Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Handbrake cable replacement

So it was only a couple of months ago that I referred to my cracked brake cable and how I taped it up 4 years ago. Well, as Calypso so rightly said, it’ll break in the end; and so it did- on Thursday evening, luckily at home. It fractured exactly on the split casing area, but no rust apparent, as I think the cable outer had previously rusted and fractured giving a sharp edge which then wore away at the inner cable.
Got the last one in stock from Williams @ £105! (they had to go to an alternative supplier apparently as MMC don’t have any)
Worst bit was getting the clevis pin in at the front due to tight access, and dropped it a few times into the chassis crossmember.
The bit I dreaded at the brake shoe end actually went easy. Released one shoe retaining pin and spring, slipped the shoe off at the bottom and with screwdriver and long nose pliers, job done. Although the first side was easy, I found it better to dismantle the adjuster before doing the second side. Only trouble then is that the cable looks too short to go into the adjuster. So I attached cords to the two ends to pull them together into the adjuster to catch the nut. It almost looked as if the cable was going to be too short but in fact the final adjustment was well along the threaded portion.
With all the dismantling and difficult access, a bit of a frustrating job to say the least!

Thoughts overnight...to those who have recently done this job, the end of the cable that goes into the backplate: there was a rubber washer fitted to the ferrule. Should that be outside of the backplate, or should it have been slipped forwards, squashed though the hole and slid back on to the ferrule so that it sits inside, between the cable spring and the backplate? When removing the old one, the washers had fallen to bits so not sure where they should be.

Nice work but did you have to lift the tunnel or is there a clever way of accessing the clevis pin from below? My outer is fractured and taped up so I guess I will be doing this at some point.

Never tried it from below as I haven’t got a lift and think the cross member may be in the way. Yes removed seats, prop shaft tunnel, gear knob, brake lever knob, leather from gearbox tunnel and propped gearbox tunnel up with wood block. (difficult to move at first until I realised that, as well as screws, it was stuck on the inside with a double sided sticky seal. Also could not remove completely as it has a couple of drain tubes running through the top.)
Just enough room to get a hand in. As well as the clevis pin, you also have to undo the locknut that holds the front end of the cable in place. Inside the prop tunnel were two plastic cable clamps and the seat belt warning wiring was also cable tied to the brake cable. Watch out for sharp edges everywhere!

Thank you very much Doug. Sounds like a really fun job.....

I can't remember seeing any rubber washers. When you say backplate do you mean at the wheel hub?
If so I can check my car or see if I have any pictures that might help.

When I say backplate, I mean the round plate that holds the brake shoes, cylinders etc. The cable enters the bottom and at that point. the outer is terminated in a metal ferrule to stop it going inside. It is on that ferrule that the rubber washer was located.

This is the new cable at entry point.



This is the nearside, still the original cable as it didn't require changing


The cable as delivered.no seals.


There could be rubber seals attached to the plate (difficult to see in the picture), and because they remained attached I never paid much attention.
Not sure if this help you?

Edit. Spoke to my brother who helped me with fitting, he thinks that there was a seal on the cable we fitted and it pushes in from the cable entry side or back of the plate. Not sure why there isn't one on the cable for the passenger side 🤔

The new cable that you show clearly does not have the rubber washer in question. I am assuming that one is the spare for the other side?
My old cable certainly had rubber washers but they were badly worn and torn and so I wasn’t sure whether they had started outside and worked their way in or were actually inside to start with and have been gradually nibbled away by the spring. My only concern was that if they disintegrate, it will throw handbrake adjustment out.
Think I am going to live with it, and ask a friendly mechanic some day.
Thanks for your responses.

Yes, that is the cable for the nearside. Didn't see the point in changing it yet as it was still in good condition. It'll be a easy enough to change in future.
Good idea to check with someone who has more knowledge than I😃
I guess the seal was never on the cable pictured but it should obviously have one to match the other side.