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Good day,

I have a 1970 beetle with swingaxle tranny (it was given to me like that) which I am converting to EFI. Anyway, one of my longtime issues has been the emergency brake which will not brake. It goes all the way up and around 1000 clicks. I can't change the cable because they are all longer. I made an adapter to put the longer cable and had no result either.

I will try to post pics when I get home of the adapter, etc.

I told my wife I was not going to put the wheels back on until I resolve this E-brake issue. Now I want to get it done since I am about to start the EFI up these days for a tuning ride and I don't want to eat my words.

Pics would hep but have you adjusted your rear brakes?

I would actually expect that you have IRS cables and a short swing axle trans, but I'm not sure based on what all you've shared thus far. Looking forward to pics.

JWP,

I adjusted them by the book. The haynes one. Still no results. I forgot to say, the brake canbles had some copper pipe on each side to help extend the cable. That created play on the cable and it "kinked" so I took it out and made the adapter from stainless steel and it stays in place.

Is it adjusted up front at the lever or is that the copper tubing you are referring to taking up the slack on each cable?

Volky wrote:...I have a 1970 beetle with swingaxle tranny...I can't change the cable because they are all longer...

Than what? An IRS `70 would've come with 113 609 721J cables (1803mm overall length). The OAL is greater than any swingaxle cable but the length's in the sheath between the chassis and backing plate. By comparison, the 113 609 721L (1778mm) `65-`67 cable had shorter sheathes but the cable would be too long for your car because the lever was moved back in `68.
What should work is the stock cable for a `68 4-speed, 113 609 721M (1773mm). If you've got short axles both the cable and sheath will be ~¾" longer than ideal so there'll be an outsized loop to which you'll want to add a leash to keep it from flopping down and snagging things, but it should function.

The shortest IRS cable is the `73-up 133 609 721 but it has the same sheath as the 113 609 721J, the OAL is ~2" less because they moved the lever back some more and shortened the cable again - that one will do you no good.