfied with the tension of the cable, tighten the clamp back in place. You may have to use a hammer and lightly tap on the loop of the clamp which surrounds the cable in order to restore its grip. Be careful not to crimp the housing or your E-brake could stick in the "on" position the next time you use it. 9. At this point, you may want to also attach a couple of cable ties as they are shown in the accompanying photos. Especially at the rear clamp, since it only holds one of the cables, it is helpful IMO to use a tie to attach them together. The unclamped cable has a tendency to still hang down a little here. 10. In front of the front clamp, just as the two cables run up the side of the frame (shown just under the white label on my frame), I think it's helpful to put a tie there as well. 11. You might wonder where the slack you removed is going to end up. You can see in the picture below that it causes a gentle bend in the cable right behind the rear clamp just as the cable turns across the cross member. (Note the location of the cable tie). Page 3 of 6
12. That's it. You're done. Here's the finished product (Again, note the location of the cable tie): 13. Here are a couple of comparison shots of the truck before... Page 4 of 6
19. And after Page 5 of 6
20. Still not perfect, but much better IMO than before. I'd still like to see it run beside and through the frame, or over. The bottom side just looks like a rock's going to take it out one of these days. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but the rocks are out to get me Hope this helps some of you guys. Good luck and enjoy. Page 6 of 6