Robin Hood S7 Replace /Repair Hand Brake Cable . How to get to it?

[CAF]

Hi I have just got around to replacing/repairing my broken handbrake cable. The problem I have is that I did not build the car so I am unsure of where and how to get at it? I thought that the access would be underneath the boot/storage area, but I have stripped it all that down only to find there is no access or signs of the handbrake cable or fittings. There also does not appear to be any access via the central tunnel, what am I missing here?

Many thanks for any pointers, CAF (Chris)

[dandan62]

Hi. I replaced my cable last year. I could access everything from underneath the car. I used the cut and splice method to shorten the cable. Maybe I have small hands but I managed to thread the new cable ends though the tunnel hole where the prop goes, around the old half moon and back out again. Fiddly but possible. I think I have read that some people cut an access hole from the top. So I was left with the 2 cable ends which I joined using 2 small cable clamps. It has worked fine since and passed 2 mots. 

[CAF]

Thanks I will Jack it up this morning and have a good look, but when I looked earlier there was only the cable disappearing through the sloping panel?

[dandan62]

I'm working from memory as my car is wrapped up for the storm! Yes that's correct about the sloped panel. Look for the tunnel access hole  for the prop and see if you can get a hand in to reach the half moon which the cable goes round. Watch for sharp edges!

[CAF]

Thanks will have a look. 

[Sparepart]

Have a look at this diagram, of the Sierra rear subframe from above.

See, the cable route is pretty much symmetric, left to right. From the wheel backplate on top of the trailing arm and then through a hole in a flat plate part of the subframe really close to the pinion UJ (not shown here), so you have to imagine the prop shaft between the loop in the cable, out of frame bottom right to the pinion flange (shown). On the Sierra the nylon adjusters use a bracket from the body, but on your car the adjusters use the aformentioned holes in the flat part of the subframe. Out of frame there is an exposed loop of inner cable that goes through a metal yoke. The centre of the yoke is attached to a single rod that goes to the bottom of the handbrake. When the handbrake is applied the yoke moves forward and tightens the cable, if the yolk is properly lubricated any difference in L/R tension will be equalised by the cable slipping through the yoke. Because the cable is shorter than the one shown here, the yoke will be really close to and just above the prop and UJ, just inside the hole through which the prop appears from the transmission tunnel. If you use the "cut the cable in the middle" method of fitting then whatever you use to rejoin the ends has to fit in this restricted space between where the cable comes through the subframe and the yolk, without fouling the UJ or preventing enough slippage through the yolk to equalise the R/L tension. If you shorten by removing one of the end pips, then you have to be very careful to pre thread the items along the length of the cable before you weld on the new pip. Hope this helps.

 

[Sparepart]

Oh, just look at the S7 build manual, (I have an Exmo) and there is a small difference, the routing of the S7 cable looks to be through the sloping panel as shown in the build manual that I attached before in a different thread https://www.rhocar.org/index.php?/forums/topic/50972-s7-handbrake-cable/#comment-413125

[dandan62]

Just as a note to the above good info, I cut the cable so that I could join it easily in the free space outside the tunnel. 

[CAF]

Thanks guys.