Galvanised brake cables - beware

[timddo]

Well my so say new dunbier trailer is 1.5 years old and on sunday the brake cable snapped.

I have noticed a bit of rust since the first week, but though they should last a while. Man am i wrong.

Anyway - i have purchased a roll of 3.2mm stainless steel 316 cables to replace it. Are there any downfalls in replacing galvanise wire with stainless steel wire.

i know stainless will last for a long long long time.

tim

[uripper]

Normally SS & gal dont mix all that well
perhaps watch out for catalytic reaction ??
maybe a hi quality gal wire would have sufficed ??
MalM

[Chimo]

Hi Tim

Gal wire should last for years especially if you soak it in warm fish oil or at least paint warm oil on it before you ever wet it.

My experience was that gal wire treated this way will last yrs, in fact I got 9 yrs out of my last cable brake cable set up and it was fine when I sold it.

I wouldn't bother with stainless as its harder to adjust and the reaction thing wont be good.

Cheers
Chimo

[trueblue]

Stainless steel wire gets brittle with flexing.

use a hard eye thimble in each end where you clamp it.

[Smithy]

I am running SS wire. All the doomsdayers were saying don't do it but it has been fine so far to me. I have a feeling it is softer than gal wire and keeps stretching and I keep adjusting up the tension on the tension adjuster thing under the hitch but it is no biggy and a minute job every time I think of it. I tossed up between it and spectra braid. Maybe it is an option too. Would like to hear from someone running it. The spectra is proving awesome on my winch instead of wire or seatbelt stuff.

[trueblue]

I am using spectra on my winch and it is great.

good idea to try it for the brakes. I need to change my brake cables over soon and think I will try the spectra for that too

[dreemon]

I've been using the same s/steel cable for my trailer brakes for 7 yrs, and have no problems at all.

[The-easyrider]

I changed from Gal wire to hydrolic fluid best thing ever no more rusty cables, tis a tad expensive conversion though ;)