Trailer brake cable replacement

aquaplane

aquaplane

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www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk
I have managed to pull the end off one of my trailer brake cables. Finding a replacement is proving difficult.

The one that's broken is about 1.4m long, 3mm wire with a crimped on end both ends, I can get a better measurement when I need to.

It's not a sheathed cable, as all the replacement trailer ones seem to be.

It's easy to find 3mm cable, less easy to find the ends to crimp on. The old ends look like steel but replacements are Stainless, Copper or Aluminium, and the wrong shape but that can be worked on.

The broken one looks to have been crimped on in a vice, going by the patern imprinted in the metal, the replacements I have found need a £200+ tool to crimp them on.

My local caravan shop and Indispension in Leeds know nothing.

Has anyone any bright ideas?

Some not very helpfull pictures in my photobucket place:

 
How about passing the cable through the bracket, doubling it round in a loop and putting a couple of clamps on it?

BR480_Dim.jpg


Protect the cable with a thimble

thimble3.jpg
 
Trailer Brake Cable

Flints talk about 'stops' which suit your description but are in copper.

This still leaves you the problem of the crimping tool. You need someone who provides a service rather than sales and will have the tools - lifting equipment riggers, marine riggers, theatre riggers.

Will continue the search.

Ash
 
I though I was going to be clever and show you how mine is done but its a totally different solution ( 4 wheels in this case)

The ends of the cables at the wheels though are terminated in eyes formed with a clamps like that illustrated by LS and connected to the operating arms with small shackles ( sorry no photo as they are only really visible if the trailer is upside down

DSCF0844.jpg
 
Thanks so far gents.

Ash's stops look the closest to what I have.

I have one end on, and I have tried that inside the drum (it was on the compensator end) and it fits. I could make a loop with Lakeys thimble and clamp(s) in my old bit of wire and then cobble up somat to connect the loop to the compensator.

If I can do the neat job and end up with one piece of cable like I had before it broke I'd be happier, but a safe lashup works for me too.

I'll pop into see Ben at Boat Bits in Huddersfield and see if he has any shiny things that look useful, he does rigging.
 
Actually, if it were my trailer, I would just pass the cable through the "U" shaped piece on the compensator. It will be years before it wears through and if you check it before each use it should be fine.
 
The end that's still on the cable was through the compensator but, it fits the drum end and there is less room for maneuver at that end.

I got a "solderles nipple" from an auto factors and that went on the wire OK but wouldn't fit in the socket at the drum end. The old cable was also too short, even though I didn't cut any off it and the nipple that's come adrift has no cable in it indicating it's just pulled off and not broken the cable.

End for ending the cable and then working something out to bridge the gap to the compensator is looking better and better. I hadn't considered that before, I was stuck on getting new cable and fitting nipples before your advice on here.
 
If you get two lengths of cable with the correct nipple fixed in place, you can thread one through the brake fitting, the other through the other end fitting and then use one of "Lakey's" "U" claps to join the two cables at an appropriate place. I would use two U claps with the cables running straight through them. This sort of arrangement was always used on trailer brakes until recently and I would not consider it to be a "lash-up". Similar U clamps are used on my old 3500kg car transporter trailer.

Useing those U clamps is going to be much more reliable than some dodgy crimped-on-nipple set-up.

PS.
Having looked at your photos I think the brake shoes should have retaining pins through the holes at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock so the shoes are held next to the backing plate rather than leaning over as they are on the photo. Any decent independant trailer company will be able to sort out your brakes. People serving the farming/horse sector would be where I would look if I wasn't able to do this sort of work myself.
 
Last edited:
MrCramp said:
PS.
Having looked at your photos I think the brake shoes should have retaining pins through the holes at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock so the shoes are held next to the backing plate rather than leaning over as they are on the photo.
Click to expand...

That's right, I had to remove them to pull the shoes away to feed the cable end in, they are stood on the leaf spring waiting to be refitted.

I take your point about using U clamps to fasten two bits of wire together.
 
Thomas Richfield & Sons.

I believe this company is still trading and they were situated in a mews in the West End of London. I believe they have moved since I last dealt with them when they made me a speedeometer cable for a 1955 Wolseley 444.

I have done a bit of googling for you but have not come up with an address. They specialise in making all manner of cables and certainly could help you if you can find them.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

Alan.
 
Trailer Brakes

A few different ideas so far. Here's another one.

Turning the cable around and extending the compensator end using more wire and Lakeys Bulldog Clips would get you back on the road again. My worry would be that the remaining 3 ends have also been 'home made' in a vice and might fail on the next outing.

I can't see the mechanism in the drum in your photo to judge how much room there is but I wondered if these would fit in.

2-x-3mm-stainless-tp_78979597820905781.png


Stainless Steel Duplex Rope Grip

I would use just over twice the length of wire formed into a loop with Lakeys Bulldogs to close it. The 'Stainless Steel Duplex Rope Grip' would take the place of the nipple but wouldn't be under great stress as the wire would be in a loop.

Here's a better link - gives sizes - http://www.wireropeassemblies.co.uk/item8a39.html?cat_id=16&prod_id=163&dep=1

The company also have stop ends and make one-off assemblies.

Ash
 
Last edited:
the_wanderer said:
I believe this company is still trading and they were situated in a mews in the West End of London. I believe they have moved since I last dealt with them when they made me a speedeometer cable for a 1955 Wolseley 444.

I have done a bit of googling for you but have not come up with an address. They specialise in making all manner of cables and certainly could help you if you can find them.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

Alan.
Click to expand...

http://www.speedograph-richfield.com/

Through the classic bike trade you can also buy solder-on nipples and suitable wire.
Or a dinghy chandler will sell you an Ormiston tool for about £30 plus SS wire and copper ferrules.
 
I think I'm sorted, thanks for all the brain power and suggestions.

Boat Bits has made a cable which looks the business, I can't think why I didn't go there before. I have still to fit the new cable but I think the new ends will work even though they aren't an exact match.

So do I stay at home this W/E and wait for a dry hour to fix this new bit, or go sailing?

Sailing wins.
 
Glad to hear that you're sorted. Did you buy a spare for t'other side?

Think that you've made the right call for this weekend - the west side of the country is going to be much drier.

My dilemma is more acute - do I go sailing or do I paint the upper windowsills before the scaffold is taken away.

Ash
 
Pleased you have it sorted.

Im pleased you have sorted the problem. Anyway at least the information is on the forum for other people.

By the way, thanks to the person who found Richfield's website. I will put it on my favoites for future use. I am afraid my battery was running low so extensive googling was out of the question.

Regards.

Alan.
 
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