EMERGENCY CABLE S-HOOK LENGTH (727 CHALLENGER)

[Mopar Mitch]

I recently broke the equalizer cable for the emergency brake while loading the car onto my trailer... and I lost the S-hook at the track (Monster Mopar Wknd/Autocross at INDY).  Although I've bought a new equalizer cable (86" length?), as well as the S-hook, the cable appears too short and the S-hook seems to be too short  (from my memory of the old one).  Even with the adjuster rod all the way out, its still too short to connect the S-hook to the trans crossmember by about 3-4 inches.  Maybe the cable is too short (I'm going to send a pic with tape measure to the company I bought it from, per their request today), but the question of the S-hook length is up in the air.  Can anyone help with this length of the S-hook?  Or else, any other ideas?  It seems simple to change the cable, etc.

[brads70]

Hi Mitch,
I just looked at mine . I don't have any S hooks? Cable goes from pedal to torsion bar cross member ( clips in a hole) then goes  directly back to the  plate that spits it off to either wheel? Nothing goes near the  trans crossmember and no s hooks at all?

[burdar]

I ran into the same thing on my 73.  The original s-hook was longer then the replacement AND the intermediate cable was 3-4 inches too short.  The funny thing is that the new cable was the same length as the original one.  There must be something wrong with the front or rear cables.

This winter, I'm going to make up a longer intermediate cable.  That seems to be the easiest option at this point.  The only thing the manufacturer said was I could send everything back for a refund.  For what ever reason, they couldn't make me a longer intermediate cable.

[Chryco Psycho]

70 has a totally different system , the easy fix is to bend yourself a longer S hook although you may have a Cuda cable approx 4" shorter

[Mopar Mitch]

Thanks all,

There are two different setups and mine has the S-hook from the center of the cross-member.  Tonight I taped the old and new cables to the garage floor and measured/compared old vs new:   

OLD is about 89"~89.5" overall length (with respect to re-joining the cable break)... could've been stretched a little longer to maybe 90" max.

NEW is 86" overall length.

The brand new S-Hook is at 6" (maybe 6.125" max tip-to-tip)... I still think it is slightly shorter than the original from my car.

I'd bought these parts from InLineTube... they have an 85" for Cudas, and 86" for Challengers.  I'm going to send them pics.  I wonder, also, since the Cuda has a 108" wheelbase, and the Challenger has 110", if the cable should actually be a little longer than 86" for the longer WB of thw Challenger... more like what I measured at ~89"~89.5 (could even be 90" if pulled/stretched tighter on the floor).

Also, the ball-ends of the new cable were considerably larger at ~.425" diameter vs. the original OE ball ends at .31"... to make the new larger ball ends fit into the cable connectors, I had to drill out the holes larger... and i wasn't planning to do that, but "OE originality" isn't my concern with my car. 

[PlumCraZRT]

I'd bought these parts from InLineTube...

Seems like I've only seen unhappy customers lately from InLineTube...

[Chryco Psycho]

Simple math if the wheel base is 2" longer & the cable fits in a U shape the cable has to be 4" longer for the longer wheelbase so it has to be 89-90" to come close to fitting if the Cuda length is correct . The one time I visited Inline in person I was so not impressed with them . As I said before I would just use some steel rod & bend a new hook .

[Mopar Mitch]

InLine Tube's tech person was willing to investigate this matter with me...  I sent a bunch of photos last night to him... now waiting to hear back.  I tend to agree that the cable should be 4" longer for a Challenger vs the Cuda.  I wish I had an OE S-Hook to compare, or at least a confirmed OE length... could be a combination of both to resolve.   If I were to make my own S-hook, then it has to be solid and not bendable.... not sure how to that.... thickness is about 1/4" diameter rod.

[burdar]

I compaired mine last night.  The new hook is a good inch shorter and is bent a lot more then the original one.

When you compaired your cables, what did you measure?  On my rear cables, the overall length is the same but the outer sheeth is longer on the new cables.  That means when they are installed in the car, they are too short. 

Yes, the configuration is different on a 70, but if they can't get a 71-74 right, what makes you think the 70 is going to be any better?

[Mopar Mitch]

See the attached pics (7 total) of the "equalizer" cable.

[burdar]

What year are you working on?

[KillerBee]

I'll respond to you at this site.

I measured my repop S hook from the bend going into the crosmember, is it a little longer than yours?

The ball ends in my cables are small like your orginals.

My car is a 1971 R/T Challenger 4 speed bult in June of 71 if that matters.

I'm pretty sure all the parking brake stuff is all original except the S hook

[Mopar Mitch]

KillerBee -- thanks for the pic... It appears the length has to be at least 7" (say, the ID of eachhook-end?), so... perhaps about 7.25~7.5 overall length???  again, from my memory of pulling the original S-Hook on/off the cross member, I knew it was a little longer than the ~6" of the new INLINE TUBE S-Hook.  And, perhaps with the extra, say 4" of needed cable length (90" total for a Chally?), that should be the answer to this situation.   The Tech Rep from INLINE TUBE told me yesterday that they are looking into this matter for me and should have an answer in a few days.

By the way, even though my car picture is of my T/A... I believe many of you know that its actually a 72 model that I cloned into a 70 T/A for autocross reasons... it is highly "Street Prepared" per the SCCA Solo II rules allowances... I've been very successful with it on a Regional/Divisional and National level of competition since the late 1970s when I began competing it   

[KillerBee]

I've been a drag racer all my life but I would love to setup one of my Challengers for road racing...as long as I don't have to bounce off other cars or solid object.

Sorry for the half picture.

The other end of the tape was right on the outside of the bend of the hook where it goes into the crossmember.

I don't know how much these cables stretch but I wrenched in the adjuster in pretty far but I do like my parking brake pretty tight to the top of the pedal.
My 73 Challenger has the same parking brake setup and it's turned in about the same distance on the adjuster.

I assume you still have drum brakes on the rear?
I don't imagine rear brake shoe adjustment changes the cable length much?

Sounds like you might have the wrong cables and S hook.

[rockymopar]

I kinda had the same issue when I built my own crossmember for my A518 conversion. I beat this by installing an adjustable turnbuckle from Home depot. I adjusted it so I could push the pedal to the floor, yet it would release when I pulled the handle. I left the turnbuckle under mine, but if you wanted the bottom of your car to look stock, it would at least give you the ideal length to bend the hook to make it look stock.