Hey guys, so if you’ve been following my rear brake saga you’ll know that my next step is the parking brake, which I suspect is bad. The reason for this is that when I pull the lever, the driver’s side will retract the spring, but won’t release it when the lever is disengaged. The passenger side seems to work as intended. It’s at this point that I wanted to take the cables off and show them to you guys and ask if there’s any visual indication that they are faulty. However, there’s one problem with that… I can’t get the damn cable ends out of the clip thingy that holds the two cables together! So, I’ll ask this - is there any way to visually tell that the cables are bad while they’re hooked up to the rig? If I knew they were bad I’d just snip them out but I don’t so I don’t want to go down that path just yet. I also don’t want to go ripping up my interior to get down into the handle boot if I don’t need to. Ill post pictures of what I can see, I suppose.
BONUS QUESTION: When greasing the caliper pins, do I lube just the shaft of the pin or the threads too?
[This message has been edited by Doggo (edited 09-02-2024).]
The end of the passenger side cable, the one I think is operating fine-ish (more on that later):
Where the passenger cable runs through the frame? cradle? The rubber coating is like melted here. I can peel that flap back a long ways:
More annihilated rubber coating. Again, on passenger side:
The "clip thingy", the goofy thing holding the two end cables together that I can't get off:
The equalizer:
The driver's side hose. Which, to me looks new. I'm no parking brake rubber coating expert though:
The driver's side caliper spring with cable installed. This is where I think the passenger side may be bad too. I can just ever so barely get enough cable to bring it into the lever, no matter what I do. This goes for both sides. To my understanding it should be fairly easy to get enough slack in the cable to feed it into the lever
Something I forgot to mention: I can pull the passenger side inner cable, and the spring on the cable will retract and loosen, albeit with a good deal of force.
[This message has been edited by Doggo (edited 09-02-2024).]
Originally posted by Doggo: The driver's side caliper spring with cable installed. This is where I think the passenger side may be bad too. I can just ever so barely get enough cable to bring it into the lever, no matter what I do. This goes for both sides. To my understanding it should be fairly easy to get enough slack in the cable to feed it into the lever
Something I forgot to mention: I can pull the passenger side inner cable, and the spring on the cable will retract and loosen, albeit with a good deal of force.
Is that spring compressed 100% with the brake off?
The end of the passenger side cable, the one I think is operating fine-ish (more on that later):
Where the passenger cable runs through the frame? cradle? The rubber coating is like melted here. I can peel that flap back a long ways:
More annihilated rubber coating. Again, on passenger side:
The "clip thingy", the goofy thing holding the two end cables together that I can't get off:
The equalizer:
The driver's side hose. Which, to me looks new. I'm no parking brake rubber coating expert though:
The driver's side caliper spring with cable installed. This is where I think the passenger side may be bad too. I can just ever so barely get enough cable to bring it into the lever, no matter what I do. This goes for both sides. To my understanding it should be fairly easy to get enough slack in the cable to feed it into the lever
Something I forgot to mention: I can pull the passenger side inner cable, and the spring on the cable will retract and loosen, albeit with a good deal of force.
the spring is not supposed to be compressed that much. also just pry the clip apart with a flathead screwdriver
Progress is happening here at the doghouse! I've removed the two rear cables, which was a lot easier than I anticipated after reading it was a PITA from other threads. The dog ear tab things cooperated pretty well with me and I was able to hold them down with a screwdriver while pulling the cable out. Now all that remains is the front cable.
We're a pretty good ways into it we've got the trim around the lever off and pulled the boot up to get access to the assembly and removed it's bolts.
However, now we're experiencing difficulty getting the wall trim off, the one the seatbelt is bolted to. I'm trying to follow this write up I found about taking the trim out (Redo a headliner with me) and I'm on like step 3 where he says to put a screwdriver behind the panel and pop it out - " and slip a screw driver behind the panel to release the trim fastner at ear level". But he doesn't really specify where to stick the screwdriver and just can't for the life of me figure it out myself. Here's where I think he's telling me to put it:
But I don't see how that attaches to the frame or whatever the trim is clipped to. Anybody have any advice/experience in taking off this particular trim?
Also, at the cable head in the lever assembly there's some purple silicone grease on it. Am I supposed to lube the new cables before installing them?
[This message has been edited by Doggo (edited 09-07-2024).]
Progress is happening here at the doghouse! I've removed the two rear cables, which was a lot easier than I anticipated after reading it was a PITA from other threads. The dog ear tab things cooperated pretty well with me and I was able to hold them down with a screwdriver while pulling the cable out. Now all that remains is the front cable.
We're a pretty good ways into it we've got the trim around the lever off and pulled the boot up to get access to the assembly and removed it's bolts.
However, now we're experiencing difficulty getting the wall trim off, the one the seatbelt is bolted to. I'm trying to follow this write up I found about taking the trim out (Redo a headliner with me) and I'm on like step 3 where he says to put a screwdriver behind the panel and pop it out - " and slip a screw driver behind the panel to release the trim fastner at ear level". But he doesn't really specify where to stick the screwdriver and just can't for the life of me figure it out myself. Here's where I think he's telling me to put it:
But I don't see how that attaches to the frame or whatever the trim is clipped to. Anybody have any advice/experience in taking off this particular trim?
Also, at the cable head in the lever assembly there's some purple silicone grease on it. Am I supposed to lube the new cables before installing them?
I've been told you slide the panel and somehow the clips fall off of the body? I've just pried that clip off of the 84, I've never been able to do it without breaking it and having to jbweld it back together. luckily that rear panel only needs the rear most clips and the screw since the seat belt bolts hold it on for the post part. also you shouldn't need to remove that at all. you can just blindly shove the cable through and around and around and it'll usually enter under the carpet and can be maneuvered with a screwdriver through the carpet carefully. also if the front cable moves free I would not recommend replacing it and instead greasing and then wrapping the exposed metal with alot of vinyl tape. it keeps the salt off really well
also if the front cable moves free I would not recommend replacing it and instead greasing and then wrapping the exposed metal with alot of vinyl tape. it keeps the salt off really well
By exposed metal you mean the part that’s clipped up against the wall underneath the wheel well splash shield right? And, perhaps unfortunately, upon receiving my new cables from the fiero store today, I found that they all glide infinitely easier than the ones that were already on the rig. So, I think I should go ahead and just throw the new front one in too, no? Also, I noticed that the new rear cables don’t have the springs at the end, the ones that go inside the caliper spring. Is that normal? Is it just a newer design? I can take pics when I get home from work if need be. It’s also got some rubber bits that the originals don’t have on the cables themselves.
By exposed metal you mean the part that’s clipped up against the wall underneath the wheel well splash shield right? And, perhaps unfortunately, upon receiving my new cables from the fiero store today, I found that they all glide infinitely easier than the ones that were already on the rig. So, I think I should go ahead and just throw the new front one in too, no? Also, I noticed that the new rear cables don’t have the springs at the end, the ones that go inside the caliper spring. Is that normal? Is it just a newer design? I can take pics when I get home from work if need be. It’s also got some rubber bits that the originals don’t have on the cables themselves.
correct. yeah probably just replace them then. I think newer design? not sure. I don't have a bunch or cables to compare with atm.
Originally posted by Doggo: But I don't see how that attaches to the frame or whatever the trim is clipped to. Anybody have any advice/experience in taking off this particular trim?
This clip is on the front face of the B-pillar metal and the trim piece needs to be pulled forward towards the front of the car and not sideways into the car. There normally is also rear window sealant at the edge by the window, so it helps to pull the B-pillar trim towards the inside of the car along the back of the window to help break the sealant bond, then pull the B-pillar trim towards the front of the car.
I thought I was done with this thread. I thought we’ll be good and get the new cables installed and everything would just work. I was wrong. Everything is hooked up, new calipers, new brake cables, but for whatever reason, the levers won’t come off the stops. Or at least, not at the same time or nearly enough. I don’t know what gives, no matter how tight or loose the equalizer is, pulling the hand brake (which is super difficult by the way) will either only slightly move the levers, or not move them at all. And they almost never move at the same time and in the same way. All the cables are snag free and move on their own when individually tested.
I thought I was done with this thread. I thought we’ll be good and get the new cables installed and everything would just work. I was wrong. Everything is hooked up, new calipers, new brake cables, but for whatever reason, the levers won’t come off the stops. Or at least, not at the same time or nearly enough. I don’t know what gives, no matter how tight or loose the equalizer is, pulling the hand brake (which is super difficult by the way) will either only slightly move the levers, or not move them at all. And they almost never move at the same time and in the same way. All the cables are snag free and move on their own when individually tested.
huh. could you take a few pictures so I can compare it to my gt and my 84 to see what's different?
I thought I was done with this thread. I thought we’ll be good and get the new cables installed and everything would just work. I was wrong. Everything is hooked up, new calipers, new brake cables, but for whatever reason, the levers won’t come off the stops. Or at least, not at the same time or nearly enough. I don’t know what gives, no matter how tight or loose the equalizer is, pulling the hand brake (which is super difficult by the way) will either only slightly move the levers, or not move them at all. And they almost never move at the same time and in the same way. All the cables are snag free and move on their own when individually tested.
I recall when I first got my Fiero that I engaged the parking brake and could not figure out how to get them to release until somebody pointed out that you have to pull the handle up all the way, then press the button down and hold it as you return the handle to the downward position where it rests in order to disengage the parking brake. Quirky design!
huh. could you take a few pictures so I can compare it to my gt and my 84 to see what's different?
Well, this is quite embarrassing, I must admit. But I’ve never done something like this before so how could I have known I guess. Long story short there was no fluid in the right caliper, causing the lever to function properly in the fluid filled left caliper but not the right one. My plan was to get the parking brake set then bleed the brakes, so I hadn’t pumped the brakes since the new, not stripped left caliper was installed. After about an hour and a half of monkeying around with various torques and tightnesses on the levers and equalizer, my buddy and I realized some fluid in the caliper might help things along lol. Needless to say the left lever now moves back and forth as it should and fully compresses the rotor. NOW, this should be the end of this thread. And, unless something completely insane happens, the end of this job. Then she’ll be ready for a good wash and that photo shoot I’ve been wanting to do for forever! And I can go back to showing all the JDM kids at my college that America made some damn cool cars too. Thank you all again for your continued support through this, it doesn’t go unappreciated
I recall when I first got my Fiero that I engaged the parking brake and could not figure out how to get them to release until somebody pointed out that you have to pull the handle up all the way, then press the button down and hold it as you return the handle to the downward position where it rests in order to disengage the parking brake. Quirky design!
Hope this helps (?)
That tripped me up too when I first got the car! I pulled the lever and it clicked then fell right back down lol. I thought great, I already broke it. Certainly an interesting design choice but perhaps a necessary one given the position of the lever and how small and low the car is.
NOW, this should be the end of this thread. And, unless something completely insane happens, the end of this job. Then she’ll be ready for a good wash and that photo shoot I’ve been wanting to do for forever! And I can go back to showing all the JDM kids at my college that America made some damn cool cars too. Thank you all again for your continued support through this, it doesn’t go unappreciated 
