Okay here's the short version of the story (please note the irony)

Last winter I drove over a downed ground wire for a utility pole (heavy gauge copper). It wrapped 20 times around the rear axle and stretched the parking brake cable(s).

Before this, I could get the pedal about 2-3 clicks from the floor and the parking brake held. This was ideal because if I had a load I could press I bit more to apply even more pressure than normal to ensure the truck would not roll on an incline.

With this wire bound on the axle, the pedal got tighter and tighter to the point where I thought I'd not be able to disengage the parking brake. I got the wire removed and eventually took the truck in to have the cables checked and replaced. The mechanic at the shop I trust replaced the two rear cables as the replacements were SHORTER...indicating both were damaged/stretched in the process.

He adjusted at the drums so that the parking brake held, BUT NOW the pedal had to go to the floor to hold. Anything less and the truck rolled.

I got home and felt I could move the truck by pushing on it (pads were already setting back in). I tightened the adjusters on both drums manually so that I could not turn the wheels by hand when the parking brake was engaged.

This improved things slightly for about two months.

Mazda makes the front run of the parking brake in THREE parts. A front running cable, a cable through the firewall, and a cable integrated into the pedal assembly. The firewall and assembly cables only come from Mazda and the assembly cable is part of a new parking brake pedal assembly. Since now the truck won't stop by parking brake alone when on an incline, and I know it's not the brake drum adjustment, I bit the bullet to replace the remaining three cables.

NOW THE PROBLEM IS WORSE. The mechanic found no stretching in the new vs. old cables, but now there is what seems to be two inches of slack in the whole system. This can't be compensated at the drums, and there is no where in the system (that either of us can see) to adjust for cable slack or adjust pedal distance when the brake is engaged.

The mechanic's best guess is that thingy which connects the front run cable to the rear cables. Mine is like 3-4 inches long, but it is OEM from day one...no sign of damage or defect. One of the mechanics has an '02 Ranger (essentially the same everything), but his connector is only 1.5 inches.

I see no reason why this should be an issue UNLESS the replacement cable lengths are wrong (this can happen with a non OEM cable if the vendor got bad measurements from Mazda). Mazda brain farted and uploaded a bad page for front suspension part numbers in their system a few years back, and I had to go 2 hours away to find a shop with the old microfiche to get the right part numbers for a part I needed (saved the page). If that happened here, then it's possible the non-OEM front run cable is too long.

So, sorry for the long explanation, but everything in the parking brake system has been replaced, but I can not remove the slack in order to make the brake work properly...even when it is put to the floor. Ideally, I want it back the way it was BEFORE all this happened...working properly on a level surface when there was still 1-2 clicks before it was pressed into the floorboard.

***

IS THERE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL OF THIS OTHER THAN AT THE DRUMS OR IS THERE ANOTHER SOLUTION?

My guess is that if they made a front run cable about 3-4 inches shorter, it would solve the problem, but the mechanic is going by part numbers and my truck's VIN.

There are a number of intermediate cables depending on wheelbase, 4x4 vs 2x4, and 10" vs 9" drums. My 98 Ford has one front cable (pedal to under the truck by the cab mount) a second (the intermediate cable, from the cab mount to the a mount at the front spring shackle) and a third piece to either wheel. The balancer is the connector at the rear spring hanger and is also dependent on yearn, wheelbase, etc.

I don't know if this is relevant to your truck, since you've neglected to tell us anything about your truck other than its a Mazda.

And I believe that proper procedure is to adjust brake shoes with the parking brake off to just a slight drag on the drums, then seat them by pushing the pedal a time or two, turning the drum, etc. and adjust the last click or two again.

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98 XLT 3.0 manual 4x4 standard cab 6ft bed
RTFM!!!

I'm sorry...I should have included more info in my OP.

Mazda B3000 (same as Ford Ranger).

2WD
Extended Cab
V6 3.0L
Manual Transmission

Well, so far, no luck.

Mazda shows a SPRING that seems to connect that thingy that holds both rear brake cables to the part of the frame it runs through. I don't have that spring...don't know if I ever did.

It's called a "return spring" and certainly seems intended to take up slack for when the parking brake cable is released, but I'm not sure if it takes up the slack issue to make the brake work better.

I might give that a try.

Available at O'Reiley's Auto Parts


Dorman Help! Brake Cable Adjuster
Part Number: 03006
$3.99

Try one of these to take some of the slack out of your brake cable.

2005 2.3L XL

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2005 2.3L XL 5SOD 3.73 K&N
KYB Shocks Husky Toolbox
Alpine / Rockford Fosgate Sound

"Ask me about my AC Vent fix!"

Here's a picture. You have to take the nuts off and reverse the hook. As you tighten the nuts, the hook will pull some of the cable down between the rollers, taking out some slack.

image-2487579129.jpg

2005 2.3L XL

__________________
2005 2.3L XL 5SOD 3.73 K&N
KYB Shocks Husky Toolbox
Alpine / Rockford Fosgate Sound

"Ask me about my AC Vent fix!"

Looks interesting, but I'm not sure how it would work on my truck. I'll have to stop by and see the packaging for more details.

The hook pulls the excess cable into a "U" shape, taking up some of the slack. It isn't pretty or elegant, but it does the job cheaply and easily.

2005 2.3L XL

__________________
2005 2.3L XL 5SOD 3.73 K&N
KYB Shocks Husky Toolbox
Alpine / Rockford Fosgate Sound

"Ask me about my AC Vent fix!"

Tried one of those once. Managed to take up about 1/2" slack, no more. (and it looks like shit)

What year is the truck?

The spring is easy. About 4 inches long, strong. You can get one at Home Depits or Lowes. It doesn't have to be OEM to work

__________________
98 XLT 3.0 manual 4x4 standard cab 6ft bed
RTFM!!!

Oh I highly agree it looks like shit!


There doesn't seem to be an insane amount of slack in the OP's cable. He's looking for options, I gave him one. We know some on here won't consider any option more than free. Others will spend $10,000 on a 25 year old truck.

Who's right ?

The man with the truck is. ; )

2005 2.3L XL

__________________
2005 2.3L XL 5SOD 3.73 K&N
KYB Shocks Husky Toolbox
Alpine / Rockford Fosgate Sound

"Ask me about my AC Vent fix!"

Personally, I think he was supplied with the wrong intermediate cable. There's about 6 different lengths depending on wheelbase, supercab, regular cab, 6 ft bed, 7 ft bed, 10 drums, 9 inch drums, etc etc etc...

But if the clamp does the trick, outstanding. When my parking brake wouldn't engage, it wound up being the plate where the front cable attaches at the cab mount bracket was rusted out. Fabbed up a new one and welded it on in about an hour.

__________________
98 XLT 3.0 manual 4x4 standard cab 6ft bed
RTFM!!!

I agree with that as well.


Guess my steel mill mentality is taking over. Can you fix it while its running? If we shut down, what is the quickest repair - no matter how ugly? Are there any other options?

At about $1M an hour, I've been taught to think that way first.

2005 2.3L XL

__________________
2005 2.3L XL 5SOD 3.73 K&N
KYB Shocks Husky Toolbox
Alpine / Rockford Fosgate Sound

"Ask me about my AC Vent fix!"

Well, I'll see what happens with the spring. If it doesn't fix the problem, I will insist on seeing if there is a shorter intermediate cable.

I couldn't find any positive reviews on that Dorman part, and I'd rather have it fixed right than use something that would cost me more if it fails when I need it.

The dorman part will not fail. Its mechanically simple ans more than strong enough to do the job until you can get the other parts and do it right.

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98 XLT 3.0 manual 4x4 standard cab 6ft bed
RTFM!!!

Just to ask...presuming after I get the spring there is still too much slack in the line, I will have two options.

1. Find a shorter brake cable (the mechanic used the VIN to order the part, but I know computer errors can result in the wrong part number being assigned). Part numbers do not indicate correct length you can double-check before installation.

2. Find a way to remove the slack permanently from the existing line.

How hard is it to crimp something onto the end of the cable to push the end stopper further away. Do they make something like that?