Mk8 transit handbrake cable

[weldingnovice]

Mk 8 jumbo front cable has snapped in the cab, is it a seat out job to get at it?

Cheers

 

[m_c]

No. Lever is between the seats.

 

[weldingnovice]

Yes, but plastic cover makes it inaccessible.

 

[m_c]

The plastic cover pulls off.

 

[Trevorleach]

I had one apart today, and as said the plastic cover literally come of up and forwards.

This was on a 2016 model, got to say build quality/finish is a bit crap, starting to rust all over incl the brake pipes, I would be peeved if it was mine.

 

[mtt.tr]

I had one apart today, and as said the plastic cover literally come of up and forwards.

This was on a 2016 model, got to say build quality/finish is a bit crap, starting to rust all over incl the brake pipes, I would be peeved if it was mine.

Standard transit over 5 years old.

 

[qwakers]

Standard transit over 5 months old.

ftfy

 

[Moose McAlpine]

This was on a 2016 model, got to say build quality/finish is a bit crap, starting to rust all over incl the brake pipes, I would be peeved if it was mine.

This is why i only buy Sprinters.

(That said, they are partial to a bit of body rust.)

 

[weldingnovice]

Tried to lift cover up but it didn't want to budge, must be on some kind of retaining clips. Didn't know if it's fixed from the side. Tried with the lever in various positions

With application of some force it should come loose?

Cheers

 

[m_c]

Yank it straight up. It's just held with spring clips.

 

[Trevorleach]

This is why i only buy Sprinters.

(That said, they are partial to a bit of body rust.)

I was also doing pads and one caliper as rubber boot had split and piston seized, but whilst under there I noticed all the edges of the factory underseal was coming adrift.
In fact the rust was everywhere, plastic interior trim was a really poor fit.
It was a 3 way tipper, and the sub chassis also had a lot of rust.

 

[m_c]

Tipper bodies are generally rubbish.
I refused to prepare a 67 plate DAF tipper last month because the tipper body was full of holes. I think Brit-tipp's idea of painting was to drive it past the paint booth.

 

[weldingnovice]

This is why i only buy Sprinters

Looked at sprinters they're just as enthusiastic about corrosion as a tranny.

Doesn't seem to be as many arround due to the higher cost.
But yes it had to be one or the other, when I needed to buy prices were distorted by the virus furore and there wasn't the usual inventory to choose from.

 

[weldingnovice]

Upper and lower covers pulled off with a bit of effort, lower was tight against the seatbelt anchors.

Haven't got the new cable yet to look at yet, but it looks as though the cowling on the lever has to be removed to get to the cable connection.

That doesn't want to come off, it's in two halves vertically and screwed together from the passenger seat side with no access unless the seat is removed.

 

[Trevorleach]

Upper and lower covers pulled off with a bit of effort, lower was tight against the seatbelt anchors.

Haven't got the new cable yet to look at yet, but it looks as though the cowling on the lever has to be removed to get to the cable connection.

That doesn't want to come off, it's in two halves vertically and screwed together from the passenger seat side with no access unless the seat is removed.

I could be wrong here as I did not pay that much attention, but I think it is actually a rod back to the two hand brake cables in the chassis?
I should add this was a twin wheel drive axle.

 

[weldingnovice]

Short cable from the lever to rod then splits to either rear wheel.

I'm going to be on it in the morning weather permitting.

Will post up what happened when sorted.

 

[weldingnovice]

Cable came with 90ish deg bend in it where it passes through the floor and crossmember. Had to be fitted from the inside.
Couldn't get it through without removing bracket below the handbrake lever bracket. It holds the big cover that pulls straight up.

Removed cubby hole side from below passenger bench seat, to remove screws from lever coweling.

Took drivers seat out, and removed subframe anchors primarily to retrieve my zippo that's been behind it for past couple of years. Probably get away without that step, there's 5 captive bolts with nuts holding lower bracket on to seat subframe. One is in the battery compartment so they need to be removed. Pulled seat subframe away enough to work without removing wiring centre. After that put cable through no bother.

Put the cable sleeve in the vice and opened the angle a bit. It was less than 90 deg.

Replaced both steering pipes as one was leaking from where they are mounted to the rack column bracket. Both were worse for wear and couldn't tell which. Post mortem would suggest hp was holed and misting them both. Hp pipe didn't want to budge from the rack so had to remove the redundant dpf injector to get a chisel in to split the joint.

Just shy £600 from parts direct

Took longer to figure out what to remove than to actually do it, trying in vain to feed cable through.
That's why quick write up here may save someone some time.

As an added bonus removed wires from the loom that belong to the disabled seatbelt warning buzzer. They have been flapping around under the seat since day I bought the van.