How to shorten or join handbrake cable ??

samba-lee ( snipped-for-privacy@salford.ac.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Take it down to a decent motor factor, and get them to "walk it around" a bit.

Visit a yachting place: they do all sorts of things for rigging, rudder-actuating cables etc. which are *very* similar to handbrake cable assemblies! They generally come in stainless-steel too.

Alternatively try "Speedy Cables" - >

But ten times the price.

Not the time I needed a new inner on a handbrake cable; the local yacht-place fitted a PTFE-sheathed stainless-steel cable down the centre of my existing outer, for 2/3 the price of a new cable. They also did it on the spot rather than having me wait some days for the main-dealer to be able to get me one.

When I needed a shorter clutch cable for my trike, I used 2 of those little clamp things, bit like exhaust clamps, but much smaller. Only cost about a pound each.. Just cut cable bit longer, and overlap the ends by about 3 inches.

Neil

Depends on the type of ends -- fork ends are easy just make you own steel nipple up for the cable -- must be a close fit, just clamp it tight in a vise to crimp it the move the cable in the vise so the jaws grip the cable just below the nipple (to prevent heat traveling up the cable) and silver solder or braze or weld the new nipple on (even MIG or Arc welding orks) -- of course if you have a plastic covered cable you have scrape the plastic off. One tip when repairing a cable by putting a new inner it it helps to braze the cable where you are going to cut it to stop the wire fraying. For repairing cables using an existing outer cable MK1/Mk2 Mini traveler/van or Hillman Imp cables are good sources of long inner cables with a scewed adjuster on one end.

Perhaps you have a different class of yotty in your area then. Prices in the chandlers around here are clearly into piss-take territory.

Do you need to shorten the cable or to extend the outing?

If it can be adjusted (tightened) for proper functioning in its current length than it would be better not to touch it.

Can't you just fit those 2 X 5 inches on each wheel by bending this cable a little bit?

Relocate the anchor point on the outer cable - if you have enough room for the outer cable to sit nice.

or using a floating yoke like Mini or MG rear brakes - cut and swage the cable back through the yoke.

Thanks for the ideas

Lee