The handbrake cables on the TVR seem to be quite "tight" it takes a lot of effort to make them slide... To the point where I have to use a LOT of force to pull an unloaded cable back and forth in the liner..

This might be one of the factors effecting the handbrake not working...

Im guessing the cable is all gummed up with yee-oldy grease and dirt etc...

If I can get the cable off the car..

Could I soak it in Parafin to disolve the oil and cack...and work the cable back and forth in the liner? Would that help free it up?

I could just bin it and get a new one, but I cant find a new one that would be a straight fit

[Edited on 12/3/09 by tegwin]

WD-40!!! ive used it on cables before and it works a treat!

Petrol & Diesel mix works best for that - petrol for cleaning, diesel to penetrate and lube - best used outdoors though.
Also a motorcycle cable oiler if you can find one to fit means you can pump it through. Frost may do one.
At the end of the day it may be cheaper to buy a new one - Venhill seem to do lots of different cables.
Cheers, Pewe

It's worth giving it a bash. Only worry would be if its a plastic coated handbrake cable it might swell due to contact with the petrochemical making it jam even worse. But you've not got much to loose....

Get new ones will only go stiff again.

Freeing them off only last a couple of weeks

No plastic sleeves... just old school cables...

There are a pair of grease nipples on the cables.... so the cable is pretty much gunked to the max!

rather than use wd40 I would use plus gas it seems to be a lot better at penetration and the make sure you put in lots of oil/grease when it's free.