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Handbrake Cable Snapped - is it earthing too?


SPendrey

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This evening the handbrake cable on my 1994/5 300Tdi Disco snapped... I'm not surprised because about three days ago it felt a little odd when I applied the handbrake, and has got progressively worse at holding the vehicle.  Anyway, new cable is on its way, but while out there this evening I was curious to find out if there was electrical continuity between the strands of cable sticking up from the floor, and the handbrake lever itself (which is no longer attached to that cable).  There was continuity.

Should there be?  I'm guessing no, as I assume the cable is isolated from the bits around it (like where is passes through from inside to out).  Am I right, or should there be continuity?

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It's not unknown for the handbrake cable to serve as an 'alternative earth' between the engine/gearbox and the body if the proper engine-to-chassis earth cable corrodes.

Starter-motor current flowing through the handbrake cable can cause enough heating to melt the inner nylon liner, which then swells and the handbrake becomes difficult/impossible-to-release.

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