Parking brake snapped

[JesseM]

So I took it to my local shop, while the previous owner who did the test drive handed the keys back to me, he said "We'll have to replace a short cable up front", then his son who now runs the place said "No with these Mazda's, it spits into 2 cables towards the back and can only be ordered as 1 entire unit". These cars are getting too old to be throwing 200$ at here and there every other month, I need to fix this myself.

So I found the short cable his dad was talking about - RAYBESTOS Part # BC94684

I have a feeling this shop is ordering way more expensive parts than I need. If its just snapped up front, does anyone here know if its hard to put this replacement cable in? Do the brakes need to be adjusted after replacing the cable?

edit: Found this thread , sounds like its mostly the heatshield thats the problem.

 

[thuzil]

Yes if the cable has snapped at the front (which is common as it rusts out). Then the part you have linked to is what you need. Swapping it out requires that you remove the heat shield. Not that difficult if the bolts don't shear. Remove a but from the end of the cable at the lever in the car. Yank out the broken cable and remove the rear cables from it. Fit the new cable in the reverse order.

If you do not mind being under your car for an hour this is a completely so it yourself job. Well with some help to feed the new cable into the brake lever.

You should also make sure that the rear cables still move freely as these have a tendency to seize up after a decade.

 

[JesseM]

Awesome, thanks. I haven't done any under-the-car work before, but I have jack-stands and I've helped my father with lots of stuff so I can pull this off. This will probably save me over $150, I definitely will need that parking break come winter time.

Man, after doing this and then changing the lower O2 sensor and rear-right ABS sensor, I'll have no dashboard lights and a fully working car for the first time since I bought this thing! Srsly though aside from little things like this, its a great car for its age.

 

[Brains]

If the bolts holding that heat shield on shear or do what they did to me and just sort of spin around indefinitely without actually coming loose, feel free to tear it right off...
...i had to tear mine off -_-

The front cable comes with a rubber boot wrapped around it- i pressed it in the car from underneath it it was pretty tough to get in there... look out for that.
Also look out for bits of dirt and rust falling in your eye while you're under the car. Something went in my eye and i think it's a part of me now...

 

[JesseM]

Are you sure its ok to not have a heat shield down there?

 

[Flav]

Are you sure its ok to not have a heat shield down there?

Been doing it for as long as I can remember. Just keep a fire extinguisher near by (sarcasm)
Its fine!

 

[JesseM]

Hah, ok mines probably rusted completely the ****-out like my manifold heat-sink (headbang)

 

[thuzil]

Yes. The heat shield is nice to have but is not essential.