hand brake cables and KAD cast rear arms
Turbo Mini Forums

How much would you expect a new cable to stretch by?

My cable has been on the car for about 4 years, just using it when rolling round etc. The brakes are adjusted nicely so that there is just a very small bind as it rotates, but I can only get the hand brake to go part on before the quadrants hit the arms (KAD cast arms). Everything is new bar the bit that the rear cable sits in and the front cable pulls on. Just fitted KAD alu quadrants which are a bit smaller, but they still hit. One side is slightly better than the other.

My only thought is that I have stretched the cable and need to buy another new cable.

Edited by apbellamy on 10th Aug, 2012.

have you got the quadrants on the right way round?

my cable is as old as my car and im only just at the end of adjustment. Sounds like somethings not right andy

Done now needs redoing lol

I've got the shorter end towards the centre of the car, but I'm going to go and turn one round...

It was the same with the DSN qaudrants.

could they be on correct way up but wrong side of the car? not sure if they are left and right handed? can't imaging the cable has stretched that much.

They are on the right way round. It looks like it would catch the standard arms too. I reckon the cable has stretched.

Does it matter which way up the handbrake levers go in? I have them with the bit sticking out the back at the bottom. They are quite slack in the shoes....

Half tempted to stick the old ones in and see if it's any better.

have you got the shoes in the right way round? and the hand brake cantilever in the right way up?

I do not believe for one, that the cable would stretch enough to cause a problem, and two, that KAD make parts that don't fit their own parts. something esle is amiss.

I think the shoes are in the right way up, see my post above about the levers

Do the levers go into the slots in the shoes or the vaguely round bit? I think I may have the shoes upside down now that you mention it...

im sure the long side of the quadrants point towards the center of the car

check the haynes manual for the correct orientation of the shoes, but don't make the same mistake as many do and fit the shoes the same on each side. check which side of the car the picture is taken on, and then do the opposite on the other side.

hmm... Think I've found where I'm going wrong...

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=301293

Right shoes stuck on as per the book of lies, had to run the adjusters out a touch to get the drums back on. It's made no noticeable difference. 2 clicks and rock solid against the rear arms. I have the front cable adjusted pretty much all the way up the threaded section, so I think the cable is cheep shite and has stretched a lot. It did all get noticeably worse as the car has been sat over the years.

Will try to get a picture for you Andy

Edited by nala56 on 9th Aug, 2012.

Main Build
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=489133

Upgrade to Turbo
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.p...tid=448367&fr=0

Hope this helps, Andy..

Main Build
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=489133

Upgrade to Turbo
http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.p...tid=448367&fr=0

I have the exact same problem with new cable, with dsn quadrants and Kad Alloy arms.

Class C 3rd Place Avon 2011 14.18 @101mph

Thanks Alan, that confirms I have everything fitted properly in the drum.

Im going to talk to KAD on Sunday, see what they say. I reckon it needs the barrels moving a little closer to the drums to get it to work properly as there is maybe 10mm of cable slack at the lever end.

Edited by apbellamy on 10th Aug, 2012.

Found the answer. cable ends need modifying.

http://www.serifwebresources.com/phpBB2/vi...&forumid=250646

It will be back on its wheels tonight!

Fixed.



Loads of adjustment left in the cable and 2 clicks to wheels locked solid. perfec and free.

Have edited the tittle to aid future searching.

Glad for that advice. Fitting mine Sunday along with my force rear beam. Advice will save me some head scratching. Love it

You'd better post me a 4 pack then

Right, Ive just been playing with this too,

What I ended up with was Hydrospastic cables which are 1" shorter than the std ones, and then chopped a chunk out of the handbrake quadrants as below....

the haydro cables are handy as they get back the adjustment lost due to the KAD arms


Why oh why dod they make the arms so they are not compatable with anything!!