How to Remove a Parking Brake Cable From a Drum Brake

Confirm the part and repair scope

Before you order a cable, make sure the cable is actually the fault. Typical cable symptoms include excessive lever or pedal travel, a parking brake that will not hold or will not fully release, one rear wheel dragging, and visible damage such as frayed strands, a kinked or rusted housing, or a broken end fitting. Other problems can look the same: shoes out of adjustment, worn friction material, a seized self-adjuster, a stuck parking lever on the shoe, or linings contaminated by a leaking wheel cylinder. A quick test is to have a helper apply and release the parking brake while you watch the cable move at the equalizer and where it enters each backing plate. If the cable moves freely but the brake still fails to hold, the problem is probably inside the drum.

Vehicle fitment matters because rear cables are often side-specific. Left and right cables usually differ in length and routing, and versions can also vary by wheelbase, drive type, trim, and drum versus disc rear brakes. Match the replacement to your exact year, make and model plus any build details the parts catalog asks for, then lay the new cable beside the old one before you install it. Some vehicles with rear brake rotors use a small drum-in-hat parking brake inside the rotor. The cable work is similar, but the caliper and rotor come off first. Electronic parking brakes use different procedures that often require a scan tool, and they are not covered here.

Prepare tools and safe access

Gather the following before you start: • A floor jack, rated jack stands and wheel chocks; • A lug wrench; • A brake spring tool or spring pliers and a hold-down spring tool; • A brake adjusting spoon, screwdrivers and pliers; • Something to compress the cable retainer: a dedicated cable release tool, a box-end wrench that fits over the retainer, or a small hose clamp; • Penetrating oil, brake parts cleaner and high-temperature brake grease; • Gloves and a dust mask; Have the service manual for your vehicle open to the rear brake section. Drum brake spring layouts differ, and the manual shows where each spring hooks and how the parking brake should be adjusted.

Park on level ground and chock the front wheels. You will be releasing the parking brake, so only the transmission and the chocks will hold the vehicle. Raise the rear and support it on jack stands under the recommended points, and never work under a vehicle held only by a jack. Brake dust can contain harmful material. Do not blow it out with compressed air; use brake cleaner or a wet-cleaning method instead. Photograph the brake assembly from several angles before you remove anything. If you have never serviced drum brakes, consider having a professional do this job. Shoes and springs reassembled incorrectly can cause poor braking, dragging or a loss of parking brake function.

Remove without avoidable damage

Start by creating slack. Find the parking brake adjuster, which is usually a nut at the equalizer under the vehicle or at the lever inside the console. Back it off until the rear cables are loose. Then remove the wheel and slide off the drum. If the drum will not come off, the shoes may be catching on a wear lip. Back off the self-adjuster through the access slot in the backing plate or drum: hold the adjuster lever away from the star wheel with a thin screwdriver while you turn the star wheel with a spoon. Some drums also have retaining screws or clips. Do not hammer on the drum edge or pry against the backing plate.

On many designs, the cable end hooks into a lever attached to the rear shoe. Sometimes you can unhook it with the shoes still in place: pull the cable's return spring back with pliers, then slip the end out of the lever slot. On other layouts you must first remove the return springs, hold-down springs and shoe. Do not press the brake pedal while the drum is off, because the wheel cylinder pistons can push out and let brake fluid escape. Lay parts out in the order you remove them, and keep grease and fluid away from the friction material.

The cable housing is locked into the backing plate by spring tangs on its end fitting. To release them, slide the release tool, box-end wrench or hose clamp over the fitting so all the tangs compress together. Then push the cable out through the backing plate from the inside. On corroded fittings, penetrating oil and patience work better than force. Next, free the cable from the body clips and brackets along its route, and disconnect it from the equalizer or the connector to the front cable. Note the routing as you go.

Install and restore the system

Route the new cable exactly as the old one ran, through the same brackets and clips. Keep it free of kinks and away from the exhaust and moving suspension parts. Push the housing end into the backing plate until the tangs snap open and lock, then tug on it to confirm. Hook the cable end into the shoe lever, compressing its spring as needed, and connect the opposite end at the equalizer.

Reassemble the shoes according to the service information. On duo-servo brakes, the primary and secondary shoes have different lining lengths and must go in the correct positions. Every spring belongs in its original hole, and self-adjusters are often side-specific. Put a thin film of high-temperature brake grease on the shoe contact pads of the backing plate and nowhere else; none should reach the linings or the drum's braking surface. Before refitting the drum, check it against the wear limits marked on it, and inspect the wheel cylinder for leaks.

Adjust in the right order. First adjust the shoes using the method in your manual, then install the drum, then set parking brake cable tension at the adjuster using the manufacturer's method, often a specified number of lever clicks or a travel range. Never tighten the cable to make up for loose shoes. That causes dragging and premature wear. Some vehicles have a self-adjusting cable mechanism with a lock that must be released after installation. If the wheel cylinder was opened or leaked, the hydraulic system needs repair and bleeding. Reinstall the wheels and tighten the lug nuts to specification.

Check the completed work

With the rear wheels still off the ground, release the parking brake and spin each wheel. Both should turn freely without scraping. Apply the parking brake and confirm that both wheels lock and resist turning about equally. Compare lever or pedal travel with the specification. Before moving the vehicle, pump the service brake pedal until it feels firm, and confirm that the brake warning light turns off when the parking brake is released.

Test at low speed in a safe area. Check that the parking brake holds the vehicle on a moderate incline and releases fully. After a short drive, carefully compare the warmth of both rear drums or wheels. One that is noticeably hotter suggests drag. Further diagnosis is needed if you notice any of the following: • Grinding or scraping noises; • Pulling to one side; • A soft or low brake pedal; • Fluid on the backing plate or tire; • A warning light that stays on; • A parking brake that will not hold even though it is correctly adjusted; If service braking is affected, stop driving the vehicle and have the brakes inspected.