This is video # 21 “Emergency Brake Cable 2003 WJ Jeep Grand Cherokee”.
In this episode the E-Brake cable on this Jeep stopped working. The driver was under the impression that the problem was in the rear brake pads themselves. After closer inspection (taking the wheels and rotors off) I found that the pads were still in great shape. So then the problem got much worse. I then followed the cable to see if there was a brake in it somewhere. I found that the lug at the end of the cable that connects to the E-brake handle was broken off the cable. This means that the brakes, cable and lug are just fine and all I had to do was replace the cable.
By “the problem got much worse” I don’t mean that replacing the cable was hard because it isn’t, I meant getting to the cable was hard. It would be a lot easier if I could just cut the carpet in order to get to both sides and the 3 bolts holding the cable onto the floor.
Because we don’t want to hack through the carpet I have to take out the center console, front and back seats (the passenger side is easier), kick panel, scuff sill, seat belt parts, stereo amplifier, tire iron, jack and carpeting just to get to the cable.
Once I got to the cable, I had to get help from my dad and my poopa (that’s what I call my grandpa) so we couldn’t film it. Connecting the lug to the E-brake gear wasn’t the hard part but catching the spring, hooking it on the gear and putting it all in the right order to make room for the cable and lug was hard. Let me start by saying that some of you are going to want to pull the trim cover off the passenger side of the E-brake, because… “There’s got to be an easier way” and “I’m sure that there is probably better access under that trim”. Am I right? Well we did too, don’t waste your time there’s nothing back there but a big round steel plate. What we did is to make a line man’s loop at the end of some pretty heavy duty (but small) twine. Then dropped it threw the opening in the top of the gear housing and caught it on the hook that holds the lug normally. Lining up the spring with the gear was a combination of using our fingers a flat blade screw driver and lifting the brake handle over and over to get ever thing to turn together. I’m not saying it was easy, but if you have patience and keep trying it will all line up. Just this part alone took about 30 minutes with three of us working at it, and I have small hands.
Putting everything back together was very quick or at least it felt like it, cause I was motivated to get it done.
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