seafarinman

Has anyone ever had to replace the parking brake cable on their pickup/4Runner? Mine was binding for awhile now, and it finally gave up the ghost. I came home from work the other day ago, and I was parking in my space (the only "hilly"space at the complex) and I pulled up on the parking brake handle, and I heard a loud bang, and there was no tension on the handle, as it came out to the stops. Diagnosis~ broken front parking brake cable. I looked in the Haynes manual, and it seems to be an easy replacement. I won't have time til later on this week to order the part($70.00 at Toyota dealer) and still later to install it. So I have to park in a flat space, since my clutch won't hold the truck in place on a hill. Anyone have any tips or pointers in swapping this out? Thanks.

mtnfreak

Can't say what the '94's are like, but I'll be doing my '89 as soon as the cable arrives. I just ordered it from TOR (Thanks Todd!). I can tell you that there are probably different cables for the V6 & 4, so make sure you give the parts counter all of your info. Junkyard parts may be hard to come by - I found 2 to fit my truck, but one was already broken & the other wouldn't last long. Good luck!

seafarinman

Well I was out at the shop today and replaced the front part of my parking brake cable. I must say that it was a fair PITA, the hardest part being removing the whole parking brake handle and then taking it apart to remove the swaged cable end barrel (a la bike brake cable). It took about 2 hrs and 45 mins, and I ate a lot of mud (from Reiter) that was caked all over the bottom of my truck. Also, my interior winch control switch shorted, and I had the line wrapped around my right lower tow hook, with the locking hook attached to my left shackle~well the grade 8 bolts holding the tow hook on sheared and shot the nuts across the shop, also seriously mangling the hook. Luckily no one got hit by anything! At least I can park in my spot again (the only hill spot)

mtnfreak

Looks like I'm a couple hours late posting my experience. Sorry, but it was too nice of a day to come inside before the sun went down. Anyway, I agree - PITA!! If you ever do this repair, start from the handle and work back. Once you've finished the front part, the rest is cake. Also, don't plan on doing this right after you get back from the dealer with the new cable - you'll be working right next to the exhaust pipe. Those of you with the 4-Banger should have things a litte easier. For the V6's this repair is no different than any other - not much room to work with under the hood, so plan on the usual number of scrapes and skinned knuckles. No special tools are needed, but getting the end of the old cable out of the handle and the new one in may require breaking something. I twisted off the little part that pushes in the 'Brake' light button - tried to JB it, but it didn't work. That switch is now unplugged. Hope the 'Brake' light still comes on if something goes wrong with the brake system!

seafarinman

Oh yeah the light switch tab... There was a hole for driving it out with a punch. The tab is splined into the shaft of the parking brake handle. I had to remove it an reinstall it a few times since I didn't insert the cable into the bracket the right way. But all in all it was not too bad. I just hate taking the dash apart at all! I also hated all the dried mud in my face.

mtnfreak

Guess mine's just a little bit older and crankier. I tried pulling, pushing and punching. It looked like it might have threads on it, so I tried twisting - sheared easier than the wheel studs do. Oh well, after owning the truck for 10 years, I'm pretty sure I can tell when the parking brake is on without a bright red idiot light.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

I have just done the ones in the 1987 it was not nearly as hard except for me dropping the pin and wheel the cable rides on. right at the firewall.

Nor was there any dash to take apart.

As the cable broke right behind where it attached to the handle .

Must be a different design

Red Wagon

Hi guys all kinds of minor fun with my 4Runner lately. ADD system broke, my rear window exploded in the cold and while at the wrecker finding a rear window in -27C temperature my parking brake went.

It's been not great since I bought it but today when I pulled on the handle it let go and I nearly pulled the handle out of the dash! At least when I got it back in the idiot light finally went out.

For now my clutch will hold the truck but for safety reasons this needs to be changed out asap.



There are four cables but I have a 3" body lift and about 1" longer coils in the rear than stock. Is there anything I should watch out for? Do I need a longer cables or anything? The thing was binding a bit and I'm wondering if the lift the previous owner had done was the cause. Some lessons learned in this is buy stock and do things yourself but anyway....

I just want to check before I buy something on the internet I may not be able to return.


On the bright side I was able to find new glass at the wrecker from a 4Runner I had already removed the rear regulator out of. Glad I was careful not to break the glass when I was in it. $60 bucks instead of $1500 some shop down in Edmonton wanted. I got to cancel my insurance claim too!


Mine is a 92 4Runner but I didn't want to start a whole new thread after I found this one.

WendyWood

How do I get the front cable off the handle, so I can get the correct cable to replace it? I have a 89 Toyota pick up 4 cl. 2 wh. short bed. & where's the best place to find the part. Only place I found so far it partsgeek but it's shows for an 83?

sixstringslut

I just did three of these recently, last was on a 94 4WD. There is is tab at the top of handle that needs to be pryed up to get handle rod out of the sleeve. Don't mess with the brake-light pin at all as they are very hard to drill out.

I bought mine off Ebay $32-$36. Only issue was the T-100 cable was for a X-cab, so it was too long, not a problem.

WendyWood

Thanks for the advice sixstringslut!

WendyWood

I had finally got the cable out of the handle but having trouble with getting off of the frame. Is it a clip that hold it or what?

676869addict

just got done replacing e brake cable. no need to take handle out, remove 2 nuts on firewall,remove cover, from inside of truck remove e brake switch,if you look at where handle mount hangs to frame you will notice two rivets on brake assembly if you lift up on both of those this will allow handle to push in approx 1/4 inch,now all you have to do is remove metal stop on cable from firewall side, reverse everything for going in the rest is easy approx time 20 minutes start to finish hope this helps somebody

vanduzerwilliam

Rockauto sells the frony cables as well, ordered it and 2 days it was on my doorstep

naumann6

For those of you having a fun time trying to get the cable end out/into the handle, here's a trick:

Take the handle assembly completely out (two bolts at the bottom, two up top under the bottom trim panel) to make life easy. While you have it out, grind a notch in the tube the shaft runs through. Line the tab up with the notch you've created and the shaft will turn far enough that the cable end will pop right out. See pictures below.

Note: I should have cut the notch lower. I had to fight every bit of slack out of the new cable to get it into the shaft. But it worked.

Robby A21

You do not have to take the whole emergency break assembly or pound out the stop tab, to take out the old cable. Simply reach your left hand under the cover panel, and feel for two little pins at the top of the assembly. Find the one closest to the top, nearest the handle, and push down on the pin. Once it is pushed down, the whole rod will go down an extra 1/2 inch or so, which will reveal the cable socket opening. Now you can take out or put in new cable...

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Yes you could do that on the older ones The newer models don`t have that option .

I found that out the hard way !!

I just took the die grinder and made a slot to remove the cable .

Robby A21

It just does not make sense that toyota would make someone grind a notch in the bar to replace the cable. Im gonna have to disagree. I think you missed a step. Did you also take off the extra covering right below the handle. That comes off as well. I see that you have the two brass pins on the bar. They are there for a reason. Nobody should have to cut, grind, or pound anything off the assembly. With my 94 4x4 ext. Cab, i had never changed one out either, but with some research, some of the good info i found on this site, and a little acrobatics under the steering wheel, i was able to figure it out. Im sure there is a way for yours as well, it just needs to be figured out. If you ever find out let me know, as im curious to find out. I just still cannot believe you would have to cut a whole...

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

This is a 2000 Tacoma just so everyone is clear on the year and model

AS much plastic was remove as needed to get access to the emergency brake lever even the drivers seat came out .

On the newer vehicles the Proper way is to remove the pin that operates the e-brake light switch.Which is pressed in. The FSM says it should pull out quite easy.

No matter my best efforts and even having a new pin I Could not get it to move at all This pin needs to be out to rotate the handle to line the slots up to remove the cable end.

.I found this much to time consuming .

Thought this over and not wanting to get into a major project removing the handle after cutting the old broke cable off .To drive or drill this pin out.

I took the die grinder to the handle fished the old broke part out installed the new cable through the firewall around the pulley installed it in the handle.I work on so many This might come up through the floor without looking I don`t remember.

Then Hooked it up to the intermediate lever done.

If by some chance I ever need to replace this front cable it is a simple job.

No it is not the way Toyota Tells you to do this but it worked for me saved lots of frustration and time.

Jon hash

Bend this tab up



This worked for me