Repop parking brake cable boots

[Jeff A.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Thanks to all of your suggestions, I did it using a combination of techniques recommended here.

Looks like I declared victory a bit prematurely. I was just out in the shop and noticed that the narrow necks of the installed boots are split. Maybe it was the heat gun. Who knows... I took a hole punch and made a tiny hole at the end of each rip to keep them from getting any longer - and that'll probably be the way they'll live in perpetuity!

[Chris D.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Hi all. I am not new to NCRS but am new to this site.

Jeff

I just last week encountered your exact problem with the parking brake boot installation. Mine also came from Paragon. The reproductions looked just like the old beat up originals I replaced. My solution, a little white grease on the ball and start working the boot over the ball. It requires a little effort to get it started but once started it goes on somewhat easly. Next get the spring started and just keep working it. All done by hand. No tools of any kind. The first one took about half an hour. I was not sure how resiliant the rubber boot was. I learned it was very flexible. The second boot took only 10 minutes. Overall after my initial concern I learned it was not too difficult.

Hope this is of some value.
Chris Daniels65 Fuel/90 ZR1

[Jeff A.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Chris,
Thanks for the input. Maybe I'll order another pair of boots and give it a shot without the heat gun.
Jeff

[Stephen L.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Photo of correct boot on original cable. Aftermarket cables have different armor cable cover lengths. Don't forget the small boot on the other end...

[Paul M.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

I did the same job using the smooth boots from Bair's which were a good match for the old cracked originals on my '71 LT1. The rubber responds to warmth, but a heat gun is too hot and difficult to control. I positioned the cable in a vise and a pot of boiling water adjacent to it on the work bench. I preheated the the ball a little with propane torch, greased it, and dunked the boot in the water and then with leather work gloves went to work putting it on. Less than 5 minutes for each one, but it was HARD TO DO! No splits when done. I pulled the cable out of the vise every half a minute or so and redunked it in the boiling water. Persistence pays off here.

[Jeff A.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Paul,
Sounds like I had the vise concept right but messed up on the heat application. If I order new boots, I'll give it a try.
Thanks,
Jeff

[Jim S.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Steve ,

Shouldn,t the small part of that boot be tucked under itself , so it pretty much looks squared off ?

Jim

[Stephen L.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Jim,
If you are talking about the boot at the "wheel end" of the cable, the first time you use the e-brake, the boot will fold under.

If you are talking about the small boot on the brake handle end, that boot allows the cable to slide thru it and maintains its shape as shown. This boot is NOT replaceable without some disassembly of the cable

[Joe R.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Hi Jeff:

I believe the Paragon boots are the most "correct" of the available reproductions.

While I expected trouble, I had no difficulty pulling the Paragon boots over the ball. I applied some silicone grease to the ball and the rubber tip,and just pulled gently and firmly by hand. The rubber stretched right over the ball and then easily traveled over the spring with a bit more silicone grease. I had to be careful to keep the boot from catching on the sharp, cut-off end of the cable just past the ball, though.

I actually got to do this operation twice, because the first time I installed the Paragon boots on some generic replacement cables, and later I got a deduction for the cable configuration (not the boot). Then I ordered a set of "correct" cables from Inline Tube with the "correct" boots, but the Inline Tube boots were different from the Paragon ones, as shown in Gary Beaupre's photo. So, I bought another set of Paragon boots and put them on the Inline Tube cables. The judges seem satisfied with this configuration.

[Jeff A.]

Re: Repop parking brake cable boots

Joe,
The boots I used were from Long Island, which in appearance, seem identical to Paragon's. Perhaps the Paragon boots are more pliable, although, who knows, they may come from the same manufacturer. The LI boots were $10 for the pair (47-41B). I just looked at Paragon's catalog. They go for $25/pair (5807K), or $11 each (5807) (huh? ). With that much of a price difference, maybe they are different from the LI product. They also provide a GM number 3772660, but state that they are Paragon reproductions (another huh? ). I'll have to visit the Chevy parts counter and see if they're available and what they'll cost with my club discount.
Thanks!
Jeff