E-Brake Cables CJ vs YJ (TJ?) - Off-Road Forums & Discussion Groups

JeepDawg · #1 10-21-2009, 11:44 PM

Because of my roll cage.....I have no emergency brake....we just whacked it off.

My plan was to install a hand operated e-brake next to the center console....I figure this will work better than the foot operated on on the hills....

I'm not to concerned about the e-brake handle...I figure on getting something out of a Cherokee or YJ/TJ (they do have hand e-brakes, right?)

My question is the e-brake cable....the CJ one is going to be way to long...

Does anyone know if the shorter e-brake ends are the same as the CJ that goes into an AMC20?

I'm kinda betting that all drum e-brakes are the same.

bandhmo2 · #2 10-22-2009, 02:50 AM

I will need to do something similar when I put a cage in the YJ. To my knowledge all YJ's used the later CJ style E-brake peddle, at least my 95 does so I would assume all before do as well. So you will need a hand type from a Cherokee or TJ. I do not know if all of these used the hand type but my moms 06 Unlimited and old 93 Cherokee did, both handles looked very much the same but I never looked under either one.

Anyway, according to napa, an 84 CJ 7 used the fallowing. Format is length of cable | length of sheath | front end type | rear end type

Front:
62 3/4" | 39 3/4" | cylinder on end of cable (cylinder) | Threaded rod

Rear Left:
33 7/8" | 25 3/8" | Ball on end of cable (ball) | spring and cylinder

Rear Right:
61 1/4" | 52 7/8" | same as other side

The 93 Cherokee lists a single length of rear cable, and no front cable. However they list two types for the rear cable both look about the same in the pictures one is suppose to be for use with a heat shield, they must be the same side to side.
53" | 38 1/2" | ball | spring and cylinder

The 06 Regular length TJ (rear drums) shows no front cable and the same rear for each side.
43 1/8" | 35 5/8" | cylinder | spring and cylinder
They show a different cable and different side to side for 4 wheel disks but the lengths are about exactly the same and the pictures look like the same part to me.

Looking at the pictures I would think that either TJ or Cherokee cables could likely be made to work depending on the length you need.

JeepDawg · #3 10-22-2009, 11:33 AM

Band....right after I wrote the post I jumped on the InLine tube site....some good infor there....and basically backed up what you just noted...

For the most part we can assume that if your e-brake is in the middle...you want both cables to be the same length...if it's offset to one side...like the drivers side...then the right cable needs to be a little longer...

In the above case I'm also assuming both cables connect directly to the handle.....I used to have a Cherokee....but I really don't remember what the e-brake handle looked like inside....even though I have looked at it....

In my case the handle will be offset...

My main question was the cable end where it goes into the drum....are all of them the same? In other words, is a Cherokee cable going to fit my AMC20 rear?

I have a business trip to Ft Worth coming up and I will most likely have some time to browse some of the junk yards there for handles..

LEVE · #4 10-22-2009, 11:45 AM

I guess my question is, if you're going to all the trouble to make and move brake cables why not make them independent and be able to cut your brakes?

Jim_Lou · #5 10-22-2009, 12:07 PM

All of the self-adjusting Bendix drum brakes for that general range of Jeeps are pretty much the same. My guess is that nothing changed until they went to anti-lock, and maybe not even then.

They did use at least two different fittings where the cable goes through the backing plate. My '78 backing plate and cable attachment (AMC 2-piece) were completely different from the '73 D44 1-piece parts. I preferred the '78 cable arrangement so I modified the '73 backing plates - not difficult.

You can easily see the difference in cable attachments by looking at the backing plate where the cable goes in. Take a picture before you go yard crawling so that you can see what your setup looks like.

JeepDawg · #6 10-22-2009, 02:59 PM

JIm....I remember that post you did on the backing plates...pretty clean mod....

Larry...what do you mean by brake cut out?

Jim_Lou · #7 10-22-2009, 03:09 PM

He means cutting brakes, that you can activate separately to assist in turning or to combat wheel slipping.

LEVE · #8 10-22-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

...what do you mean by brake cut out?

This is a good read and will give you an idea about cutting brakes, click in the graphic:

JeepDawg · #9 10-22-2009, 11:21 PM

Interesting.....but, she is my daily driver so I think I'll save that for the next beast...

BMB · #10 10-22-2009, 11:33 PM

I looked in to the XJ parking brake handles when doing the same thing, but they are pretty long.

I wound up with a handle from a Nissan (200x IIRC) and it has worked great.

I hand to do a little fab on the rod that connects to the cable equalizer bracket, but that was about it for mods.

At one time I think I had brake cables from a Dodge van, a Wagoneer, and the CJ and there didn't seem to be enough difference to prohibit any of them from being able to work with factory drums.

I wound up with Lincoln e-brake calipers on the rear and used Mustang SVO cables to work with them.