Hi,

I've swapped an 88 9-bolt disc rear-end into my 92 bird (originally equipped with drums). I did not get the parking brake handle, center cable or the splitter from the donor car and I no longer have access to the donor car. I just purchased the 88 center parking brake cable only to find that the end-of-cable attachment to the handle is different on my 92 brake handle.

I'm looking at a parking brake handle from an 84 trans am on ebay right now.

1) Will that one work for me?
2) Do I need to acquire a different splitter as well?

Thanks!

 

Maybe I am misunderstanding or its a bird thing.

I swapped my 84 disc brake rear for a 89 and the only thing different was the cables from the calipers. The 84 had the calipers opposite each other. One would be on the front and the other to the rear so one cable was longer. The 89's cables hooked right to the adjuster on the 84. Did nothing to the handle.
Then I took that 89 rear and installed it in my 91 that had drum brakes. Same thing, the cables hook right up to the 91's adjuster.
I assume what you are calling the splitter I am calling the adjuster because that is where the nut is to tighten/loosen the parking brake.

 

The OP's 92 probably isn't equipped with the tunnel-mounted adjuster that earlier cars (82-89) had.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...e-adjuster.jpg

90+ vehicles had self-adjusting parking brakes, so there was no adjuster; however, I've read that some early 90's cars were so equipped. Best bet is to take a peek.

JamesC

 

Ahhh I see. Maybe its just a Firebird thing though because as I mentioned, the brake cables from the 89 rear worked in my 84 AND my 91. And both were Camaros. (or maybe its really a 92 thing)

 

No difference in braking systems between Camaros and 'Birds. Generally the self-adjusting parking brakes (discs 90+ with no adjuster) require a longer cable (1460 mm, second design).

JamesC

 

89+ has the PBR calipers with no adjusment. They slide on a bolt like the front calipers do. And like I stated, I had no parking brake issues with the 89/PBR between the 84 and 91 parking brake set up.
The cables are longer because both calipers are on the rear as opposed to the earlier having one caliper on the front and the other on the rear (they needed two different lenght cables).

 

All 82-89 cars have the tunnel adjustment, so an 89 can be adjusted (and there is a 'free travel' adjustment as well).

If you're using PBR's on an 89, as I mention above, there is a tunnel adjustment. That set-up uses the shorter first design parking brake cable. If you're running PBR's on an 90+, which has no tunnel adjustment, the set-up uses the longer second design cable.

Here's the later cable from Ed Miller for reference:

http://www.flynbye.com/catalog/i199.html

To the OP, good luck on your project. Sorry about the sidetrack.

JamesC

 

Untrue, or maybe not 100% correct. But I suppose my first hand knowledge from doing this with a 84 and a 91 does not mean anything.

I do agree with wishing the OP good luck

 

Thanks all.

What I ended up doing was buying a new 88 center parking brake cable along with the 84 trans am brake handle and installing them. I couldn't find a splitter that matches the 88 setup so I modified the 92 drum splitter by:

1) Drilling out the hole where the center brake cable goes to accept the threaded rod of the 88 center cable.

2) Welding the washer half of one of those combination nut / washers that show up in various places on cars to the other end of the splitter. Makes for an easy adjuster.

Now that I've done all that, the rear brakes don't stop the wheels in drive on jackstands (and they did not before I did all this either). I've got the iron delco-moraine calipers which I'm reading are problematic so I'm trying to troubleshoot those.

 

The 'fix' kit can be found in the following link:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...-10-bolts.html

JamesC

 

ChainHartMachin

I did the same thing to my 92 Camaro i put the same rear brakes under my car. when i frist did this i had the same trouble with the wheels still turning. The repair kit is the best way to fix them.