Handbrake Cables

[FSARoyster]

Hi guys,  I'm upgrading my rear calipers for the later mk3 calipers with the internal handbrake mechanism.  I've read that I'll also need the later 1988 onwards handbrake cables, other than this it should be a straight swap.

Now I'm really concerned. After a little bit of a wiggle and a tug, the old handbrake cables cames out. I have now slid the new cables back up in their place and there is no sign of the ends I need to re-attach to the handbrake?!?! So I pulled them back out and had another go, I was at first thinking maybe they'd re-routed themselves under the carpet or something. I removed them again and compared the lengths to the old ones I'd just removed, and they are a fair few inches shorter!!!!

My car has the older style calipers with the handbrake spring mounted on the top.  Am I missing something here?

What I did notice is, where I've removed the old cables underneath the car they come out of 5 or 6 inch metal tubes, which I think are fixed to the car, and probably there to help guide the new cables back up into the car on renewal, but I guess they could potentially be removed and this would allow my new cables to go that much further into the car?

Please help guys, I've only got this Sunday afternoon to fix this as the car is booked in for its MOT re-test tomorrow...

Thanks in advance

Rog

Mk2 Golf GTI 16v 1988.

[herbster]

Had this problem on my 87 gti, the cables were too short, the tubes are guides, I had to chop mine off so there hardly anything sticking out beneath the car, the cables still only just reached, passed its mot ok though but still not good enogh to make me totally happy, don't know what it is with these cables cause I got another set of longer ones but they were too long by about 3 inches, so who knows what the thing is with these, maybe someone out there can shed some light on it! Good luck with the test!! 

[FSARoyster]

Cheers for the reply, I think I read your post before where you mentioned you'd chopped them off, so I decided to try and pull them out and they came out a long way, but never right out.  I'm just so confused.  From what I understand if your mk2 has the calipers with the handbrake springs on top you'll have the shorter cables, and if you have the calipers with the springs on the bottom the cables will be longer.  So according to all the info on upgrading your mk2 rear calipers to mk3's, you need the following, the later mk3 calipers with the spring inside the caliper, and if you have the old calipers with the spring on top you'll also need to buy the later, longer cables.  Well my calipers have the springs on top, so I got the new mk3 calipers and also the later cables, all from GSF, well my old cables I removed are 71" as opposed to my new ones which are only 64".  Somebody else on another forum, was kind enough to measure his old ones he took off hos 1990 mk2, and they were 63".  So, as I say, I'm very confused.  Is it possible to have the newer cables working with the older calipers with the spring on top?  So in other words, I already had the newer cables, and they've given me the older shorter cables?  Maybe I'm missing something, but the two sets of cables are practically identical in structure just different lengths, in fact the length difference is only in the section that you push up into the car from the other end that attaches to the caliper all the way to about 3/4's of the cable are practically identical, just 9" shorter...

Lost, sad, and confused...

Rog

[FSARoyster]

As for the cable saga, I'm still confused.  I have now got a years MOT again, which is the main thing.  Meanwhile, I would still like to fit the mk3 calipers I've bought.  Its the lengths that are confusing me though, unless I've mis-read, everyone says you'll need the longer cables that the newer mk2's came with.  We'll my car is 1988 Campaign edition, if that makes any difference, and of the two sets available from GSF, they are labeled as follows and are the longer of the two types they sell...

73136 HANDBRAKE CABLE G2 Rear Disc Brakes 8/83 >7/88 (1800mm or 71")
73137 HANDBRAKE CABLE G2 Rear Disc Brakes 8/88 >7/92 (1600mm or 63")

The above info was also confirmed by both VW and Euro Car Parts, VW no longer stock the older longer cables, and actually pointed me in GSF's direction.  Also as an extra note, both asked if my car has ABS as this will mean a different cable, not having ABS I didn't go into any details of these cables, so not sure if this is a 3rd cable?

The set I removed from my car were 1800mm/71" so the older but longer cables.  As I've mentioned the newer but shorter cables wouldn't come through far enough into the car.  At the weekend I'll remove the not so great caliper and fit the mk3 caliper and see how it goes, if all goes well and the cables fit and work the handbrake mechanism correctly I'll also replace the other side...

Thanks again

Rog