I only found one previous post on this and his question wasn't answered.(previous post) Maybe somebody's come up with something that could help me out.

On my 91 Firebird I changed out the drum rear to a PBR setup out of a 92 GTA. One of the brake cables is longer than the other apparently as when both are clipped into the equalizer one sits farther back than the other and has posed a serious problem as it likes to jump out of the equalizer. My parts and illustration catalog shows two designs with the only difference between them being that the 1st design is 1434.2mm long and the 2nd design is 1416.4mm - a difference of just less than 2cm. Another problem I have with the new cables is that the sheathing's are not long enough to reach the brackets that retain them to the trans tunnel - they're more than those 2cm shorter - about 3 inches too short actually.

I can't figure out what design cables I have unless I pull them off and measure them and I'm nowhere near being able to do that right now but I do need to figure this problem out and soon. One peculiar thing about the rear is that there's a circular rubber damper that sits on the passenger side cable assembly right near the caliper. I was told this was later added to decrease vibrations - maybe this little bit of info could help somebody figure out what cables I have.

 

I think I understand what you're saying.

IIRC, that round damper thing is on 4th gen cables only. I've never seen or heard of one on a third gen. Maybe that's it. I'm prety sure the cables you need are number 10083575.

Also, I think GM changed the style of the e-brake adjuster in the rans tunnel between 91 and 92. Does it look like this??

Ed

 

The damper is on a the thirdgen rear that I got, so unless somebody changed the entire assemblies over to ones off a fourthgen rear they're correct.

The PN's for the two designs from the parts & illustration catalog I have are:
1st Design: 10164125
2nd Design: 10164193

Both are listed as 91-92 specific.

My equalizer looks nothing like that. Its much simpler with no obvious provisions for adjustment (which has me frustrated) - people have stated that this design is supposed to be self adjusting, but it did nothing of the sort.

EDIT: btw, that PN you listed Ed, is not available anymore according to gmpartsdirect

 

My manual only goes up to 1991, maybe that's the deal and those cables are indeed for the '92 year. Guess that was the wrong P/N, it didn't list for any other specific brake system...just J65. I'll see if I can't get the part number I used..

That's what I thought. Your adjuster is different than what I have. I think yours will be the 2nd design..but I could be wrong...again.

Ed

 

The adjuster in that pic looks exactly like the one in my 83. I put a 91 or 92 rear with PBRs in it; the cables were exactly perfect, they hooked up to the adjuster as if they were meant to, they adjust fine, in fact to about the same point on the adjuster threads as the old drum rear did. They follow the same path as they obviously did (by the little wear signs left on the cable sheath) when they were in the 91 or 92 car, and clip into their little clip retainer things with no difficulty at all.

Maybe the simplest way to handle the situation would be to go to the junkyard and get the entire primary parking brake cable system out of an older car?

 

I went to my local GM dealer and ordered both e-brake cables for an '89 Iroc with the "High Performance Brake Package" and when I got them they were the exact same length.The went on to my equalizer as seen in the picture above with no problems and work great so far.I beleive they were the second design..I still have the tags off of them,I will look around for them and try to get you a part number.