Mech Brake Cable placement

[552Evo]

I understand that companies make things a certain way because it’s probably been tested and has probably proved itself over years of service and feedback.
The mech brake cable snapped on my way home yesterday.
Where it snapped - at the 1st built on trailer loop that allows the cable to split to each wheel/side.
I do regularly give the cable contact areas a spray with lanolin so it wasn’t neglected but I have noticed that particular area had worn through the plastic cable sheath.
But I have to ask the more experienced crew here please,,
Would be a bad idea to skip the first trailer loop and rout the new cable direct from the roller at the tow ball end to the 2nd built in loop close to each wheel ?

I guess it just moves the point of wear to another spot ? So maybe not any gain to be had ?
It doesn’t look like if I did rout the new cable that way that the cable would catch on anything or be a hazard ?
Anyway, I’m keen to learn why I should probably leave it the way it was designed and if there’s anything I can do better. No I don’t want electric brakes [emoji846]


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[Mopheus]

The more acute the angle is, the more friction you'll have, so you want the cable angle through the loop to be nice and wide (ie as close to straight through as possible). If you need the cable to make sharpish turns then you might need rollers there instead of just a loop.

The loops are included to deal with the catenary slack in the cable when the brakes are off, plus to route around any interference points under the chassis. If the cable doesn't sag too far without the problem loops, operates correctly and isn't going to rub on anything else, you can probably skip them.

[Corry]

How long has the cable been in place for. If it's been there for years, then I'd just put it back where it was, as already said, the more acute the angle the more wear it will get. Also I'd be wary that they do 'stretch', so any slack when new will be more in a short period, this isn't so much of a concern while it is going through it's 'loops'.

[552Evo]

Thanks Morpheus and Corry,

Yes it’s about 5 years old now.
So I’ll just replace it same for same in the same place it was.

What do you think about the plastic coating on the brake wire ?
Given the coating rubs on the guides and won’t last long, is there any point ?
I can easily get plain gal cable for trailer brakes at the usual places- it’s cheap.


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[Dignity]

Thanks Morpheus and Corry,

Yes it’s about 5 years old now.
So I’ll just replace it same for same in the same place it was.

What do you think about the plastic coating on the brake wire ?
Given the coating rubs on the guides and won’t last long, is there any point ?
I can easily get plain gal cable for trailer brakes at the usual places- it’s cheap.


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You can always feed some garden hose over that section so long as it is about 300mm both sides of the loop and it will last a long time.

[552Evo]

You can always feed some garden hose over that section so long as it is about 300mm both sides of the loop and it will last a long time.

Thanks Dignity nice idea. I’ll have to check if the trailer loop is big enough,,, either way there’s other tube I can try that might be as tough or better.


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[scottar]

Personally I would go to uncoated cable. You can never treat coated wire with any sort of corrosion inhibitor properly. Much like a coated wire trace, rust will set up inside the plastic.

[inveratta]

Never had a cable break but I do think they should be regarded as a to be replaced routinely item.....had the same set up for fifteen years or so and probably on my third cable...they always seem to stretch and rust very quickly.I looked at various fixes..like using stainless wire and evidently thats a no no...soaking the new cable in fish oil or the like before installation .Personally not keen on any plastic sheathing...I reckon it would accelerate rusting...but that might be a trade off between wear and rust..

[NAGG]

Never had a cable break but I do think they should be regarded as a to be replaced routinely item.....had the same set up for fifteen years or so and probably on my third cable...they always seem to stretch and rust very quickly.I looked at various fixes..like using stainless wire and evidently thats a no no...soaking the new cable in fish oil or the like before installation .Personally not keen on any plastic sheathing...I reckon it would accelerate rusting...but that might be a trade off between wear and rust..

Stainless steel cable ?

Chris

[inveratta]

yes you are correct....stainless wire in the cable!..Evidently the stretch characteristics are so different that they cause their own issues of excessive wear etc..I guess if it could be done someone would have made them by now.

[MikeC90]

I was wondering about this the other day, more so because the cable rubs off the gal from the support loops, causing them to rust. The cable itself is cheap and easy to replace, definitely a 'service item'. It would be much nicer if the trailer was built with a pulley/jockey wheel instead of a fixed loop but I guess that adds a fair bit of cost and complexity for minimal gain.

As a side, I'm pretty sure you can buy a stainless brake cable... Plenty come up with a quick google search and I'm quite sure my dad's trailer has one (smaller diameter and no rust compared with my recently installed gal item).

316 Stainless Steel Trailer Brake Cable and 4 Rope Clamps 7 meter kit | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181914727410?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=181914727410&targetid=1280421174199&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9069065&poi=&campaignid=10101784988&mkgroupid=128008448292&rlsatarget=pla-1280421174199&abcId=9300367&merchantid=9816342&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8vedzdn98wIVQZJmAh0hbA6mEAQYASAB EgLmRPD_BwE)

[NAGG]

yes you are correct....stainless wire in the cable!..Evidently the stretch characteristics are so different that they cause their own issues of excessive wear etc..I guess if it could be done someone would have made them by now.

Each time I replaced the gal wire on a trailer - I did so with stainless cable multistrand cable .
The gal would last 3-4 years & the stainless would still be going strong at 4,5 years when I on sold my boats .

My current trailer (EasyTow) is well into its forth year & running a coated steel cable ........ It looks to be going pretty well . It does seem to be a heavier gauge though .

Chris

[552Evo]

Thanks everyone
I grabbed a plain gal brake wire today so that’s this weekend’s entertainment sorted.
And I remembered I had a couple of gift cards in the glove box - ended up adding them all up to over $300 so I got a new battery as well.
Gotta love a end of lockdown special - century marine pro battery for just over $200
Beauty [emoji106]


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[gazza2006au]

Hey guys i recall a thread discussion on ausfish a couple of years ago it was mentioned stainless cable was not road legal i think it was due to the cable possibly being brittle

[Greg P]

Saw a guy in the Haines Signature Boat Owners FB group showing what he had done to his cable brake system to extend the life. Was pretty impressive and quite simple stuff that I will get too one day. He had basically replaced all the eyelets the cable ran through with rollewrs like the brake adjuster section. The ends connecting to the caliper levers had stainless schackles (pins wired closed) in them and the cable ends were connected via large stainless thimbles and double crimped.

[tunaticer]

Put a polyurethane bushing at the loops or tubes and it will be decades before the cable breaks again.

[552Evo]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211106/2267c67559605cf16044d7ba70487b7e.jpg

https://www.biasboating.com.au/alko-brake-cable-pulley?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlcGz5cuC9AIVqZJmAh0K-AjnEAQYCCABEgIAqfD_BwE

This is all that's needed, the only problem is how to retrofit them without stuffing up the gal on the trailer frame.
So these pulleys would do away with the brake cable rubbing on a fixed loop - that causes the wear and corrosion.




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[552Evo]

All done
Easy job only took 20 minutes and most of that was stuffing around setting up and finding my big cable shears.
Only catch was the standard 8 meter long blister pack of cable I purchased was not long enough. Seems they only come in 8 meter packs ?
I had to buy 10 meters cut off a roll.
Then it wasn't worth the trip to return the 8 meter pack because it was cheaper for me to use the cable clamps that came in the pack.

So if anyone local - in shitsville/Melbourne north wants an 8 meter roll of gal strand cable for their own trailer - or whatever, hit me up. I'll never use it.


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[inveratta]

well done...from memory again..and its a bit suss nowadays..Alko had a good site which gave info on correctly setting up mech brakes. tension...sure youre on that...personally I have grown to accept that they are a constant attention item if you want them to work well.....

[552Evo]

well done...from memory again..and its a bit suss nowadays..Alko had a good site which gave info on correctly setting up mech brakes. tension...sure youre on that...personally I have grown to accept that they are a constant attention item if you want them to work well.....

Thanks
And yes definitely regarding constant attention.
At least I now know to look closer at the cable guide loops for cable wear.
And not to bother with the plastic coated cable as it hides the problems.

Might see if I can scrounge up a short pneumatic tube to act as a sleeve through the guide loops. - I’ll keep a close eye on how it wears.


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