Hand Brake Cable Bracket
 

I'm sure I read in a thread somewhere to cut two slots vertically down from the holes in the handbrake cable bracket (the one above the diff mounting plates). Does this make assembly of the handbrake lines a lot easier, what size slits?

Mounting that handbrake plate vertical (rather than following the angle of the back panel) also helps in the routing of the cable. The Sierra handbrake cable cores are around 3mm in diameter. So if you made your grooves around 5mm I think you'd find it much easier than the nightmare I have, as mine is as per the book (angled plate, no grooves)

Not really sure how it would make it easier. I just cut the nipple off one end of the cable and took off the plastic & metal sheath from that end of the cable. I then fed it through like it says in the book and got a rough idea how much to cut off by lining it up to the handbrake arm in the brake assembly. I then cut down the sheaths and the cable so just a bit of metal sheath went thru the plate by the diff (which I then tightened up with the plastic nut things that where on the sheaths). I then just got one of the solderless nippless off ebay to put on the end of the cable I cut and put a small blob of weld on to make sure it held.

so why does it make it easier to fit the cable with the slits? Does it remove the need to cut the cable?

Not sure about the slits to be honest but you'll still have to cut the cable most likely. Mine was probly at least 2-3 feet too long.

You'll have to cut the cable, regardless of the slits. You can either cut extra length from the cable at the end, and replace the nipple. Or cut the extra length out the middle and clamp it.

The slits mean you don't have to feed the cable through CP14, you can just slide it up into the retaining holes. It does make life easier for maintenance and adjustment, but its not life changing. Its certainly something I wish I had done (I cut my cable in the middle and clamped it)

As Deezee has said, its not life changing :D but it does make it easier to install / and or for future maintenance & also makes it easier when feeding the inner cable thru as you won,t need to remove the inner cable from the sheath IF you are intending to shorten the cable at the nipple end .

I found that shortening the cable at the nipple end meant that there,s no need to join 2 halves of cable under the handbrake lever ( not alot of space there ) & I suppose being honest looks a neater installation, :)

I used a 1mm cutting disc in a grinder to slit the bracket, just wide enough to wiggle the inner cable thru the slit.

cheers
andy

excellent thanks guys!

Cracking idea Adrian, i like it.

Here's my solution http://web.zone.ee/mopple/Haynes/IMG_6246.JPG. If anyone wants the DXF contour then PM me.