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Custom handbrake cable soldering problem
smart51 - 6/9/12 at 11:58 AM

I've made my own handbrake cable using control cable and solder nipples. Despite wetting the steel cable well, it still pulls out of the solder nipple if you pull the lever quite hard. Am I doing something wrong or is this type of cable not suitable for high load applications like handbrakes?

My application is a 3 wheeler with a dedicated handbrake calliper on the single rear wheel. I just want a simple pull cable that is (from memory) about 1.5m long. Any suggestions?

RichardK - 6/9/12 at 12:24 PM

What about a blob of weld instead?

jamesbond007ltk - 6/9/12 at 12:30 PM

I went down the nipple route and failed miserably despite numerous attempts. Also tried welding but found it weakened the cable locally so ended up breaking.

In the end I put three small nuts over the cable and squashed them in an engineering vice. Not pretty but many years later it still holds tight. I'm sure there are purpose made crimps that have the same effect.

Rich

Andi - 6/9/12 at 12:38 PM

I used silver solder from maplins (on an accy cable though) which lasted years.

mark chandler - 6/9/12 at 12:40 PM

Mine soldered okay, took a couple of attempts just splaying the end pulled through but adding a little steel wedge and bunching the wires in the wide bit of the nipple worked

owelly - 6/9/12 at 12:41 PM

I used flux paste and soft solder on one of my cables and flux powder and silver solder on the other because I couldn't find the soft solder! Both lasted until I changed the rear brakes which woyld be about 5 years and countless handbrake turns!
You need to ensure the cable is spotless before you try to solder.

britishtrident - 6/9/12 at 02:02 PM

You need Silver solder

snakebelly - 6/9/12 at 03:32 PM

Also depends on whether the cable is coated with anything, i would use silver solder as its stronger than lead

rusty nuts - 6/9/12 at 06:52 PM

Wetting the cable? that's a new one on me. What are you using to "wet" the cable ?

smart51 - 6/9/12 at 07:39 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Wetting the cable? that's a new one on me. What are you using to "wet" the cable ?


It's a soldering term from electronics. It means making sure there is a good coating of solder on the surface before trying to join things. I've found with braded steel wire, you have to get it stinking hot before the solder will 'stick'. Much hotter than the melting temperature of the solder itself. The failure is not the steel wire pulling through the solder but the solder shearing.

Thanks all for tips, especially silver solder. I forgot and used tin/lead. Oops!

Edit: damn autocorrect

[Edited on 6-9-2012 by smart51]

Chippy - 6/9/12 at 10:50 PM

If you countersink the back of the nipple, push the cable through and then splay out the ends into the countersink prior to soldering it should hold. Done many cables in this way and never had a failure. HTH Ray

paulf - 7/9/12 at 09:01 PM

I have done them the same way but use a quick blob of MIG weld , if you adjust the welder to a setting that is just enough to melt the strands together it makes a strong blob on the end of the cable and does not affect the cable with so much excess heat as silver soldering.
Paul

quote:
Originally posted by Chippy
If you countersink the back of the nipple, push the cable through and then splay out the ends into the countersink prior to soldering it should hold. Done many cables in this way and never had a failure. HTH Ray

Xtreme Kermit - 7/9/12 at 09:35 PM

I'm probably tempting fate here, but mine has a nipple fitted with a grub screw. Been good as gold for a few years now. No sign of solder...

Maybe I've just been lucky