How To Install A Handbrake: Terminals Way.

[Terminal]

Right, well i've started installing a handbrake. it's not as easy as some people have made it out to be.

Firstly, i purchased the handbrake mount bracket. part number 34938 - AA200:

now, i found this part had too much in it. I needed to drill out the 2 spot welds on the left hand piece that goes on the passenger side of the transmission tunnel. I already had this piece of the bracket installed into the car.

now, to remove the old handbrake cable, first of all, remove the foot-brake. the handbrake cable needs to be detached underneath the car, which is quite easy, and there are 2 bolts holding it in underneath the airbag sensor. this sensor had TORX bolts holding it in on my car:

i had to get a T50 torx bit, and they came out fine.

and next, i noticed the bracket that the centre console attaches to sticks out a bit much:

i drilled the 3 spot welds for this out, and then wrestled to get it off the car:

now that was all out of the way, the bracket could finally be installed. there's some gooey crap on the tunnel, which i scraped off with a screwdriver, then drilled through the holes in the bracket into the tunnel. through these i put M6 bolts:

using a 5mm bit the bolt did screw into the tunnel a bit, but it's only very thin sheet metal, so i had to put washers and nuts on the other end. now this was no easy feat. i suggest removing the drive shaft, but as i only had car stands, i couldn't get enough leverage to remove the bolts. they're 17mm bolts so not something to sneeze at. anyway, i did manage to get the washers/nuts on, by gluing them to my finger and then screwing them on:

this is still to be continued. the handbrake i have lines up with the holes, but the brackets aren't flush. i'll just get the oxy to them and bend them in slightly, then she'll be right. i'll finally have a working handbrake. watch this space for my clutch installation....

[CruiseLiner]

hey terminal nice work mate u found the torx key i see i was just wondering how much that bracket is worth from nissan new? i made my own but it still sits abit low in the console, and i might use that one if its easy to fit and also how do u know it will line up with console exactly? did u just drill new holes when u sat the bracket in the correct spot? does it sit up high enough to clear the console? the tailshaft is pretty easy to remove u just need 2 decent sized spanners to do it and watch ya knuckles

cheers

Brad

Edited August 3, 2006 by CruiseLiner

[Terminal]

Sorry, the price is ~$50, depending on how nice your nissan dealer is. i think mine was upwards of $60, but i've heard of people getting it for less than $50.

i bolted it in and everything without thinking to line it up with the handbrake, and almost cried. luckily, it lined up perfectly! i can only assume since the handbrake lines up, the console will.

[CruiseLiner]

Sorry, the price is ~$50, depending on how nice your nissan dealer is. i think mine was upwards of $60, but i've heard of people getting it for less than $50.

i bolted it in and everything without thinking to line it up with the handbrake, and almost cried. luckily, it lined up perfectly! i can only assume since the handbrake lines up, the console will.

cheers mate thats pretty cheap i get trade price anyways, i was expecting $150 or so goin on normal nissan prices hehe

let us know when u try the console in place and whether it fits exactly right. my handbrake cable lined up perfectly but its just sitting too low to put a console surround on the gear shifter area and be able to fully release the handle down to disengage it. i havent got a manual console to try either, i dread spendin $750 on a piece of plastic ill buy one once i stop buying engine parts.

thanks

[Terminal]

ah, i think the manual console is lower than the auto one, but i'll let you know by the weekend.

[FLYSLY]

Nice write up there Terminal.

Also just wondering where did you get your manual centre consol from and what did it cost you if you dont mind me asking?

[Terminal]

it was around $900 for all the parts. Beastian ordered them and i asked him to get 2, so ask him where he got it from. sorry i can't help any more than that.

[FLYSLY]

thats cool, looking forward to the rest of the write up

[GoldZilla]

I might organise one day to meet up with one of the auto s1 owners, and we can both remove the consoles from our cars and compare them.

* Beastien lives close to 3hrs away.

* EGA41T already has a manual (s2) and according to Beastien my console is from an s2 anyway, so it'll probably be the same.

* R33stagea works at least 6 days a week, I think, which might make things difficult.

Any Sydney volunteers? SK? Fergo308?

[mike40sydney]

I might organise one day to meet up with one of the auto s1 owners, and we can both remove the consoles from our cars and compare them.

* Beastien lives close to 3hrs away.

* EGA41T already has a manual (s2) and according to Beastien my console is from an s2 anyway, so it'll probably be the same.

* R33stagea works at least 6 days a week, I think, which might make things difficult.

Any Sydney volunteers? SK? Fergo308?

u can cum ova and compare mine nick in about 4 weeks if thats not too late 4 ya

[R33stagea]

ive got one being moulded up in 2 weeks.

much cheaper than a nissan one,and saves changing alot of parts.

[Terminal]

i have my auto one out of the car and my manual one sitting around, i'll take a few shots and post them up here tonight.

[Ska]

hmm my mounting bracket doesnt look anything like that........... but it fits perfectly in the space on the floorpan for it, pity it still isnt welded down properly.......... ~2mths and counting without a handbrake just waiting for a mate to get back from his 3mth mine stint and then get him to weld the bugger on so it aint ever going to come off

[Terminal]

i didn't weld mine on because i would have to remove the front seats, rear seats to then remove the carpet section to prevent the carpet catching on fire when welding the plate on. i've still got to reinforce it with a few more bolts, but i needed a handbrake by the weekend, so i've opted for the bolts & washer method for now.

[Ska]

Yeah I am going the, "Buy a 5mm thick steel plate and cut and mould into shape, get 5 high tensile steel bolts, drill holes through foot of handbrake assy, steel plate and floor pan, put bolts though and tighten and tack the nuts on and then weld around the steel plate to the foot of the assy and the floorpan" way

I have 2 days set aside to remove the interior, weld it up and put it all back, mainly because most of the time we will be drinking, so have desegnated that work on the car only to be done when sober

[Terminal]

yeah it would have taken me about 4 hours so far to remove interior and fix the plate. putting the handbrake back in should only take half an hour, so i'd guess to do it all in one hit, 5 hours. installing the manual console isn't a hard feat, neither is removing the auto one. it's the plate that took most of the time, and figuring out how the heck to attach it.

[CruiseLiner]

hey ska u dont need to remove interior at all, just weld the bracket base onto the handbrake assembly to give it more supports over a greater area and bolt it in using some good sized nuts and bolts, mines done this way and the bracket distributes the pressure enough that the floor pan will not move or warp when u keep pulling handbrake on and off over time.

[mcnamg]

i agree with brad and if you use self tightening bolts so thye dont work loose or use loctite and spring loaded washers then you shouldnt have a problem if you use the plate method

[EGA41T]

couldnt you just use some steel pop rivets?

...they are just like hammers...they fix everything

[CruiseLiner]

haha, im not sure they would be ideal, its alot of force on the gearbox floorpan when handbrake is pulled up and also ska dont forget to use some big big washers on both sides to stop any chance of the nut pulling through the floorpan. for $50 i'd just buy the correct bracket and then u know its right and sitting in perfect position