Hi All,

This thread seems to have wandered off in the wrong direction.

Rather than bang on about the merits or issues with the Bowdenex cable system, could Friends please answer my original post question?

Many thanks,

Matt

Location: South Derbyshire

Hi Matt,

Have you tried taking the drums off, pulling the brake levers on to 90deg to refit the clevis ends, (might also help to remove the bracket from the cross member and feed the outers in before refitting) then release the levers and refit drums. Just a thought.

Tom

Location: Eye on the Norfolk / Suffolk border

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your feedback.

I have now managed to reattach the Bowdenex cables and in the end it's really simple when you know how!

First feed the brake cables into the special brackets on the brake cross tube. Just add one of nuts to the threaded end of the cable.

Next, at the front of the car, take the cable sleeves out of the bracket/slot on the hub back shells. Put the pin through the cable clevis and brake lever arm. Fit the split pin.

Now the easy bit, gently pull the cable sleeve up and relocate the cable into the hub back shell bracket.

Adjust the cable tension under the car at the cross tube and fit the locknut. Adjust the brake shoes.

Job done.

Location: South Derbyshire

Just a thought regarding Bowdenex type brakes, Many if not most modern hand brake cables have an inner liner of either nylon or ptfe type material in their construction to ease the friction. has anyone tried these as an alternative to the original steel cable within a steel sheath.

Location: Piddle Valley

The Bowdenex that came with our Type "65" was more than a little sticky. Washing it in solvent and running oil into it improved the action somewhat, but a close inspection of the cable showed flat spots on the weave or braid of the cable, which was causing a lot of drag inside the outer housing.

We took the cables into our local Cableman who made up suitable replacements, Dad machined up some new fittings and the result was so good that we made another set for our single seater special which stopped really well at the Simola Hillclimb last year.

Currently close to completing a new supercharged single seater, we've had a third set made for it and I'll run them in at Simola this year.

Aye
Greig

Location: Sunny South Africa