Thanks Mike, I think it turned out pretty well all things considered.
Haha, fear not James. That’ll never happen as long as I own it.
BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
Thanks Mike, I think it turned out pretty well all things considered.
Haha, fear not James. That’ll never happen as long as I own it.
Soooo, slight change of plans.
I fabricated and welded up some gussets for the front feet on the seat brackets…
…and I think they turned out pretty good. Not terrible to look at, and more importantly functional for strength.
This was so I could mock-up the driver’s seat and shifter handle again for locating the park brake handle, which I did.
The visible part of the gusset looks good in place too.
But this is where things have deviated from the original plan a bit. I had originally intended to get onto locating and installing the hand park brake assembly, but once I determined the location I wanted it in, I started looking closer at the park brake itself.
To backtrack a bit, this is a Lokar universal hand park brake kit that I had experienced issues with when I did the original mock-up install a couple years ago. But it’s been so long that I don’t remember exactly what they were. Well, closer examination brought it all rushing back. To begin with, I had problems installing the handle assembly. No matter the configuration, the lower hole that the pivot pin is supposed to go through doesn’t actually sit below the floor.
Here’s a picture of the assembly sitting on top of the old driveshaft tunnel to illustrate my point:
To even get the hole to sit below the floor, the handle would have to be ratcheted up 3 clicks, essentially cutting the range of movement in half before you even start.
Note also how the chrome handle part hits the feet in the previous picture.
So to circumvent this obvious oversight on Lokar’s part, I had drilled new holes in the feet where they bolt to the handle body. With an odd combination of mounting holes used, I was at least able to get the handle attached to the tunnel so that the hole was at least underneath the floor.
However, this is where the second major issue had reared its ugly head. No matter how hard I pulled up on the handle with the cables attached, I could not get enough clamping force to hold the car from rolling. At that point I had disconnected the cables from the handle and decided I’d figure it out another day.
So now, close to 5 years later, here we are again. Same BS mounting issues, and would probably be the same BS clamping force issues. Not doing that again thanks. So last night I jumped on the ole interwebz and did a little research. Searched “Lokar handbrake problems”, and I tell you what. The results were nothing short of shocking.
It would seem that EVERYBODY that has tried using this kit has had the exact same problems. Mustang guys, Camaro guys, Bronco forum, 3rd Gen and ProTouring forums, you name it.
EVERYBODY.
Some guys got creative and cobbled together solutions with lever modifications, double clevises, homemade balance bars etc, but I wasn’t interested in going through that rigmarole. Instead, one guy posted a link to a kit that is said to work much better that I hadn’t come across yet.
It’s from a company called Control Cables (https://www.controlcables.com/kit-1...easy-junction-bracket-pn-b1000b101b102bez200/) and once you know what you’re looking at and for, the differences are immediately obvious.
Here’s a series of screenshots of the parts in the kit pulled from their website:
Again, the differences are immediately obvious. Longer lever arm below the floor level will give more cable travel and clamping force, 2 hole options for attaching the intermediate cable, strengthening bracket with cable mount for underneath the handle, a much beefier and well engineered cable/clevis/balance bar bracket assembly, etc etc. The kit doesn’t include the cables themselves, but that suits me just fine as I already have the Lokar cables.
I was sold.
Went to order it from them, only to find out the bastages won’t ship to Canada! “Sorry, but we are unable to deliver to that address” or some such bullshit message. Alright fine. Did a quick cut and paste of the part number and plugged it right back into the Gargle search engine, and boom. Exact same kit and part number from a place called Circle Track Supply out of North Carolina.
www.circletracksupply.com
THEY were all too happy to take my money and ship to Canada thank you very much.
**** me? Oh no no no no, Mr. Uncooperative cable vendor, **** YOU. I win. Vote with your money folks and support the vendors that will work with the enthusiast no matter where they live.
So yeah, that’s where I’m currently at. Any further progress on the parking brake assembly is going to have to wait until the new kit is delivered. If anyone out there is considering using the Lokar kit, I STRONGLY advise against it. I like Lokar for their throttle cables, but their hand park brake kit isn’t worth the powder to blow it to hell. Poorly designed and engineered, overpriced and cheap quality. Avoid at all costs.
So now, I have to alter my plans slightly and skip over this part until the new parts arrive. Likely going to pull the rear interior panels back out, install the exhaust system, and prep for redoing the floor sections around the pipes. Don’t know exactly how it’s going to go or how it’s going to look just yet, but I do have an idea in my head of how I’d LIKE it to be.
Stay tuned to see if I can figure out a way to make it happen.
D.
I fabricated and welded up some gussets for the front feet on the seat brackets…
…and I think they turned out pretty good. Not terrible to look at, and more importantly functional for strength.
This was so I could mock-up the driver’s seat and shifter handle again for locating the park brake handle, which I did.
The visible part of the gusset looks good in place too.
But this is where things have deviated from the original plan a bit. I had originally intended to get onto locating and installing the hand park brake assembly, but once I determined the location I wanted it in, I started looking closer at the park brake itself.
To backtrack a bit, this is a Lokar universal hand park brake kit that I had experienced issues with when I did the original mock-up install a couple years ago. But it’s been so long that I don’t remember exactly what they were. Well, closer examination brought it all rushing back. To begin with, I had problems installing the handle assembly. No matter the configuration, the lower hole that the pivot pin is supposed to go through doesn’t actually sit below the floor.
Here’s a picture of the assembly sitting on top of the old driveshaft tunnel to illustrate my point:
To even get the hole to sit below the floor, the handle would have to be ratcheted up 3 clicks, essentially cutting the range of movement in half before you even start.
Note also how the chrome handle part hits the feet in the previous picture.
So to circumvent this obvious oversight on Lokar’s part, I had drilled new holes in the feet where they bolt to the handle body. With an odd combination of mounting holes used, I was at least able to get the handle attached to the tunnel so that the hole was at least underneath the floor.
However, this is where the second major issue had reared its ugly head. No matter how hard I pulled up on the handle with the cables attached, I could not get enough clamping force to hold the car from rolling. At that point I had disconnected the cables from the handle and decided I’d figure it out another day.
So now, close to 5 years later, here we are again. Same BS mounting issues, and would probably be the same BS clamping force issues. Not doing that again thanks. So last night I jumped on the ole interwebz and did a little research. Searched “Lokar handbrake problems”, and I tell you what. The results were nothing short of shocking.
It would seem that EVERYBODY that has tried using this kit has had the exact same problems. Mustang guys, Camaro guys, Bronco forum, 3rd Gen and ProTouring forums, you name it.
EVERYBODY.
Some guys got creative and cobbled together solutions with lever modifications, double clevises, homemade balance bars etc, but I wasn’t interested in going through that rigmarole. Instead, one guy posted a link to a kit that is said to work much better that I hadn’t come across yet.
It’s from a company called Control Cables (https://www.controlcables.com/kit-1...easy-junction-bracket-pn-b1000b101b102bez200/) and once you know what you’re looking at and for, the differences are immediately obvious.
Here’s a series of screenshots of the parts in the kit pulled from their website:
Again, the differences are immediately obvious. Longer lever arm below the floor level will give more cable travel and clamping force, 2 hole options for attaching the intermediate cable, strengthening bracket with cable mount for underneath the handle, a much beefier and well engineered cable/clevis/balance bar bracket assembly, etc etc. The kit doesn’t include the cables themselves, but that suits me just fine as I already have the Lokar cables.
I was sold.
Went to order it from them, only to find out the bastages won’t ship to Canada! “Sorry, but we are unable to deliver to that address” or some such bullshit message. Alright fine. Did a quick cut and paste of the part number and plugged it right back into the Gargle search engine, and boom. Exact same kit and part number from a place called Circle Track Supply out of North Carolina.
Circle Track Supply, Inc. > Calipers, Master Cylinders & Proportion Valves > Egr Emergency Brake Lever B1000 - Lay Down Ratchet Style-b1000 , Parking Brake Handle, Egr Emergency Brake Lever Kit-combo Package - Circle Track Supply, Inc.
Egr Emergency Brake Lever B1000 - Lay Down Ratchet Style-b1000 , Parking Brake Handle, Egr Emergency Brake Lever Kit-combo Package
www.circletracksupply.com
THEY were all too happy to take my money and ship to Canada thank you very much.
**** me? Oh no no no no, Mr. Uncooperative cable vendor, **** YOU. I win. Vote with your money folks and support the vendors that will work with the enthusiast no matter where they live.
So yeah, that’s where I’m currently at. Any further progress on the parking brake assembly is going to have to wait until the new kit is delivered. If anyone out there is considering using the Lokar kit, I STRONGLY advise against it. I like Lokar for their throttle cables, but their hand park brake kit isn’t worth the powder to blow it to hell. Poorly designed and engineered, overpriced and cheap quality. Avoid at all costs.
So now, I have to alter my plans slightly and skip over this part until the new parts arrive. Likely going to pull the rear interior panels back out, install the exhaust system, and prep for redoing the floor sections around the pipes. Don’t know exactly how it’s going to go or how it’s going to look just yet, but I do have an idea in my head of how I’d LIKE it to be.
Stay tuned to see if I can figure out a way to make it happen.
D.
I feel that every time I post on this thread it's just me saying what a great fabricator/painter etc you are. But even your grinding marks on your welds look better than anything i can do. Ugg. 😆
I feel the same way, i look at some of my welds and grinding marks on punkin patch and no matter how much i try to finesse some nice smooth finish it looks like i finished it with a concrete block. Donovan could weld the panels in with his feet then look at the surface menacingly and it would be smooth.
Love the parking brake setup. Much better than chrome IMO
Looks like a nice piece Donovan. Dumb question: Why convert to a hand brake? Is it good for autocross, or is it just for shenanigans or cool factor?Soooo, slight change of plans.
I fabricated and welded up some gussets for the front feet on the seat brackets…
View attachment 189751
View attachment 189752
View attachment 189753
…and I think they turned out pretty good. Not terrible to look at, and more importantly functional for strength.
This was so I could mock-up the driver’s seat and shifter handle again for locating the park brake handle, which I did.
View attachment 189755
The visible part of the gusset looks good in place too.
View attachment 189754
But this is where things have deviated from the original plan a bit. I had originally intended to get onto locating and installing the hand park brake assembly, but once I determined the location I wanted it in, I started looking closer at the park brake itself.
To backtrack a bit, this is a Lokar universal hand park brake kit that I had experienced issues with when I did the original mock-up install a couple years ago. But it’s been so long that I don’t remember exactly what they were. Well, closer examination brought it all rushing back. To begin with, I had problems installing the handle assembly. No matter the configuration, the lower hole that the pivot pin is supposed to go through doesn’t actually sit below the floor.
Here’s a picture of the assembly sitting on top of the old driveshaft tunnel to illustrate my point:
View attachment 189762
View attachment 189760
To even get the hole to sit below the floor, the handle would have to be ratcheted up 3 clicks, essentially cutting the range of movement in half before you even start.
Note also how the chrome handle part hits the feet in the previous picture.
View attachment 189759
So to circumvent this obvious oversight on Lokar’s part, I had drilled new holes in the feet where they bolt to the handle body. With an odd combination of mounting holes used, I was at least able to get the handle attached to the tunnel so that the hole was at least underneath the floor.
However, this is where the second major issue had reared its ugly head. No matter how hard I pulled up on the handle with the cables attached, I could not get enough clamping force to hold the car from rolling. At that point I had disconnected the cables from the handle and decided I’d figure it out another day.
So now, close to 5 years later, here we are again. Same BS mounting issues, and would probably be the same BS clamping force issues. Not doing that again thanks. So last night I jumped on the ole interwebz and did a little research. Searched “Lokar handbrake problems”, and I tell you what. The results were nothing short of shocking.
It would seem that EVERYBODY that has tried using this kit has had the exact same problems. Mustang guys, Camaro guys, Bronco forum, 3rd Gen and ProTouring forums, you name it.
EVERYBODY.
Some guys got creative and cobbled together solutions with lever modifications, double clevises, homemade balance bars etc, but I wasn’t interested in going through that rigmarole. Instead, one guy posted a link to a kit that is said to work much better that I hadn’t come across yet.
It’s from a company called Control Cables (https://www.controlcables.com/kit-1...easy-junction-bracket-pn-b1000b101b102bez200/) and once you know what you’re looking at and for, the differences are immediately obvious.
Here’s a series of screenshots of the parts in the kit pulled from their website:
View attachment 189763
View attachment 189764
View attachment 189766
View attachment 189765
Again, the differences are immediately obvious. Longer lever arm below the floor level will give more cable travel and clamping force, 2 hole options for attaching the intermediate cable, strengthening bracket with cable mount for underneath the handle, a much beefier and well engineered cable/clevis/balance bar bracket assembly, etc etc. The kit doesn’t include the cables themselves, but that suits me just fine as I already have the Lokar cables.
I was sold.
Went to order it from them, only to find out the bastages won’t ship to Canada! “Sorry, but we are unable to deliver to that address” or some such bullshit message. Alright fine. Did a quick cut and paste of the part number and plugged it right back into the Gargle search engine, and boom. Exact same kit and part number from a place called Circle Track Supply out of North Carolina.
Circle Track Supply, Inc. > Calipers, Master Cylinders & Proportion Valves > Egr Emergency Brake Lever B1000 - Lay Down Ratchet Style-b1000 , Parking Brake Handle, Egr Emergency Brake Lever Kit-combo Package - Circle Track Supply, Inc.
Egr Emergency Brake Lever B1000 - Lay Down Ratchet Style-b1000 , Parking Brake Handle, Egr Emergency Brake Lever Kit-combo Package
THEY were all too happy to take my money and ship to Canada thank you very much.
**** me? Oh no no no no, Mr. Uncooperative cable vendor, **** YOU. I win. Vote with your money folks and support the vendors that will work with the enthusiast no matter where they live.
So yeah, that’s where I’m currently at. Any further progress on the parking brake assembly is going to have to wait until the new kit is delivered. If anyone out there is considering using the Lokar kit, I STRONGLY advise against it. I like Lokar for their throttle cables, but their hand park brake kit isn’t worth the powder to blow it to hell. Poorly designed and engineered, overpriced and cheap quality. Avoid at all costs.
So now, I have to alter my plans slightly and skip over this part until the new parts arrive. Likely going to pull the rear interior panels back out, install the exhaust system, and prep for redoing the floor sections around the pipes. Don’t know exactly how it’s going to go or how it’s going to look just yet, but I do have an idea in my head of how I’d LIKE it to be.
Stay tuned to see if I can figure out a way to make it happen.
D.
The new parking brake looks more worthy of the Juggernaut. The Lokar did look a little "cheap" and "universal". This new one will look right at home on your car.
Exhaust routing complications w/the cable routing?
Thanks Tony, I appreciate any and all comments good, bad, repetitive or otherwise. Afterall, the comments you guys make along with any “reactions” is really the only way I can tell if anyone is actually reading these updates. It seems like the same 12-15 guys regularly react to my posts, and I’m grateful for that, but it would occasionally be nice to know if anyone else follows along.
I’m going to respond to the second part of your reply after quoting Josh’s post here because the response will be directed to both of you.
Ha! This made me chuckle, thanks Josh.
However it’s not quite that easy as I’m sure you’re aware. Like any other process, (welding, bodywork, painting etc), there’s actually a certain amount of skill involved in grinding believe it or not. All of which has been learned the hard way through a lot of repetition and experience.
The trick to achieving a nice smooth finished product is to not over-grind, and not overwork the area. Knock down the bulk of the weld with the coarsest grit you have, but stop early and switch to finer and finer grits the closer you get to becoming flush with the surface. Sounds like a lot of extra steps and effort, but once you’re used to the process, you become expedient at it and it becomes second nature.
I take inspiration from the old school coach builders and hand fabricators that seemingly turn out flawless pieces that you swear were only one piece. I’m obviously a long ways from that achievement, but that doesn’t stop me from constantly trying to improve my own skill level.
No such thing as a dumb question Jared.
I actually eliminated the factory foot park brake many years ago when I built the car the first time. My friends and I at the time were very interested in sound “staging” and sound quality from car audio and had removed the foot brake in favour of placing some custom built speaker kick panels down there. I’ll have to go back through some of my old pictures, I’m pretty sure I’ve got at least one or two of them. This was back in the day before pre-made speaker kick panels were available through the aftermarket.
I almost never use the parking brake in any of my automatic transmission equipped cars, so it really wasn’t an issue at the time.
For this newest re-envisioning of the car however, the kick panels were removed and discarded to go a different route. But now converting to a manual transmission, a proper functioning park brake is an absolute necessity. I elected to go with a hand brake this time to update the interior of the car, make it a little more modern and user friendly mostly.
I haven’t seen the original park brake parts for this car in decades now, so it was easier to just start fresh from scratch and try something new.
I quite agree with you James. Thanks for reinforcing my decision to spring for this kit. I feel I’ve made a wiser and more informed decision this time. I’ll still have to source an intermediate cable for between the hand brake and rear cables still, but that should be pretty easy to do.
Partly, yes, but as outlined above, there are/were several other determining factors that played into the decision. Things have been so heavily modified on this car now that almost nothing it was originally equipped with would work well with anything else.
Thanks for the interest and comments guys!
Very few people will ever truly appreciate your effort, much less your effort to document and log it all. As I have said in the past: I only maintain my threads for my needs, everyone else is just along for the ride.
Guess I am back at it this weekend too.
DD Speed Shop did a video on YouTubing today. His rule of thumb is 1 hour of production for one minute of video made.
You'd be grinding on different things for that kind of recognition. I am uncertain if the ROI is there. But, if you do it, do it for yourself.
