Explorer Disk Emergency Brake Cables???

[70_Steve]

Went to the U-Pull-On-It yard the other day and grabbed the rear disk brakes off a 96 (I think...) Explorer. Looks like the install will be simple enough. I already have a solution to get past the difference in axle flange mounting.

What I'm looking for is a clean solution to adapt the stock Bronco E-brake cables to the Explorer backing plate. For me, the E-brake is a must, and one of the big reasons I decided on the Explorer rear brakes. I looked on Currie Enterprises web site and it looks like their solution is to replace the E-brake cable with Lokar Universal cables. No offense to Lokar, but I wasn't impressed... It doesn't seem like it should be necessary to replace my rear E-brake cables, but I will if I have to. It just seems like there should be a really simple adapter to connect our original E-brake cables to the Explorer E-brake assy.

So, please... For all you guys that have done the Explorer rear brake conversion, show me what you've got for E-brake cables.

Or am I missing something really obvious...

 

[NM_outdoors]

I'm picking up some Explorer parts this weekend, including rear disk assy. Looking forward to finding a solution to the e-brake too since my new Duff suspension came with longer cables and I'd like to be able use them. What are you planning to do about the axle-flange mounting differences?

 

[Devin]

I went with the Lokar cables. Worked fine for me.

 

[70_Steve]

I'm picking up some Explorer parts this weekend, including rear disk assy. Looking forward to finding a solution to the e-brake too since my new Duff suspension came with longer cables and I'd like to be able use them. What are you planning to do about the axle-flange mounting differences?

The Explorer backing plates use 3/8" bolts on a 2" by 3 9/16" spacing. I have the heavy duty big bearing diff with 1/2" bolts on a 2 3/8" by 3 1/2" spacing. My plan is to drill/mill 25/32" holes on my spacing. This should completly include the original 3/8" holes. Then make up some flanged washers to fill that 25/32" hole and leave me with my 1/2" hole. Use some flanged nuts to tighten everything down and that backing plate shouldn't move.

 

[70_Steve]

I went with the Lokar cables. Worked fine for me.

Do you have any pictures of the Lokar cables installed on the e-brake assy on the backing plate?

 

[MarkH@Wildhorse]

I always feel funny making these posts, but we do sell the correct cables as well
http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Ebrake_Cables_Explorer_Rear_Disc/Bronco_Disc_Brake_Kits

 

[Devin]

Do you have any pictures of the Lokar cables installed on the e-brake assy on the backing plate?

No. I will try to go out and snap some tonight if I get a chance.

 

[Apogee]

What are you planning on doing about the axle/brake offset difference between the applications?

 

[toddz69]

Went to the U-Pull-On-It yard the other day and grabbed the rear disk brakes off a 96 (I think...) Explorer. Looks like the install will be simple enough. I already have a solution to get past the difference in axle flange mounting.

What I'm looking for is a clean solution to adapt the stock Bronco E-brake cables to the Explorer backing plate. For me, the E-brake is a must, and one of the big reasons I decided on the Explorer rear brakes. I looked on Currie Enterprises web site and it looks like their solution is to replace the E-brake cable with Lokar Universal cables. No offense to Lokar, but I wasn't impressed... It doesn't seem like it should be necessary to replace my rear E-brake cables, but I will if I have to. It just seems like there should be a really simple adapter to connect our original E-brake cables to the Explorer E-brake assy.

So, please... For all you guys that have done the Explorer rear brake conversion, show me what you've got for E-brake cables.

Or am I missing something really obvious...

You're welcome to look at my Lokar pieces this weekend, Steve. For $100, it wasn't worth it to me to mess around with trying to adapt anything else and it met my sano standards with its method of trimming the cables and using the pinch bolts for the adapter (I did have to put some heatshrink over the ends of the cables to make them a little swankier and not make another potential cut/scratch point though).

Todd Z.

 

[70_Steve]

What are you planning on doing about the axle/brake offset difference between the applications?

I'm running Currie 31 spline axles now. Seems the last time I had the rear brakes apart, I measured the brake offset and it was pretty close to the required 2 1/2". I've also read a couple other Explorer brake upgrades and there is a little tolerance in that measurement. I've got to pull the rear brakes apart this weekend or next anyway to fix a leaking seal. So, I'll measure with a little more precision then.

 

[RnrdTheFox]

Went to the U-Pull-On-It yard the other day and grabbed the rear disk brakes off a 96 (I think...) Explorer. Looks like the install will be simple enough. I already have a solution to get past the difference in axle flange mounting.

What I'm looking for is a clean solution to adapt the stock Bronco E-brake cables to the Explorer backing plate.

When I did this, I pulled the cable out of the cable jacket of the Explorer at the U-pull it yard and put it in my old Duff cable jackets that came with my suspension. I wonder if you can do the same thing with the stock jacket.

As a side note, I did a similar route as your talking about to mount to the 1/2inch big bearing flange. I first tried to weld up the holes, grind them flat and redrill them using a jig made from 1/4" steel plate to get the spacing right for drilling. Even with the jig, it was very difficult to drill the harden steel backing plate. So I ended up taking them to a machine shop to get it done on a mil. I then reassembled the dust shields with rivits, punched the new holes to match the backing plate and bolted it up. I"ve been running it like this for over a year now w/o issue. I did order the rings from Currie that press on the bearings to keep them tight because of the difference in the thickness of the backing plate.

 

[rustbucket]

................

 

[rustbucket]

I always feel funny making these posts, but we do sell the correct cables as well
http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Ebrake_Cables_Explorer_Rear_Disc/Bronco_Disc_Brake_Kits

That's good to know. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[70_Steve]

I always feel funny making these posts, but we do sell the correct cables as well

That's great you guys sell those and I'll definately consider them. But wow! $110 for the pair, and the normal extended cables are $70 for a pair. The only difference is the end that's crimped on, and the pic on-line doesn't show the return spring that on the stock Explorer cables.

 

[DEEPWOODS]

JB Graveyard have some cable spacers so you can use you stock eb cables with the explorer setup. part # 22338