A week ago my handbrake cable snapped.....well, that's what I thought. It turns out that one of the cables had popped out the bracket that transfers the short cable to the two long ones. I put it back but the bracket is not sitting square to the cable and sure enough it popped out again. 

Yesterday, I bought new cables. The cables are handed and one is about 20mm longer than the other. I'm talking about the actual cable length coming out of the outer. They can only go on one way as there is a bracket to hold the brake pipe on one. One is black and one white on the ends. The ones I took off were both blue on the ends.

So I've put these cables on, and the bracket is still sitting not square. When I ordered the cables the guy asked if I had discs or drums (I have discs). He said on the phone, that the cable for discs are a continuous cable, not two separate cables. However, when I picked them up it was two cables and they confirmed these are the right ones. I have wound back the calipers and they are not seized and seem to be working ok.

I was wondering if anyone else has come across this problem? I can't understand why the cables are a different length. Have they sold me the wrong cables? 

Thanks in advance. 

Drum cables have an additional ~30cm piece at the end to reach the shoes.  The 'long' cables look very similar for both drums & discs though, so it's definitely possible that you have the wrong cables.  Is there a part number shown on your cables or the packaging at all?

Is the the handbrake mechanism sitting the same on both calipers?  One isn't stuck slightly further in?

Hi Tom. The numbers are below.

I have been bought new pads today and ordered a kit to service both calipers. What I'm struggling to understand is, why are the cables slightly different lengths (again I'm talking about distance between the outer cover and the length of the cable poking out). The bracket that holds the cables in the tunnel is at 90° to the tunnel, so I can only assume that the calipers are different. The cable cover is definitely home on each caliper. 

 

9 minutes ago, Nathan Buffery said:

What I'm struggling to understand is, why are the cables slightly different lengths

Now I don't know the answer, but this is just a thought. If like on many cars the handbrake is mounted off centre (usually towards the drivers side) then the cable on one side would have a slightly shorter distance to travel compared to the other 🤔

I note that the cables are different for RHD compared to LHD.

https://catalogs.ssg.asia/ford/?lang=en#bWFya2V0PT1ldXJvfHxjYXRfaWQ9PTExMTA4fHxjYWJicj09R0NCOHx8dGhrPT0zfHxzdD09NjB8fHN0cz09eyIyMCI6IkV1cm9wZSIsIjMwIjoiRm9jdXMgQ0I4IDIwMTEtMjAxNSIsIjQwIjoiMiBDaGFzc2lzIiwiNTAiOiIyMDYwNSBDaGFzc2lzLlBhcmtpbmcgQnJha2UiLCI2MCI6IjIwNjA1MDUgUGFya2luZyBCcmFrZSJ9fHxCUz09QlNIQzB8fGFscGhhPT0yfHxncm91cD09MjA2MDV8fHNlY3Q9PTIwMTRBR0F8fHNldD09QjgyMDYwNXx8aW1nPT1HMDIzNTAyMjA0fHxmMTI9PS0yODUxNzI0ODArMTMx

1 hour ago, unofix said:

I note that the cables are different for RHD compared to LHD.

If the bracket that holds the outer sleeve was at an angle this would make sense, but as I've said, it's at 90° angle and the distance between two brackets are equal. I wonder if the estate body has anything to do with it. 

Those are the correct length cables.

Wheelbase is the same on hatch & estate.  

I'm not sure why the different lengths off top of my head.

Oh well. I'll strip down and service the calipers and put the new pads in and report back. Hopefully, I won't have to strip out the heat shield again though, which is by far the worse part of the job. Especially on axle stands!!

Is your reaction bracket like this? If it is it would be the reason why one cable protrudes slightly more than the other.

In the view shown it would longer on the right side to ensure the connection bracket stays square to the axis of travel.

Just checking, did you cross the cables over in the bar? 

Left side of car is right side of bar and vice versa.

13 hours ago, RayC333 said:

Is your reaction bracket like this?

Hi Ray. That is how the bracket was sitting and also why the cable is popping out, although not as exaggerated as the picture. 

13 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Just checking, did you cross the cables over in the bar? 

Yes mate, I did cross them over. 

Nathan, I'm not referring to the bracket that moves. Ignore that.

Look at the fixed bracket where the outer cables locate. They are staggered in the photo I gave as an example.

Being staggered could be the reason why your new cables protrude at slightly different lengths from the outer sheaths.

If your chassis bracket is like this, then the cable with the longer protrusion would fit on the right side looking up from under the car.

As per Ray's comment, see enlarged photo

10 hours ago, RayC333 said:

Being staggered could be the reason why your new cables protrude at slightly different lengths from the outer sheaths.

Ah I get what you're saying now.

Now.... I would have put money on the bracket being the same distance, but that was before I saw your picture. Now I'm thinking I was under the car, in bad light, upside down.....etc. I'm certainly not getting back under and taking the heat shield back off, so we'll say 'well spotted' @RayC333!!

Here's a pictures of the cables I took off and you can see the difference in length.

The missing rubber was on when it was on the car. 

Hello all,

I've just replaced mine cables with exactly the same model and i was having difficulty to pull out and fit the cable on the passenger site. Now this is affecting the balance of the hand break as passenger site is blocking wheel much sooner than driver site. Anyone know what is the solution? Or the cables are actually wrong length?

Disconnect the cables and check that both the left and right cable have the exact same amount of travel. If that is the case (which is highly likely if both are new and the same brand) the cables itself can in principle be ruled out.

Apart from that the parking brake mechanisms of both rear brakes must be fully wound back. Failing this can also result in unequal parking brake balance.

Also note that on rear disc brakes, the cables are prescribed to have the correct amount of preload adjustment. This is done by putting 0.7 mm thick feeler gauges between the parking brake lever on the caliper and the caliper body. Now the adjustment nut on the parking brake cable needs to be tightened until one of both feeler gauges comes loose.