• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

E-brake woes

The cables are identical, but the springs are side-specific. The cables I bought from O'Reilly's said they were for either side, but both came with the driver's side spring, so my old spring had to be re-used. Not a big deal, though.
 
KyleQ said:
Subscribed- should be a sticky with the level of detail.
Click to expand...
I vote for a sticky on this one as well. I am in need of doing this I just didnt know what kind of task it was. now I think I am going to jump on it this weekend.
 
PurpleMystique said:
The cables are identical, but the springs are side-specific. The cables I bought from O'Reilly's said they were for either side, but both came with the driver's side spring, so my old spring had to be re-used. Not a big deal, though.
Click to expand...
The Raybestos cables I bought were identical in every way....
 
Just installed my NAPA cables last weekend. It came with the bumpers and the factory zip ties.

-Andy
 
Excellent post

Excellent post

I replaced my cable on the passenger side a month or so ago. Unlike many procedures, it's fairly straightforward. Trickiest part is the ratcheting on the brake handle. Like blu_fuz, I had simply lived without a parking brake for years. It's quite satisfying to pull up on the handle and feel resistance! :)

I recommend copying or moving this to the How To section of the site, with a link in a sticky Brake FAQ.
 
Something you might want to add when you still have the new cables out
hourang said:
its called white lithium grease. can get it at any autoparts store in a spray can.
Click to expand...



Spray that in the casing of the cable and work it back and fourth as much as you can to get the grease all the way through the casing. This should prevent them from ever locking up again.....
 
Hey, I noticed--so far--all the posts relate to problems with the rear (L+R) cables.

I had my front cable break. When I replaced it, I could get tension on the system, but virtually no "holding power": I'd go to the full extension with only nominal resistance.

Had me puzzled until I took the center console off: somehow, a gap had been created between the cam and the metal on the right-hand side of the e-brake handle assembly (reference photo in post #16). So, I bent the outside back to flush with the cam with vise-grip pliers, and now it holds just fine.

Something to think about if you have no e-barke and can't figure out why...
 
My front cable is the problem as well. Where did you find the replacement? None of my local parts stores have the front cable available.
 
My front cable is the problem as well. Where did you find the replacement? None of my local parts stores have the front cable available.
Click to expand...

Well, I just left the original cable in the e-brake handle, attatched a 1/8" steel cable to it via 2 cable clamps, ran it through the e-brake bracket, and held it in place with a cable stop. Then I hit everything w/ rust-oleum.

All parts from Lowes for $6.
 
bcubed said:
Well, I just left the original cable in the e-brake handle, attatched a 1/8" steel cable to it via 2 cable clamps, ran it through the e-brake bracket, and held it in place with a cable stop. Then I hit everything w/ rust-oleum.

All parts from Lowes for $6.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should have said the front cable is missing. It was in for body work so asked them to fix the ebrake too, well the insurance cmpany paid for a new handle but not the cable. So now there is no longer a front cable.....
 
So im trying to get my car saftied and the only thing im stuck on is getting the front E-Break cable replaced

There is a ton of information about the read parts but my front is siezed like no bodies business (the rears appear to be fine)

1. I need to purchase a cable ..
2. Any idea how much i should be paying for it ..
3. Recomendations on where i should be getting it from ..

This really ticked me off today .. thought the car was good to go .. and then i tried the hand break ..

As always thanks for all the help
 
tigerbalm said:
i'd try a local junk yard or u-pull it. There are usually a few contours in them.
Click to expand...

yeah and the cables could be just as bad ....


you can get a set of dorman cables from rockauto.com for like $30 iirc. the rear cable kit from Ford is like $50 or so iirc
 
BrApple said:
you can get a set of dorman cables from rockauto.com for like $30 iirc. the rear cable kit from Ford is like $50 or so iirc
Click to expand...

I just called Rock Auto .. they dont seem to have the upper part of the e break that i need .. both my rears appear to be in good shape

does anyone have a part number .. or something to help me get one of these elusive parts?

my 10 day free pass has expired .. and im now not allow to drive the car :(
 
Last edited:
yes the front cable and handle come as an assembly. that you could get away with from the junk yard. the rear cables get water in them and rust up, so those are not worth the time to get from a junkyard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top