Aztec62 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Hello again, I am looking for the intermediate brake cable for the parking brake. The GM part no. is 1642481. All the usual sources list the part as "discontinued". Can anybody help? An intermediate cable for a Riviera is available, but the part no. is different because I think the wheel base is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I posted part numbers (aftermarket suppliers included Wagner and Bendix) before but I don't remember exactly where. I have done a lot of research regarding this part and it is unique to Reatta. I do have a part number from Wagner brakes. They are a division of Federal-Mogul. I have tried to contact them a few times asking if they would make a run of the part for me. I've asked them for min quantity to make a run. I was willing to pony up and buy a supply that I would then put out for sale (similar to Dave with the ABS brake leads) Unfortunately trying to contact them through their web site doesn't seem to work. They do however often send me updates regarding all sorts of things I have no interest in. LOL. Anyway bottom line is that the part is very hard to find. The Wagner part number is BC129671. I have found that thewrenchmonkey.ca in Canada has it listed and I have tried to buy it from them a few times. They keep coming back to tell me it is not in stock. You will probably have to get a used one. I think I bought the last new aftermarket part in the country and then after I got my old one to work I sold it to another person on these forums. Good luck with your search. I found I had put the information on the AACA forum. You can do a search there to find the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aztec62 Posted February 27, 2017 Topic Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 I have found one @ www.buickreattaparts.com. They want 450$ for a new intermediate cable. 300 for the cable and 150 for FedEx Shipping. Anyone have a good used one? Henning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I will look at the Reatta I have just found. If it looks good I will grab it. However I won't be there for about 2 weeks. You could try Jim Finn he is a parts vendor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdirk Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Dave, if you can grab that one do so for sure. In fact, if you can source any others they would be worth snagging, since you have access to a number of scrap Reattas. In the meantime, I may have one I can send Henning, will be going into my offsite storage today to see if I have an extra decent one to spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 What happens to these cables? Do they stretch, break or freeze up? I only use mine from time to time to keep the cable freed up and the rear brake adjuster working, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aztec62 Posted March 5, 2017 Topic Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 Ronnie, mine were frozen up. Only the front cable is good. The rest is scrap. Henning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I can look at that one. As the rest of the car is good I am sure itr is good as well. I also don't understand what happens with these cables but then again I don't use mine at all... ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I don't really know what issues arise with the cables. I would think they rust inside and get jammed or locked up. The reason I bought one was because some idiot (a previous owner) had changed the configuration due to the bracket rusted away on my rear cradle assembly. They took other cables and tied them together by looping the ends and using cable clamps on them. It worked a little but not correctly. It was probably just enough to get an inspection sticker. Anyway I tore it all out. I made a bracket that I could bolt on and reconfigured it correctly with brand new left and right rear cables. Fortunately I was able to revive the original intermediate cable. I also hung it up and ran a solution of oil / graphite powder through the cable to help ease it's motion. I used to do that same thing on all my motorcycle cables. In the end I salvaged my cable and so I sold the cable I bought to another forum member who wanted one. Note; later on I purchased a whole rear assembly and changed out the assembly and sold that cable to the same guy. I now have a rear assembly in the car that has no rust and the parking brake functions as it should. BTW - I tried to order two cables again from the Wrenchmonkey web site. They had them listed as "in stock"...... They weren't. They still do not have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdirk Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Dave, if you come up with a couple of these and want to sell one I'd be interested. I'm pretty certain I have two intermediate cables stashed away, will know this evening after I go digging in the vault. If I send one to Henning for his car I'd like another to replace it. With four of these cars in the stable, I need to be mindful of future needs by having multiple spares of the really difficult to source parts. I have most major items covered, but brake cables are among the items I'm light on still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 How does one remove them? What tools are needed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdirk Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 The ends of the cable each latch into an "equalizer*, a metal semi-tubular piece that retains the slug on the end of the cable. The sleeve has a spring clip that snap fits into a hole on the bracket, this is the nasty part to get loose usually as it is rusty and has three or four "fingers" that each have to be compressed to slide the cable sleeve back out of the retaining hole. You may find it easiest to detach the ends of the back cables at each rear caliper to get some slack in the cable. Removal while under tension is pretty well impossible. If you can get the yard to lift the car up with forklift or some such, it will be much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 email me with your selling price to Henning [don't include freight]. I have to contact the yard for their price and then factor my time as I want to make sure this is worth my while. Only the front of this Reatta is on blocks. I think I will go with bolt cutters and cut the rear cable off just past the middle cable and then work to get the middle off. Some how I think this is going to be a "job". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdirk Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 Probably will be a job. I'm mulling over what I think it is worth right now (in terms of selling price) as the NOS one mentioned upthread is $450, I'm not sure where to set a used one. Clearly, a lot less than that, but guess I will give it some thought tonight. Does anyone know the last published retail price for one (not dealer price necessarily, but an auto parts store price for new aftermarket). It was mentioned someone here tried ordering one recently only to be told they were not available. What price was being asked by that supplier? That would help in determining a fair price for a good used one I think. I also need to look at the parts book, I am almost certain I have two intermediate cables here, as well as one front and one back. However, it has been long enough since they went in storage now that I'm not 100% sure which is the middle piece. If I'm correct in my thinking, it is the shortest of the three sections. The front (nearest the pedal) has the tension adjuster bolt if memory serves correctly. Or I will just look under the car tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogware Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 Would it be possible to have the cables made, I mean if you know the lengths of each section and what type of connectors needed, and the tensile strength it could be done right? Just a thought anyways, maybe it would be cheaper and require less work from retrieving one from a donor car. Also someone like Henning that has little to none donor car resources can make one himself or from someone on the forum that can make one and sell it. Maybe I don't know what I am talking about either I do not mean to offend anyone so please don't take it that way I am just thinking out of the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 How does one remove them? What tools are needed? I used a plier type brake tool. The kind with the end that looks like a hook with a point and a little loop on the opposing side. I was able to catch on end of the retainer with the loop an push the cable into the retainer with the hook point and it pushed the cable right out. Would it be possible to have the cables made, I mean if you know the lengths of each section and what type of connectors needed, and the tensile strength it could be done right? Just a thought anyways, maybe it would be cheaper and require less work from retrieving one from a donor car. Also someone like Henning that has little to none donor car resources can make one himself or from someone on the forum that can make one and sell it. Maybe I don't know what I am talking about either I do not mean to offend anyone so please don't take it that way I am just thinking out of the box. Yes. There is a company called "Inline Tube" They make up cables for many cars but not the Reatta. They say they can make it identical if they are given a good sample to work from. I no longer have anything I can send them unless I take mine off the car. (Hmmm. maybe a good winter project next year?) Maybe if someone has a spare to send to Inline Tube they will then have it in their listing for all others to purchase. Maybe you could even work a deal to get one or two for free if you let them use your sample. Probably will be a job. I'm mulling over what I think it is worth right now (in terms of selling price) as the NOS one mentioned upthread is $450, I'm not sure where to set a used one. Clearly, a lot less than that, but guess I will give it some thought tonight. Does anyone know the last published retail price for one (not dealer price necessarily, but an auto parts store price for new aftermarket). It was mentioned someone here tried ordering one recently only to be told they were not available. What price was being asked by that supplier? That would help in determining a fair price for a good used one I think. I also need to look at the parts book, I am almost certain I have two intermediate cables here, as well as one front and one back. However, it has been long enough since they went in storage now that I'm not 100% sure which is the middle piece. If I'm correct in my thinking, it is the shortest of the three sections. The front (nearest the pedal) has the tension adjuster bolt if memory serves correctly. Or I will just look under the car tomorrow. I looked at my past history regarding prices on the intermediate cable. The one I bought a few years ago. Wagner P/N BC129671 cost was $37.73 plus $11.37 shipping. I'm in Massachusetts and I bought it from Automotive Supply in Wichita KS. When I tried recently to buy the same cable from wrenchmonkey.ca in Canada the charge and refund was $75.40 Canadian which equates to $59.20 US. That price included shipping. There's four cables in the system. The front cable comes from the pedal to a connection under the door. To help with identification visually there is a captive spring that is on the cable, The next cable is the intermediate (visually it has the adjusting thread / nut on one end). At the rear there is a left cable and a right cable. There is an equalizer that clips onto the intermediate just before the end of the intermediate and makes the connection to the left cable. The right cable hooks to the end of the intermediate cable using the joining clip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 The ends of the cable each latch into an "equalizer*, a metal semi-tubular piece that retains the slug on the end of the cable. The sleeve has a spring clip that snap fits into a hole on the bracket, this is the nasty part to get loose usually as it is rusty and has three or four "fingers" that each have to be compressed to slide the cable sleeve back out of the retaining hole. You may find it easiest to detach the ends of the back cables at each rear caliper to get some slack in the cable. Removal while under tension is pretty well impossible. If there is reasonable access to the "fingers" that retain the end, I have had some success with a hose clamp around the fingers just a bit back from the end to allow getting them started in the hole. I don't have my car here to see exactly where this connection as described. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 I have done extensive research on the intermediate cable. The 1988 to 1991 Reatta part numbers are; OEM - 1642481, Wagner part number BC129671 and Bendix part number C1703. None appear to be available. I have the measurements where the overall length is 80 inches with a casing length of 62 inches. I have found that the 1987 to 1992 Allante intermediate cable is 83.5 overall length and the casing length is 63-5/16. That means that the travel would be almost the same but the cable is 3 inches longer. I don't know if it would bind when used on the Reatta. I have contacted GMPartsDirect and asked them if the Allante cable is a possible suitable replacement on the Reatta. I will update when I get an answer. If someone has access to the parts and wants to try it the Allante part numbers are; OEM - 1642670 (discontinued) & 18033618 (avail. at GM for $25.70), Raybestos- BC93631 (@ Rock Auto for $17.67), ACDelco - 18P700 (@ Rock Auto for $19.41), Bruin - 93631 (Ebay for $16.45) Interesting! - I looked at one supplier web site and it shows that cable 18033618 is used on Hummer, Saturn, Pontiac, Oldsmobile,, Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Chevrolet. I find that hard to believe. I do know that it is listed as definitely a part that fits 1987 to 1992 Allante at more than one site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdirk Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Regarding the Allanté cable, wouldn't it be possible in theory to route the cable differently under the car to put somewhat of a loop in it to take up the few extra inches? Obviously no hard curves can be made, nor can it be routed too close to the exhaust, but I'm wondering if this might be a shade tree mechanics solution. Some customers brackets would need to be made and mounted, naturally. Or, check the length of the front cable section for the Allante. If it is the same as a Reatta then it doesn't help us, but if it is a bit shorter by any chance, it might make the difference in getting the overall length close to correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aztec62 Posted March 8, 2017 Topic Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 I have done extensive research on the intermediate cable. The 1988 to 1991 Reatta part numbers are; OEM - 1642481, Wagner part number BC129671 and Bendix part number C1703. None appear to be available. I have the measurements where the overall length is 80 inches with a casing length of 62 inches. I have found that the 1987 to 1992 Allante intermediate cable is 83.5 overall length and the casing length is 63-5/16. That means that the travel would be almost the same but the cable is 3 inches longer. I don't know if it would bind when used on the Reatta. I have contacted GMPartsDirect and asked them if the Allante cable is a possible suitable replacement on the Reatta. I will update when I get an answer. If someone has access to the parts and wants to try it the Allante part numbers are; OEM - 1642670 (discontinued) & 18033618 (avail. at GM for $25.70), Raybestos- BC93631 (@ Rock Auto for $17.67), ACDelco - 18P700 (@ Rock Auto for $19.41), Bruin - 93631 (Ebay for $16.45) Interesting! - I looked at one supplier web site and it shows that cable 18033618 is used on Hummer, Saturn, Pontiac, Oldsmobile,, Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Chevrolet. I find that hard to believe. I do know that it is listed as definitely a part that fits 1987 to 1992 Allante at more than one site. What about a intermediate cable for a 1990-93 Buick Riviera. How much longer than a Reatta cable is this? It is availabe without any problems. Henning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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