How are the cables routed? That picture from the Fiero Store just adds fuel to the fire. This car has not had a parking brake cable on it the entire 4 years it was in the garage gathering L32 parts.

I have gotten as far as routing the front cable from the brake handle and through the firewall. From there, Info on what is placed where and how the cables are routed will every bit. This is for an '87.

Thanks everyone!

[This message has been edited by XgovernmentAgent (edited 04-29-2013).]

I'll be under my car tomorrow doing some spring cleaning. I'll take pictures and map the system out for you!
Ill post the pictures about 3:30 pm eastern tomorrow.

[This message has been edited by KillerFrogg (edited 04-29-2013).]

Sounds good! I think I have the cables on correctly for the most part. How does the equalizer get installed? Anything to crimp down? The main cable going into the equalizer is not locking in place like it looks like it should judging from the lock tab on it.

[This message has been edited by XgovernmentAgent (edited 04-29-2013).]

I had the equalizer apart last year, but the brake rebuild was the first thing I did, so I don't remember the details of the some of the smaller bits like that. I'll check mine out and let you know with the rest of the setup tomorrow.

Well, guess what... I was replacing my parking brake cable today. So I took a couple of pictures for you which I'll post after I eat something!

here are a couple pics that may help:
how the cable ends go together

the adjustment

ZaraSpOOk, are those images of an '88?

And what the heck is that "rubber bisquit"? I've never seen one on a '84-'87 Fiero.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-30-2013).]

Yep... those last two are from an '88 so disregard them since the routing is entirely different (I should know... I took the first picture (less the notes on it)).

Dang, I got beaten on the draw =P well If you need anything else just let us know!

quote Originally posted by KillerFrogg: Dang, I got beaten on the draw =P

Sorry tadpole... you snooze, you lose.

Could we have a step by step? I never found one and not all of us have replaced ebrake cables before. I am at a loss for tightening everything up. Placing the lines on the equalizer really doesn't do much other than the cables being a decoration thing.

Here's the image from the service manual for routing:



The red cable is the long one that attaches to the handle at one end and snakes up through the B-pillar, behind the wheel well liner, then makes a 90 deg turn across the car to the center of the cradle rear cross member. From there, the red cable goes through the slot in the top of the equalizer body where the sheath gets captured by the equalizer, while the multi-strand cable end gets attached to the passenger side ebrake (blue) cable via the small tubular union.

Before you attach the multi-strand end of the blue cable to the end of the red cable, you have to pass the one end of the blue cable through the hole in the passenger side rear cradle where the sheath of the blue cable will be captured in the hole by the tangs on the sheath. Then you can attach the multi-strand portion of the blue cable end to the red cable using the little union. The other end of the blue cable sheath gets passed through another hole on the caliper bracket where the sheath will be captured with the tangs as well. Next, you need to thread that end of the steel multi-strand cable through the ebrake caliper spring, and then finally insert the ball at the end of the cable into the slot on the ebrake caliper lever.

Next is the green cable. Start by threading the end of the cable with the long threaded end into the driver's side hole in the rear corner of the cradle. The outer sheath will click into the hole with the tangs. Then start threading the multi-strand cable end into the end of the equalizer body that has the captured nut. Don't screw it in too far in just yet. Once you've done that, then take the other end of the green cable and route it the same way as you did for the blue cable.

Lastly, you have to adjust the cable lengths through a rather tedious process of holding the body of the equalizer so it doesn't turn, while you use a small wrench on the squared off portion of the green cable (just before the stranded part of the cable). Turn it so that you screw the cable into the equalizer body to take up the slack in the cables. Watch lever on the back of the caliper carefully as they start getting tighter. The lever must not get lifted off the back stop of either caliper or else you will have tightened the cables too much.

You know it's been properly adjusted when you apply the ebrake handle and hear 5 to 8 clicks in the handle before it stops. If there's anything you didn't understand, just post back here and I or someone else will help out.

quote Originally posted by Bloozberry: Lastly, you have to adjust the cable lengths through a rather tedious process of holding the body of the equalizer so it doesn't turn, while you use a small wrench on the squared off portion of the green cable (just before the stranded part of the cable).

the trick is to use vice grips on the nut and use a wrench on the squared portion

quote Originally posted by Bloozberry: Lastly, you have to adjust the cable lengths through a rather tedious process of holding the body of the equalizer so it doesn't turn, while you use a small wrench on the squared off portion of the green cable (just before the stranded part of the cable).

quote Originally posted by ZaraSpOOk: the trick is to use vice grips on the nut and use a wrench on the squared portion

I do the opposite. I use a vicegrip on the squared-off portion of the driver side cable and a wrench (3/4"?) on the equalizer nut.

Blooz, I don't understand what you're saying about having to hold the equalizer so it won't turn. My experience is that the 3/4" nut turns freely within the equalizer (unless badly corroded I suppose).

You could be right Patrick... my memory was a little fuzzy about exactly which part gets turned and which is held still. Hopefully once the OP gets to that point he'll be able to figure it out.

quote Originally posted by Bloozberry: You could be right Patrick... my memory was a little fuzzy about exactly which part gets turned and which is held still.

The only reason why I can still remember is that I just did it yesterday.

I do the same as Patrick. That expirence is.. burned into my memory a little. On my back under the car with vicegrips and a wrence, a torch, and some rust breaker trying to get my adjuster broken free.