heater airflow, control cable issue

[Johnnyb]

I installed a new WH Blaster heater assembly and all new cables. The airflow cable (the pull on the off/high/low switch) goes back to the firewall and turns down sharply before attaching to the bracket making it difficult to pull. Furthermore, the bracket is flimsy and the cable housing has slipped several times when pulling for air, leaving me with no airflow.
Yesterday, I got in there and manually set it to on and plan on leaving it that way all winter.
Are there any better solutions to gain heater control?

THX,
-JB

 

[WILDHORSES]

If I understand this correctly "the cable housing slipped" would indicate the cable itself could be the issue. I know from time to time the crimp that secures the cable housing to the switch can fail and would cause this. Also just the old heaters become harder to operate and need to be WD or greased up just to function easier. I guess you don't need to mess with it until spring.

Jim

 

[Brush Hog]

If I remember correctly when I did mine I think there is a clip mounted to heater or something solid where cable makes the bend. You put cable in the clip and tighten it and becomes sort of a fulcrum providing some
Tension to pull and push against. It should secure the cable
Housing and allow cable inside to move.

 

[Johnnyb]

It is a new cable and pull and new housing and new clips. The way I see it is that the necessary bend is sharp, causing excessive force when I pull and the clips are somewhat flimsy.

When I pull the heater box in the spring, I will improvise a better clip and see if I can't improve the routing.

-JB

 

[m_m70]

It is a new cable and pull and new housing and new clips. The way I see it is that the necessary bend is sharp, causing excessive force when I pull and the clips are somewhat flimsy.

the units I have bought are cheap and break. The last cable & housing I put in is so stiff I'm afraid will break like the others. Like you, I will be fabbing my own up this winter.

 

[Johnnyb]

the units I have bought are cheap and break. The last cable & housing I put in is so stiff I'm afraid will break like the others. Like you, I will be fabbing my own up this winter.

I was not overly pleased with the quality of the replacement heater cables. Even the box is a little bit iffy, the flaps don't rotate well on their axis if the shaft slides from one end to the other.
I would install one of the vintage Air systems if it weren't for the fresh air issue. Might do so anyway just to overcome these annoying control issues.

-JB

 

[DirtDonk]

I've never thought of lubricating a new cable, just old ones. But I wonder if that would help with some of the difficulty?
Of course, the sharp bend is not helping anything, but I do wonder if some lube will lighten the load, so to speak.

Paul

 

[Johnnyb]

I think they use tri-flow on bicycle cables.

 

[Torkman66]

That cable location on top backside of heater box is hard to get to with the dash in. I've done it a few times, but it requires some crazy finger and stretching contortions to get it all together. I had to fix up a special little tool if I recall that could reach nd tighten down the cable sleevehold down clip on the box really tight so it did not slip. I also have new cables from WH but do not think the bend in that cable was overly aggressive.