Replace/rebuild rear caliper?

ch, you are the man...the Cap Weir of non-engine stuff!!!

Anyone have tips for changing the handbrake cable? Never done it. Not sure I want to BEFORE the end of summer BBQ. Might drive there with one cable.

You have to drop the gas tank to access the one of the mounting points of the cable if you want to do it the Toyota way. 

I did it a much easier way which has only taken 2 hours and has worked great for me and at least over thirty people with no ill effects but you will not have that mounting point under the tank which is not important for a proper functioning cable and can be fixed at a later time when the gas tank is lowered.  

Even when lowering the tank reaching up to undo the mount can be a real pain if you have medium hands. 

What do you do with the old cable if you can't remove that mounting point? 

Posted by: @dev

You have to drop the gas tank to access the one of the mounting points of the cable if you want to do it the Toyota way. 

I did it a much easier way which has only taken 2 hours and has worked great for me and at least over thirty people with no ill effects but you will not have that mounting point under the tank which is not important for a proper functioning cable and can be fixed at a later time when the gas tank is lowered.  

Even when lowering the tank reaching up to undo the mount can be a real pain if you have medium hands. 

 

Please go on... I have 0 functioning brake cables right now... And have been seriously dreading this operation.

Let me find my notes from 2005.  

Posted by: @dev

Let me find my notes from 2005.  

Haha... I can't tell if this statement is facetious or not. 

It's funny if it's true. He was writing notes in 2005. I was freaking 12 years old. That was half a lifetime ago! 

My notes are on SC.  I have documented in detail what was involved.  After that the thread was  replied to by others at one time or decade later for more information.  There might have been pictures as well if they are no longer hosted.  There have been many that have done  the short cut with success with no ill effects. 

You guys are welcome to find it before I do. 

https://www.spyderchat.com/threads/frozen-parking-brake-cable-now-with-pics.15498/

Shame photos are gone. I also don't have fishing wire but I can improvise. And I'd prefer not to cut the old cable but I might have to. 

Posted by rpqmr2 on SC

setup
jack and block and release parking brake and remove rear wheels

remove old cable
remove pin holding the parking brake cable to the caliper
remove 12mm bolt holding parking brake cable loop
remove 10mm bolt holding plastic cover and bend down
remove 12mm bolt holding the parking brake cable next to the gas tank
cut the cable close to the gas tank (I used a dremel)
remove shifter knob and center console
unscrew 10mm bolt holding the cable
push the cable back through the hole

install new cable
put fish tape through hole in interior and feed along firewall and down (I have a fish tape from harbor frieght)
attach cable and pull back up
the rest is reverse of removal

the downside is that half a cable remains and the rubber grommet to the passenger cable doesnt come through. Maybe I can get it through from the interior on the other side.

Edit:
You can pull the rubber grommet off and then put it back on from the interior. Also, once the cable is cut, the inside part can be completely removed; only the cable casing will remain.

This is the best instruction I can find in that thread. 

Another in that thread mentioned using cable grease for bicycles or boats could help preserve still functioning cables.

I’d be a little concerned about adding lubricants to the cable.  The plastic sheathing on the cable may swell or degrade with the wrong grease or oil.  When they seize I’m not convinced it’s corrosion that’s causing the trouble.   When I “extracted” mine the plastic coating on the cable looked intact, with no visible corrosion anywhere.   I do wonder if they seized due to the plastic decomposing and swelling!

Yes I'd think it's the plastic reacting with the rubber, or swelling, or getting sticky/goopy (kinda like soft touch finishes). It's plastic on rubber, there's no real corrosion there. I'd be wary with lubricants, especially petroleum-based ones that can swell or eat away at rubbers and some plastics.

Sooooo, to avoid a new cable rotting the same way, you could melt off the lead tip, burn off the troublesome coating, and have a nice cable that will last *forever*!  Or just do the same with your old cable.