Previa 1994 handbrake cable

[Mazenaattori]

Hey!
Has anyone replaced the front handbrake cable? Do I really need to remove the fuel tank to get my hands on the cable near the handbrake lever? I have already removed the lever and cable end from the cabin.

[man_btc]

The gas tank must be removed based on my search through old Previa Yahoo! Group messages (one of which was your same question posted by John Kaufmann who's a member here).

As always, my disclaimer for any fast readers out there - is that this post was not from me.


As posted by Bryan Sorrows on Jan 7 2004, [12030.json for anyone with copies of the files] (keep the date in mind for any mention of parts availability or pricing):


In case anyone needs to replace the emergency brake cable on their previa - I just did it on my '91. The information you need is:

A) The parts are easy to get from Toyota. The cable isn't too terribly expensive, but also the harness that splits the force from the cable to the two cables that go the brakes is also not too expensive (~$50 each for cable and harness at dealer). If I had known that the harness (or whatever it is called) was that easy to get I would have replaced it a long time ago, and wouldn't have broken the cable. It was rusty and would bind up. Getting under and re-lubing it would fix it, but it would bind up again a few months later. Replacement was a better solution.

B) You must remove the gas tank to replace the cable. The toyota manual states the to replace the cable you remove the old cable, and install the new one. No mention of the gas tank. I had taken a quick look under the car before doing the job and was smart enough to run the tank way down on gas before attempting the job. I looked all over to see if there was an easier way than dropping the tank but there is not. The tank is easy to drop. I removed one hose from the front of the tank and was able to drop the tank with everything else attached. I put a 2x6 on top of a floor jack to spread out the weight and not scratch or dent the tank. You do NOT want to try to drop a full tank. 12+ gallons of fuel would be about 100 lbs.

C) You need to remove the emergency brake cable. Unthreading the old cable from the handle and threading the new one was the hardest part of the job - and it wasn't that hard.

[John Kaufmann]

Dan, thanks for the search on your excellent archive - which included noting that I asked the same question before doing this job in 2014. Unfortunately I did not, like Bryan Sorrows, make notes of the process (in fact, I don't recall having seen his notes or any other answer), and my recollection is hazy after several years without my Previa. So when I saw the question, my initial reaction was to say Yes (I did drop the tank), but did not want to insist it could not be done in any other way, so did not reply. I'm glad you came to the rescue.

[Mazenaattori]

Thanks a lot for your reply! I have tried searching this for hours and even asked from two facebook groups, but no answers... Guess I just have to drop the tank to get the job done. Not that easy when it's freezing outside and snow on the ground, but I will manage Thank you again!

[man_btc]

I hope it's not too cold to take some photographs of your work to post on this thread! Then you will be thanked in the future.
Työ tekijäänsä neuvoo if I have that correct (in medical training, there's a phrase for the learning process: "See one, do one, teach one")

[John Kaufmann]

If you drop the tank [I would wait for spring or a garage space], you should also check the two brake lines that run above the tank. I did not change mine the first time I dropped the tank, but a few years later those lines corroded and leaked (almost had an accident), so I had to drop the tank a second time to replace them (as well as the rear lines and all hoses). A good tube/line bender is a good investment for that job.

On the other hand, maybe in Finland you do not have so much corrosion. In any case, good luck.