Emergency Brake Cable Length - Rear Cables

[RonHall76]

Working on a pair of W200s (one short bed, one long bed) - both need their rear emergency brake cables redone. Need more length. Each has it's own challenges. I do have some donor rig parts.

Situation: Both have been lifted.

long bed has been modified with ladder rails/bars.

Short bed has also had headers added, and a Mico lock added to replace the emergency brake. In order to fit header pipe on driver side the cable bracket was removed. Also has dual exhaust that impairs the use of the driver side bracket. The emergency brake cables are gone on the short bed, I have the levers for the rear drums, but wonder if there are any other small parts I need.

Longbed has all the parts in place to make the brakes function. I ordered a new driver side rear cable, but because of the ladder bars it is tighter/shorter than I would like. Have thought about using a right side cable, but it is way too long.

Have figured out a way to make the short bed brake function by using a front cable from a 63 W100 SB that went to a transfer case mounted brake (means I can move the front bracket back). I can move the rear bracket forward, but it requires having cables to the drums that are longer.

Does anyone have a resource that makes custom cables with ball and piston ends, mount to bracket on ball end, and mount to drum on piston end? Are there similar setups on another Dodge product from that era that might have longer rear cables?

[PwrWgnDrvr]

mico lock is for parking, not emergency. If your service brakes fail, you're SOL!

[RonHall76]

Thanks for reaching out. Guessing things are slow down in Walnut Creek right now.

"SOL" is not quite true from a practical perspective.

Let's explore ....

Mico sells these locks as a "supplemental safety device".

From their own literature

"The MICO Electric Brake Lock is installed directly into a vehicles service brake system. It is activated by the flip of a toggle switch located within reach of the vehicle operator. When activated, this brake lock acts as a one-way check valve and holds pressure to the brakes until the lock is released. Service brake operation is not affected by the use of an electric brake lock.

A MICO Electric Brake Lock can be used in many different vehicle applications, however, it is not recommended for use in frequent stop applications or emergency vehicle applications."

In standard operation the vehicle is brought to a complete stop, the parking brake applied to the point that the vehicle remains stationary, then one flips the switch and gently applies the brakes to push excess pressure past the Mico's check valve. This helps prevent the vehicle from moving if the parking brake gets released (like when my neighbor's 3 yr old boy climbed up on his ATV and released the parking brake, causing it to roll backward down hill and throw him off).

Practical/"SOL"perspective (not recommended): It is possible to put enough pressure on the brakes to hold the vehicle and then flip the lock. The trick is to still have enough pressure available to be able to release the check valve. If you are far from home, by yourself, and cannot shut the truck off .... you are not SOL.

Like using 4WD to get yourself home after you have ripped up you rear end/drive. It works in a pinch.

This is a work truck/machine. Another thing that was added is a second battery with and isolater switch opposite the main battery. This allowed us to hook up a 12,000 lb electric winch. The Mico also is used to keep us from damaging/impacting the transmission during winch work because we leave it out of gear. The Mico is also hooked to the second battery.

Made good progress on retro fitting the parking brakes yesterday. Am using a front cable from a 63 W100 that had a transfer case parking brake. That moves the holding bracket for the front cable at least a couple feet, where I can mount it to the frame, instead of under the front cross bar - this deals with the header issue. Took off the rear bracket and am hoping to move it forward (6" or so) just enough to clear the tailpipe of the muffler on the driver side. Know I can use a right cable on the left side (with some creative routing), just need to figure out if I can reroute the right side cable to make the fit work.

Still researching whether I can get custom cables. Need to talk with a Rasbestos tech.

Make it a good day .... and stay safe.

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[Wildergarten]

This is a work truck/machine. Another thing that was added is a second battery with and isolater switch opposite the main battery. This allowed us to hook up a 12,000 lb electric winch. The Mico also is used to keep us from damaging/impacting the transmission during winch work because we leave it out of gear. The Mico is also hooked to the second battery.

Thanks for this. We have similar goals. I too am planning a second battery on an ACR with a Mico lock on the brake lines for winching, although mine is 8,000# PTO driven because I'm pulling logs for longer periods. As for the e-brake cable, my first challenge is to route it past the hydraulic pump off the PTO with the second being the short length of the cable from the driver's side rear e-brake. All I need there is a couple of inches, so moving the bracket backward may take care of it. We'll see. Please do let me know if you find a vendor. I've seen one in the recent past, but with the damage being done to the economy right now, one never knows who is still in business or not.

You may want to take a look at the bumper on my build thread, as it is equipped not only for the winch, but for jacks to support the front of the truck as integrated with the front overhead rack support. Making the chain box lids now. https://www.sweptline.org/forums/viewto ... 21#p307721

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Hi Ron, in the long rationalization above, you completely disregarded what I said. Of course the Mico works as you stated, and for all the uses you mentioned. My experience with Mico locks started in 1973 and I am very familiar with their use and operation.
However, what you are absolutely missing, and disregarded in your lengthy commentary, is that you stated "a Mico lock added to replace the emergency brake". Not only is that foolish and illegal, it is stupid!
A Mico lock is NOT an EMERGENCY brake and NOWHERE in the Mico literature will you see it so described!
I have been driving cars and heavy trucks that had total service brake failures and the EMERGENCY brake came in real handy! A Mico would have been useless as there was ZERO fluid in the system! That's when you're SOL if you don't have an e-brake!
And, unless they offer a dual valve Mico, it will only lock the rear brakes. If there is a failure of the rear brake circuit, then you won't even have a parking brake, much less an emergency brake, which you disconnected. When things get slow for you, you would do well to do a little more study on brake systems and safe vehicle design.

[RonHall76]

It is kind of hard to totally disregard a 15 word reply. Especially one that ends with an exclamation point.

Re Mico Lock usage if there is no fluid in the system. Agree that it is useless for a truck in motion. Since I only drive manuals, I think that using the transmission to slow a vehicle is a much more effective way to bring any load under control rather than a cable parking brake running a set of drums. Especially with the W200 I am talking about/using.

Re Illegal to operate a vehicle without an emergency brake. Probably true in most states and provinces, but not sure about the territories and Mexico. I am assuming that if you ripped out a cable brake out in the wild/off the grid that you would just park the vehicle and start walking because you feel personally that you would be "SOL!" and would be worried about a ticket or driving an unsafe vehicle.

Re Citing you experience driving truck to emphasize your expertise and suggesting I should study braking systems. Agree on studying. Can learn something every day. I did that every day I ran an excavator, loader, crane, boom truck, bulldozer for over 4 decades. Many of them loading and unloading trucks. A lot of it in remote areas. Sold all the heavy gear, but still use a variety of specialty vehicles, a tractors, and a skidsteer here at the homestead. Can always go rent the stuff.

See that you are an organizing member of this forum and been here since 1969, so I feel the need to be somewhat respectful (even if you did call me "stupid" - with an exclamation point added). That said, I am in the no BS phase of my life, and tend to tell people what I think rather than what they may want to hear.

I was taught that SOL was a state of mind, not a situation. Sorry we differ on that meaning/perspective. Looks like I touched a nerve, not hard to do in these COVID times. I apologize if I did.

In the meantime, I will keep using the rebuilt braking system, Mico lock, transmission, and wheel chocks to use the truck to work around the homestead while I fix the parking brake .... which is the reason I wrote this thread.

I am not SOL.

Make it a good day.

PS - Re studying up. Maybe you could suggest some resources. I bought the service manuals for the trucks I am working on when I started this project a couple years ago. I am putting together 2 pieces of machinery, not car show entries. They were handy for redoing all the brakes (new pads, kits, and had drums spun), the slave cylinders (new), the master cylinder (rebuilt), and new lines. Mico's documents have been useful for working on not only this pickup, but the 1962 Ford (Straight 6) boom truck we have for working on the farm buildings. The lift part (hydraulics off a PTO pump) was actually built down in Oakland.

[RonHall76]

Morning Mark,

First, nice website. Support the kind of work/approach you are taking at Wintergarten. Sidebar, studied at Cornell Ag school, and also graduated from Penn State's Turf School.

Second - The long bed (68 W200) I am working on was originally owned by the Forest Service up here in Washington State. It has a PTO driven Braden winch. Just rebuilt all the bearings and shafts on its drive line out from the transfer case. What caught my attention in your post was the mention of a hydraulic pump.

The short bed with the extra battery and electric winch has a standard NP205 transfer case. I have another matching transfer case that has a front facing PTO added (have 4 trucks - all 4WD - I am making 2 out of). One of the things I am researching is the use of PTO driven hydraulic pumps (like for a dump truck) on these rigs. Thinking about having the PTO transfer case rebuilt and dropping it into the short bed to run a hydraulic pump so that I can add pressure couplings for various on board tools.

Does your PTO run a pump? Have seen one that does on an older (early 60's) D600 Dump truck in a scrap yard, but it is rear facing.

Re custom bumpers. Thanks for posting the pics - nice work. Every Dodge I have has custom front and rear bumpers. I have a 1st Gen Cummings Extended Cab that has a front "bush" bumper and rear bumper with side pieces. Both have tool boxes and vertical pieces (tube steel) are meant to hold an overhead rack. Be sure and dill a hole in your tool boxes.

The 2 old Dodges both have front winch bumpers. The long bed was owned by a millwright after the Forest Service. He added a setup that could be used as a crane because he used it to build his log home. He also added ladder rails/bars for additional traction, and lifted both front and rear. Neither one of these trucks has tool boxes in the bumpers. Part of the reason I am rehabbing these trucks for work use is that all my other rigs have canopies. I wanted some with open backs for hauling pallets or over height stuff. I have gear boxes for them.

Will post some pics. See if this link works for you https://photos.app.goo.gl/kyjtYpF33tX6SgTV7

Need to add pics for the Cummins.

Re custom brake cables - Did fair amount of rigging and cable work in our years of heavy earthwork. Spokane is a rail, raw materials, logging center .... with a great industrial service area. They have a couple of cable and splicing operations here. Also going to try reaching out to Raybestos.

Will post if I get something.

Make it a good day, and stay safe.

[RonHall76]

Quick update on custom cables ....

Talked to a long time steel and rigging supplier here in Spokane and they do custom work with cable/"wire rope". I just need to take them in a sample for ends and fittings and specified lengths.

Need to get samples and lengths together.

Will post if it happens with no issues.

[Wildergarten]

First, nice website. Support the kind of work/approach you are taking at Wintergarten. Sidebar, studied at Cornell Ag school, and also graduated from Penn State's Turf School.

Thanks, the site is a LOT of work. The name isn't Wintergarten; it's Wildergarten. Think wilderness and kindergarten (which is where we are in terms of knowledge). Effectivley, I'm saying that we should be gardening wilderness for which our property is a prototype. The readings you'll find there and with the two associated book sites are very deep. You won't find anything like it anywhere on the net.

Does your PTO run a pump? Have seen one that does on an older (early 60's) D600 Dump truck in a scrap yard, but it is rear facing.

Yes, it's a Williams pump, flange mounted on the tank (photo). The 7/8" shaft worked fine, but I'm going to 1". The spicer PTO on the NP-205 I have is for sale. The Braden I have for the new truck is 1-1/4" with outputs on both the front and the back. A new one like that from Spicer is about $700.

Yes, the chain boxes will have drains and a paintable underbody coating inside. I'm thinking one box will be for chain, shackles, etc. The other I don't know, but probably straps and blocks. It will also have hooks for tie-downs from the overhead rack. My 'young-man' background is marine hardware, so it may even sport a couple of cleats if I can find some that I can weld on. I'm pondering adding an air chuck, 12v 100A outlet, and 120VAC in and out for the trickle charger but I don't want to run wires in and out of the box in the rain although I'm not unfamiliar with that kind of thing on boats. I'm thinking a good spot would be just inside the headlight under the batteries which I'll be doing one on each side. I'll relocate the horns onto an extended shock bracket I've got. My flatbed had a cheapo Harbor Frieght crane on it I upgraded a bit (their design needs work and a better winch) with supports to which I could mount on either the front or the back of the bed. I have yet to work out how I want to do the light stanchions along with provision for long handled tools (shovel, rake, cant hook, etc.) behind the headboard. There may not be room for all that with an over-cab basket on the rack.

Your pix worked fine.

Re custom brake cables - Did fair amount of rigging and cable work in our years of heavy earthwork. Spokane is a rail, raw materials, logging center .... with a great industrial service area. They have a couple of cable and splicing operations here. Also going to try reaching out to Raybestos.

Raybestos screwed me over big time. They accepted an order for rear drums and then, three months later, canceled production. People with rear Dana 60 Dodge axles are going to be relining drums (at $400 apiece) very soon.

If you still need a measurement of that front e-brake cable, I have one out of the truck. I can sell it for enough to cover the shipping.

[Wildergarten]

Are there similar setups on another Dodge product from that era that might have longer rear cables?

Today I measured a stock '67 D200 e-brake cable. From the shoulder of the cast end where the cable goes into the zinc to the tip of the adjustment rod is 124 inches.

[RonHall76]

Thanks Mark

Thanks for the info on the pump.

Update:

Used the front cable out of the 63 short bed W100 (transfer case brake) as the new cable on the 66 short bed W200. Was able to smoothly route it on the frame side (inside the rail) of the front cross member, opposite side of the headers. It has a much longer piece of casing on it (at least 3 feet longer) and the retainer clip mount is also about 3' further back. Used that mount to hold it to the frame in a location that mimics it's original operating plane, only a about 6" or so more forward. Which puts it in front of the muffler tail pipe on the driver side with enough clearance (I hope) between the frame and the muffler.

Made a mount plate for the rear bracket (which was hung on the rear crossmember) so that I could move it forward. Piece of heavy steel plate that will bolt into inside top of the interior bottom frame rail. Hope to finalize and bolt today.

Don't have the other truck (69 long bed W200) here to measure the distance between the rear bracket (where the rear cable covers are retained) and the holding nut and thread section on the end of the front cable.

I need to order 2 new rear cables of custom length. The end of the cable covers will be retained in place by the attachment at the drum and the retainer at the rear bracket. Figure that the exposed section of each cable must be the same length so that the unit between the bracket balances properly. Have a fair idea of what the exposed section should be from parts descriptions of standard replacement cables (about 16"). The problem is that they rely on a front cable that is slightly longer than the one I am using. Hoping to figure length so that it fits within the adjustment section on the front cable (about 2.5"). Thinking it is better to be a bit too long, rather than short. Can always move front bracket forward.

Need to route some template lines in the back to determine route and length of covered section of cable.

Also need to take parts into the cable folks to confirm they can do it.

Need to take a few pics.