Installing A Lokar Underdash E-Brake

The upper hardware is for the cable from the e-brake, while the lower allows the two cables from the rear brakes to be actuated by a regular floor-mounted e-brake, using the clevis.

Combining the two sets of hardware as shown allows the single front cable to actuate the two rears.

With all three cables run from their respective locations, we could determine where best to mount the bracketry to join them together. A suitable location was found just behind the pickup cab, meaning the front cable didn’t require shortening.

Only now could the outer sleeves of the rear cables be trimmed to length. As we used stainless braided outer sleeves, we used a cut-off wheel for this, once we’d removed the inner cables! The masking tape prevents the braided stainless from fraying while being cut.

Now we knew where the cables would connect, we drilled and tapped the chassis K-member for 1/4-28 bolts (because button-head bolts with this thread were supplied by Lokar to mount the e-brake under the dash and we didn’t use them!), to locate the bracket that locates the rear-most end of the front cable.

This angled bracket, with gusset, was fabricated upon which to mount the second Lokar bracket, where the two rear cables terminate, then welded to the K-member. Take care to run the cables where they won’t interfere with any moving parts, such as the driveshaft or suspension, and ensure they’re mounted suitably higher than the scrubline so they won’t catch on anything while the vehicle is in motion.

With all brackets bolted up, the cables could be adjusted. The two rear cable sleeves were tightened with maximum adjustment available.

With the front cable bracket also tightened to provide maximum adjustment, all three inner cables were pulled as tight as possible, then the set-screws in this brass connecting block were tightened down.

The excess inner cables were removed using a cut-off wheel, but left slightly long just in case.