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So my truck's parking brake cable is shot/snapped. I was looking to buy some replacement parts and of course this is the case where there are different parts for different years. I am assuming that most of the parts will be for the 77 chassis but wanted to make sure I did not need some of the parts for the 75 cab vs the 77 chassis. The parts break down are: for the Front Brake Cable they are listed for 73-75 and 76-77. For the Rear Brake Cable-Left & Right Hand they are listed for 73-75 and 76-79.
I am drawing a blank on what is still under the truck so I am not sure exactly what I need yet but wanted to confirm what parts for what year I may need if they are indeed different.
I would say you need parts for a 77 F100 1/2 ton. NOT the F250/F350 set up. So see the 2nd parts diagram. F100/F250 The one with the lever that is attached to the cross member. 133" WB.
Just went through this myself. Really depends on what’s under the truck at the equalizer bar.
my folks have always had issues with a ‘tight’ parking brake pedal since their first replacement. Always ordered a 1977 swb front cable. Tight is an understatement though. I couldn’t use the parking brake until I was about 16. And then it’s was a lot.
well it snapped a few months back on me. I bought the 77 cable and it was a bear to get installed. I knew something had to be wrong. Did some digging.
bought brand new rear cables as well but the front cable is the important one in my case.
I could be way off, but everything I found says the equalizer (where it goes from one front cable to two rear cables) changed in 1978. I have a 77 truck but a 78 equalizer. The cables are different by about an inch, so not immediately noticeable. What’s odd and I still don’t understand is that the 77 front cables I had been getting had the threaded rod on the end, but I read that the older equalizer didn’t use that, just the ball on the end. Not sure, but I ordered a 78 and it works perfectly.
my truck must have been built late enough in 77 where the plant ran out of the prior style equalizer. 1977 and prior design. The front cable hooks at the yellow arrow and pulls the cam which pulls the two rears. 1978 up style (or if you’re like me, 77 too). This is all it is. Two rears go in the outside and threaded end of front cable goes through the middle last.
I finally got around to messing with the parking brake, or lack there of. So ordered the three cables to have a starting point. So instead of where the bracket that holds the lever ones there is a rusted out hole. There also was no front cable or equalizer.
So now I have to figure out a way to fabricate something.
The good news is I just realized that the rust hole is not where the lever goes. The bad news is that I still don't have a lever and there is still a rust hole. 😂
I received the three new brake cables and have the rear cables installed and temporarily zip tied to the frame. Of course once I got the brake drums off I found that I needed two need wheel cylinders. I also went ahead and replaced the drum brake hardware with the exception of the bottom spring. The spring that came in the hardware kit was a little bit different from what I had. I tried to bend the new spring to make it work to no avail. The pads and drums looked okay so I left them alone.
Anyway, now that I have the rear cables installed I have to figure out the rest of the configuration. I am confidant that I can fabricate something since I can't seem to find the other parts but was hoping that someone would share some clear pictures of the setup under there truck. Mine is a long bed. I need to get some idea of how the bracket and lever are attached to the cross member and also some dimensions.
Any help is appreciated. I am getting tired of having to put out wheel chocks every time I want to let the engine run while not in the truck!!
Just went through this myself. Really depends on what’s under the truck at the equalizer bar.
my folks have always had issues with a ‘tight’ parking brake pedal since their first replacement. Always ordered a 1977 swb front cable. Tight is an understatement though. I couldn’t use the parking brake until I was about 16. And then it’s was a lot.
well it snapped a few months back on me. I bought the 77 cable and it was a bear to get installed. I knew something had to be wrong. Did some digging.
bought brand new rear cables as well but the front cable is the important one in my case.
I could be way off, but everything I found says the equalizer (where it goes from one front cable to two rear cables) changed in 1978. I have a 77 truck but a 78 equalizer. The cables are different by about an inch, so not immediately noticeable. What’s odd and I still don’t understand is that the 77 front cables I had been getting had the threaded rod on the end, but I read that the older equalizer didn’t use that, just the ball on the end. Not sure, but I ordered a 78 and it works perfectly.
my truck must have been built late enough in 77 where the plant ran out of the prior style equalizer. 1977 and prior design. The front cable hooks at the yellow arrow and pulls the cam which pulls the two rears. 1978 up style (or if you’re like me, 77 too). This is all it is. Two rears go in the outside and threaded end of front cable goes through the middle last.
My 77 F150 SWB 4x4 was built in May of 77, and uses the 78 style. Which coincidentally, I ordered all 77 parts. The 1977 front parking brake cable I ordered also has the threaded rod at the end. I have installed the new rear cables, but not the front yet. Hope it all goes smoothly.
FWIW I have a hydraulic garage door cable crimper and simply make my own cables. My local hardware store even keeps in stock, garage door cable stops that are perfect for parking brake cables, right hole and perfect OD. Cost is only northern pesos per cable stop.
I feel your pain and got fed up with constantly getting the wrong cables. They never seemed to be right. I've made more parking brake cables for different applications now (40's into the '70's vehicles in my "fleet") than I can count, it's actually very easy.
I did realize recently that my 73 F250 Highboy actually has a parking brake set up from a 67-72. Right up to the parking brake control/pedal. It's an early 73, not sure if someone retrofitted the whole thing or if it was simply a case of the factory using up parts in early 1973. I don't know. But that wasn't helping anything when I'd order "by application". The cables are similar, but clearly different. What finally tipped me off, was when the ratchet mechanism quit in my pedal assembly and that's when I discovered the difference (the pedal assemblies are similar - but notably different).
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