Need E-Brake handle help

[Blitzboy54]

Hi guys,

I have read through enough build threads to see that my problem is a common one. My cockpit aluminum just had enough pull away from the transmission tunnel that it is rubbing against my handle. I have it adjusted as much as possible per edwardb's and Jeff Kleiner's advice but it simply isn't enough. It's angled as far as I can move it with the back pushed toward the transmission and the front pulled toward the cockpit. I have some ideas that would push the handle out a bit more but before i go that route I want to know if there would be any issue removing some of the aluminum. In the picture below I have the outline of the boot and inside (where the arrows are pointing) is what I am proposing removing. If that material was gone my handle would be free of any rubbing.

I don't know what issues I would be causing if any so I'm asking the board. Is there any reason that trimming the aluminum panel would be a problem?


https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147631&d=1620694385

[edwardb]

Wouldn't hurt anything to trim the aluminum. But I've installed several and wasn't necessary. Basically if you make the necessary adjustments to get the handle pointed out far enough to clear insulation and carpet it will clear in the area you indicated. At least that's my experience. Two hints: First, the back is just as important as the front. That helps the angle on the handle. Move the back in as much as you can and the front out as much as you can. Second, I lengthen the slots in the bracket a bit to give more adjustment range. Again, to move the back in and the front out. See if that helps. Also, of course it depends on your setup, but unlikely you'll use the full range, e.g. going all the way up to the top notch as you pictured.

[JB in NOVA]

FWIW, here was my experience. Karl's suggestion did the trick for me.


My E-brake fixed gear arrived just in time for the weekend. I’ve read enough build threads to know that the E-brake installation can be tricky, so I set aside an entire weekend to figure it out and get it done. Over the past several weeks, I’ve given careful consideration to doing EdwardB’s “pulley” modification to avoid running the tension cables under the 4” frame tube. Although I really like this mod and agree that running the cables under the 4” tube is unsightly, I ultimately decided not to do it. As a newbie, I’m worried that I will create more problems for myself than I will solve. So I decided to do the basic FFR installation for now -- I will reevaluate the setup later.

Assembling the E-brake itself is straight-forward—it took about 20 minutes. I primed the steel parts in advance to help prevent rust.

I knew from others’ build threads (and from the build school) that clearance between the E-brake handle and the tunnel aluminum is a common problem. And sure enough, I had that same problem. In this picture, you can see how close the handle is to the tunnel. The forward lever-arm bolt was scraping along the aluminum:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134121&d=1598221971

This problem has been well-documented in this forum, and there are many suggested solutions. I ended up doing an “all of the above” approach. First, I reversed the direction of the bolts on the lever arm so the heads are on the tunnel side. I also trimmed the tunnel aluminum, being careful not to get too close to the edge of the boot. In the picture below, the boot outline is drawn in silver, and I cut away a section for the forward angle bracket and another section for the arc of the forward lever-arm bolt:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134122&d=1598221985

This helped somewhat, but still not enough. Consulting the forum once again, I came across this excellent suggestion from Karl:


I partially followed Karl’s suggestion by putting the front angle bracket on the inside of the lever arm (as shown in my picture below), which has the effect of pushing the front of the E-brake assembly outboard a bit more, increasing the angle. But I kept the forward angle bracket beneath the chassis bracket, per the FFR instructions.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134123&d=1598222001

This improved the clearance quite a bit:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134124&d=1598222012

For completeness sake, these are the changes I made to the FFR instructions:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134125&d=1598222030

Together with cutting the sheet metal (especially the section that allows the forward angle bracket bolt to protrude through), this seems to do the trick.

[nucjd19]

This may help you. Go to post number 135. JB's explanation really helped me dial it in first go with no clearance issues....
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?35795-JB-in-NOVA-s-MK4-build-A-few-more-pre-paint-items/page4

EDIT: LOL! JB saw it before me. THANK YOU JB!!!!! You saved me a ton of headaches

[Blitzboy54]

Awesome guys I appreciate it. I am waiting for the pulley's I ordered to arrive so I have a couple days to play with it.I will try to adjust my way out of it before trimming.

Also since we are talking about it. I want to use the pulley system but wouldn't that require the cable to be shortened? How is all that slack being taken up?

[BeePea]

Mine is angled as far out as possible and also still very lightly scrapes, I flipped the bolts as well. I'll have to do a small trim to make it fit, easy to see the scrape line as it took off my spray paint! Makes it easy to see where to trim.

[egchewy79]

If I recall correctly, by mounting the front mount on top of the frame instead of below it buys you a few more millimeters of clearance

[rich grsc]

Oh good grief, it makes no difference if it rubs agains the aluminum. It a brake handle, it only move a couple inches, and by hand. It's not something in constant motion at high speed that's going to wear out.
THINK

[Blitzboy54]

Oh good grief, it makes no difference if it rubs agains the aluminum. It a brake handle, it only move a couple inches, and by hand. It's not something in constant motion at high speed that's going to wear out.
THINK

I did think

I don’t want it to rub.

It was inflecting the side of the tunnel when down. I reversed the upper bolt now it fits better.

[egchewy79]

getting clearance now is important as it's only going to get worse w/ sound deadener and carpet on top. glad the flipping of the front mount helped.

[BeePea]

Here is my scrape line, you can see the before and after of installing the ebrake lines, where I had full pull on it vs the throw after they are installed, not too bad to clear that away for freedom of movement.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=147688&d=1620756428

[460.465USMC]

Thanks for starting this thread, Blitzboy54. This task is on my near future To Do list, and I'm sure I'll see a similar challenge.

[phileas_fogg]

In addition to flipping the various hardware that others have mentioned, I put in several rivets to secure the transmission sides to the diagonal framing. I didn't go all the way down, but that bought another 1/8"-1/4" of clearance.


John

https://live.staticflickr.com/4323/36156849331_06408bece0_4k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/X64iBZ)IMG_3762 (https://flic.kr/p/X64iBZ) by jhsitton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/91016165@N07/), on Flickr

[nucjd19]

In addition to flipping the various hardware that others have mentioned, I put in several rivets to secure the transmission sides to the diagonal framing. I didn't go all the way down, but that bought another 1/8"-1/4" of clearance.


John

https://live.staticflickr.com/4323/36156849331_06408bece0_4k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/X64iBZ)IMG_3762 (https://flic.kr/p/X64iBZ) by jhsitton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/91016165@N07/), on Flickr

That is a really good idea John.

[Fman]

BB54, just another option for you... if you notice the aluminum clevis block hitting the e-brake bracket when you engage the brake I added this piece to help reduce the contact, seems to be working good. However, if I had to do it again I would install electric e-brake (Estopp) and bypass the handle. It works but not sure how much I trust it because the teeth that lock the handle in are made of cheap metal, on a steep incline I have wheel chalks in the trunk. It is a much cleaner look IMO without the handle there and also better for passengers. I might be taking mine out for a winter project later on.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=130704&d=1593401767

[rich grsc]

I usually think your stuff is funny, Rich. Not today.
Well it wasn't intended to be funny. Guys run the brake cables under the frame and let it rub the frame, and thats OK, but you can't have the handle touch the aluminum panel?:confused: The handle touching the panel causes ZERO problem, but it's OK the rub the cables? Take a dead blow and smack the panel, move on to worrying about something that might affect the SAFETY of the car.

[Blitzboy54]

Well it wasn't intended to be funny. Guys run the brake cables under the frame and let it rub the frame, and thats OK, but you can't have the handle touch the aluminum panel?:confused: The handle touching the panel causes ZERO problem, but it's OK the rub the cables? Take a dead blow and smack the panel, move on to worrying about something that might affect the SAFETY of the car.

I did none of those things. I simply asked if in anyone’s experience removing material was an issue. It’s fixed, pulleys are on order. Thank you for the feedback.

[rich grsc]

I didn't mean to imply you did, just that the handle issue is a minor problem compared to other issues building these cars.
Sorry to have offended everyone.

[RJD]

I flipped the bolts as mentioned above which helped, then cut out areas of aluminum where the sheet metal still interfered. Finally, I patched other areas of the opening with sheet metal to close it up.

You can see the imprint of the patches through the x-mat.

147750

X-mat, carpeting, and the boot covered everything.

147752