Emergency Brake Cable

At the new house, my Jeep sits up on the side of the house at the top of a small hill.  There's a slight slope to the Jeep's landing pad.  I've never quite gotten the emergency brake cable set to how I like it; heck, even the brake shop that I took it to in Redlands couldn't get it adjusted satisfactorily.

My theory was that the cable itself was stretched to the point of ineffectiveness.  I ordered up a new one from BJ's and proceeded with the install.  I chocked the tires, made sure it was in park, and then started the tear down.  It was rather simple.  I just need to disengage the parking brake itself and remove the cable end from where it meets up with the pedal.

In this photo, you can see the cable tucked up in the corner.  The large black steel bar on the left is the foot-activated brake level arm.  The cable mounts up to the end of the level arm like a giant bike brake cable, and a squared C-clip holds the sleeve in place.  Pull it first to get a little slack, pop the C-clip, loosen the cable underneath the vehicle, and then slide the lead cylinder out of its pocket in the brake arm.  It's now free to be pulled out from underneath the rig.

The sleeve and cable housing slides up between the inner and outer driver's side fender wells.

It then slides through holes in the frame rail and the transmission cross member where it meets up with the U cable that runs from one drum brake to the other.

The threaded rod in the center of the pic below is at the end of the new brake cable, just under the rearward end of the front driveshaft.  This is where the adjustment takes place.  There's another on the passenger side.  You control how much tension pre-load is on the rear drums.  Not enough, and the e-brake doesn't fully engage and hold the vehicle in place.  Too much, and the brakes are always slightly on as you drive.  I figure it out entirely by trial and error.  Note: use the double-nuts to lock your adjustment  position in.