Emergency brake cable help. I can't release the E brake.

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ben2go

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My son pulled the E brake release and the entire thing pulled out of the dash. I finally got under the dash and use a pry bar to release the mechanism. I can't find anything showing how the cable sheath is held into the dash for the release handle to pull the cable to release the E brake. Nothing looks broken. It seems like there should be a clip holding it in but I can't find one in the floor of the truck anywhere. Maybe it flew out of the door the last time he used the E brake and released it. Truck info is in my sig line. I do know the pre 1995 trucks are different than 95+. I tried buying an entire new release cable for 95+ but it didn't fit the dash cut out.
 

Schurkey

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From the '88 service manual, page 5A-12 of the .pdf hosted on this site.
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ben2go

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Thanks but that doesn't show what anchors the cable to the dash. I followed it all the way through to the dash section in 8C but it shows nothing.
 

Schurkey

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Isn't it a molded-in plastic spring clip on the cable housing locking into a keyed hole in the dash? Feed the cable and handle assembly in from the "front", "PUSH", it snaps in place?

If the handle pulled out of the dash, the hole in the dash is probably broken, or the plastic tab on the cable housing broke off.

I've never dicked with this, so I don't know for sure--but that'd explain why there's no retainer shown on the illustration. It's molded right into the cable housing.
 

ben2go

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Isn't it a molded-in plastic spring clip on the cable housing locking into a keyed hole in the dash? Feed the cable and handle assembly in from the "front", "PUSH", it snaps in place?

If the handle pulled out of the dash, the hole in the dash is probably broken, or the plastic tab on the cable housing broke off.

I've never dicked with this, so I don't know for sure--but that'd explain why there's no retainer shown on the illustration. It's molded right into the cable housing.
I don't know and I can't find a new cable to look at and there are no trucks around that still have the cable and those that do are also broken. I can't see where there are any tale tell signs of plastic fatigue and break. I believe there is a plastic retainer of some sort.
 

ben2go

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Another thing to mention. The brake cable has always been a pain in the @$$ to pull out even when my friend bought the truck from the PO and before my son and I bought it from him. I've driven many of these trucks and never had the struggles I've had with these one. I've clean and greased the mechanism but no improvement.
 
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