Handbrake cable removal?

[BigMig]

Hi, does anyone have experience of removing the handbrake cable from a Vantage? I'm carrying out some winter remedial work to address my tatty looking undercarriage. I need to remove the cable from where it attaches to the rear subframe, there a couple of brackets that the cable appears to clip into but I don't want to just force them out if there's a special trick to it. Photo below shows the bracket I mean, there's one on each side.

[anonymous-user]

Can't speak as an Aston Martin owner, but from replacing the cable on my own cars there may be a clip or nut which you will have to remove the other side of that bracket, this locks the outer cable to the bracket.

Once that is removed you then you pull the outer cable to the right to expose the inner cable, and there should a narrow slot in the bracket to lift the inner cable up out of

[BigMig]

Had another look and there is some sort of plastic spring clip on the inside. Anyone know if there's a tool required to unclip this? Don't want to just go in there ham fisted and break it.

[bentleyspeed]

DBS workshop manual says to release the ring clip use special tool 303-535 and remove cable.
All models handbrake system are practically the same.
I don't know what the tool looks like, but I imagine you could improvise.

[dbs2000]

Click Me For PDF

[8Tech]

You need to remove the plastic clip to allow the cable outer to pull back enough to get the inner cable through that thinner slot.

I just broke my clips out because when all is reassembled and connected, there is not enough room for the outer cable to retract far enough to allow the inner to pull through anyway.

[JonnyCJ]

Following on from BigMig’S original thread, I’m at the same stage in my rear end tidy up.

How do you separate the handbrake cable from the subframe ? It’s the bit in the lower part of this pic showing the rubber boot. Bit of a poor piccy, but in front of the boot and touching the subframe is a which plastic clip with indents. I think this is the key to the puzzle and according to the manual needs a special tool.

Anyone done this recently without breaking the clip or using the special tool ?

Cheers

Jonny

[bullet7]

I am interested in this too if anyone knows, as I've got to replace mine at some point. The workshop manual is silent on this clip, it simply says that after you've disconnected the cable from the handbrake itself (for which it suggests removing the driver's seat), 'Remove screws (4) from cable clips and unclip grommet from body clip. Then you need to release the cable from both handbrake calipers and 'Remove cable from subframe'.

Sounds easy......

[JonnyCJ]

If anyone has a handbrake cable knocking about perhaps they could post up a pic ? Just need to know how it sits in the frame and can then work out how to remove from there.

[BigMig]

Hi, have a look at this eBay listing it shows the cable fittings, the white plastic spring clips on each side are the ones that slot into the frame brackets
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/2233923913?iid=1420794113...
If you can compress this in some way you should be able to feed it back through the hole in the frame, the inner cable will then pull out of the slot. I tried a small cable tie to compress the clip and almost got it out, but then realised I needed to replace the cable anyway so just broke the clips.
Good luck

[bullet7]

Cheers BigMig. I presume you didn't need to remove the driver's seat to release the cable at that end?

[JonnyCJ]

Thanks J - so effectively you’re trying to narrow the diameter of the white plastic bit to go through the hole in the frame ?

A bit like a piston ring compressor ?

Edited by JonnyCJ on Wednesday 19th February 22:07

Edited by JonnyCJ on Wednesday 19th February 22:14

[BigMig]

Yep that’s correct Jonny.

The seat only needs to come out when disconnecting from the lever. I tried to do that without removing the seat but came to the conclusion it’s not possible, at that point I was glad I have the “lightweight” seats!

[JonnyCJ]

Hi Bullet - had a think overnight and am going to try using a pen cap. This will give even pressure all the way around the white clip and also give sufficient surface area to grip.

I’ll need to cut a slot in it lengthways to enable it to fit over the braided cable, but can’t see why it wouldn’t work.

[bullet7]

Hi Jonny

I think I need to have proper look at the cable to picture what you are saying, it's been a while since I looked at it - in fact almost a year when I changed the rear discs & pads. The cable works but the adjusters are totally seized & broken. I'm in the middle of replacing the aircon condenser at the moment. New one arrived damaged from AM, so waiting for another. Won't have time to fix it this weekend anyway as I'm up to the classic car show in London!

I will be very interested to hear how you get on, so please do keep posting.

Jeff

[JonnyCJ]

Willco Jeff - hopefully get some pics tomorrow although might not get a chance to do any work on it.

[JonnyCJ]

Here’s a pic Jeff - it’s basically showing the white clip which causes the problem. There’s one each at the subframe bracket where the handbrake cable goes through the bracket and one at the metal cage which joins the 2 sides of the handbrake cable.

For ease of getting a picture I’ve shown the clip at the metal cage. It looks like a z shape in the pic. Also on there is a cable tie which I am going to try as a means of compressing the clip.

The

What you need to do is squeeze the z clip all around it’s circumference at the biggest end. This will make the diameter smaller (approx 16mm down to approx 13mm).

You can then push the clip through the hole on the subframe bracket and lift the cable up out of the bracket through the small slot.

Hope that gives you a better understanding.

As I’m taking my subframe out I’m going to remove the cable after I’ve removed the subframe. Will be much much easier.

Edited by JonnyCJ on Friday 21st February 13:59

[bullet7]

See what you mean Jonny. I've come across those before and they are so & so's to remove. Good luck with the rest, keep posting. I'm still on the condenser at the moment, collecting the replacement on Wednesday. In the meantime I'm tidying up the area at the front and I've still to get two sheared ends of grille mounting bolts out!

[JonnyCJ]

Been busy with other bits and pieces on the car this weekend with the aim of getting the subframe out - read as avoiding the handbrake cable issue.....

My current thinking is to buy a cheap 14mm spanner and cut a slot in that. The fixings are the same at the caliper end, so can’t be avoided.

Got the transaxle output flange bolts out today - pretty easy job as they were at the correct torque and ordered new replacements. Apparently they’re stretch bolts so shouldn’t really be re-used.

Getting there, but there’s a lot of tools all over the floor. I’m just glad I invested in lots of tools over the years and haven’t had to stop for want of the correct tool.

Yet

[bullet7]

Do you think it will be easier to remove the cable and in particular release it from the white clips if the cable is disconnected from both calipers and also the handbrake itself? There ought to be no tension in it at that stage.