Manky Monkey Motors

Im going to get new handbrake cables made up for the rear disc conversion and just wondered how to measure them up?

Hi CJ.
Sorry, only just spotted this one.
Hmm, not entirely sure what you need to know cos I thought it'd be pretty self explanatary. Well, assuming you're using the same VW Golf type calipers we have, the outer sleeve of the cable plugs into a cast lug on the caliper body. The other end stops against a bracket on the frame or, in the case of my own & Simon's trikes, against a tab welded directly to the rear axle. This has a hole drilled through it for the inner cable to pass through & is then counter-bored for the outer sleeve to locate into. So the outer sleeve of your cable needs to be whatever the distance is between those two points. Easiest measured with a bit of stiff wire, remembering to allow enough for sweeping bends where needed, rather than tight kinks cos you want the inner cable to move freely inside it. The MSVA requires the brake to operate on both rear wheels so you'll need two cables obviously. Our trikes all use Metro handbrake levers because they look tidy & are quite short so have less travel when you pull them on & can be tucked into tighter spaces on the frame than some others.

Last time I had cables made I used "Speedy Cables" of Swansea.
01639-732213 or 01639-732299. Cost about 20 quid each & were done within 2 days. I sent them an old VW Golf cable as an example of what I wanted, but they had the end fittings in stock so made up completely new cables. If you're using something more unusual, they can dismantle your original cable & alter it to suit.
The right hand end of the cables in this photo are the ones that plug into the lug on the caliper, (the hole just below the coiled spring). The left hand end has an M6 threaded rod on it which gives you some adjustment on your lever.

We make up a small T piece which attaches to the bottom of the hand brake lever with a clevis pin. Two holes in the horizontal bit of the "T" allow the threaded rods on the ends of the cables to pass through. Bung a nut on the end of the thread, plus a second nut on the other side of the bracket so that the adjuster thread's locked in place & you can pull up both cables together. You'll have to fine tune the positioning to make sure both brakes operate at the same time.
I haven't made the T piece for my trike yet, so here's Ska Man's. His lever's welded to the frame & the cables pass under the battery box. He's used Nyloc nuts on the cable ends.

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The inner cable's just the length of the outer sleeve, plus the distance from the sleeve end to the operating arm of the caliper at one end & the handbrake lever at the other. As your brakes bed in or wear you'll have to adjust the cable so make sure you allow for the threaded rod on the lever end of the cable so you can wind it through the T piece on the lever as required.
I know that's not very clear, but it's not easy to explain in words! Can't give you any measuremnts as it'll depend on where you've sited the outer sleeve stop & the lever. Speedy Cables' stuff comes with the inner cable plastic-coated to prevent corrosion. If you're making up your own cables try & keep the exposed inner cable length to a minimum & spray it with WD40 or wipe it with an oily rag regularly to keep it rust free & lubricated.
Hope that helps mate.

Cheers Manky, I am using the same vw gti calipers as you do and also a metro handbrake lever, ive mounted a bracket on the axle for the cables, then I bored out two short lengths of 16mm threaded rod on the lathe at work to let the cables through and counter bored one end for the outer cables and put these through two holes in the bracket and bolted them either side.Instead of the T plate you guys have at the rear of the h/brake I have a short piece of threaded bar which goes through the middle of a flat plate with the cables either side of it ---I thought it would give some more adjustment.  Anyway thanks for the help I just wanted to be sure I was on the right track before I ordered the cables.