Bugeye hand brake help please

[ichthos]

There is something wrong with my handbrake. I have to pull it almost vertical before it pulls the cable straight. My book says that at the third notch it should be able to stop the rear brakes. I looked in the tunnel, and at that setting there is so much cable that it actually loops up into the air. There is one adjustment I think in the rear, but it doesn't look like it does much. I took my hand brake apart to repair, clean, and get the handle rechromed. Did I put it back together correctly? Any ideas on what I am doing wrong? Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.
Kevin

 

[smaceng]

Kevin,
Not sure exactly what is going on, but something does not look right. This is what mine looks like, and it works fine.

 

[ichthos]

In my picture, the handbrake is pointing to the front like yours, only my front is on the right side, where as your front is toward the left. To take the picture, I removed the two large slotted screws removed, layed the handbrake on the carpet, and then took a picture taken from the passenger side from above. I did this to see if anyone knew if that small piece hooked to the cable was hooked up correctly. There has got to be something wrong with so much slack in the brake cable.
Kevin

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Oh, he unbolted it and laid it in the floor to take a picture of the "workings".

 

[Trevor Jessie]

OK, original rear brakes or late model?
Do you have the drums adjusted properly with complete slack in the e-brake?

 

[ichthos]

Everything is original, so yes, they are the original rear brakes and hand brake. No, I am not so sure I did have the correct slack in the hand brake. I think I am going to disconnect the hand brake cable at the differential side, and then adjust the rear brakes again to make sure. Is it ok to have the entire rear end up on jacks to adjust both rear brakes at the same time? I noticed when I move one rear wheel, the other moves too.
Kevin

 

[jlaird]

That rear adjustment does more than you think. However if the cable is still too long you can cut a small 1/2 inch peice of pipe maybe an inch or less long with a slit its length to fit over the cable thus makeing an extension for the adjustment.

Hope that made sense, old cables stretch but are much better then new ones.

 

[ichthos]

I disconnected the cable, and it was interferring with the rear brake adjustment after all. I reattached the hand brake cable and adjusted it. My book says that the hand brake should stop the rear wheels at three notches, but when I adjusted it all the way to the end, I have to bring the hand brake lever to the top of the notches to start to brake the rear wheels witht the hand brake. I have been checking other forums, and stretching seems to be a problem as you mentioned, Jack. I guess 50 years takes its toll. What is it about the new cables that makes them not as good as the old ones? I wish I would have read you post before I just ordered a new one. Is it possible, worth while, or does it even make sense to shorten an old cable? If so, who would do this?
Kevin

 

[JPSmit]

the new one stretch badly and quickly - the quality just isn't there.