Brakes Sn95 Parking Brake (no Need To Weld Handle)

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
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Massachusetts
So I just put a 1998 Cobra leather handle in my car simply for the look. Learned a few things about the fox and SN95 handles.

First off, there's no major differences in the87-93 and 94-98 handles. The 99-04s use a different mounting pattern (so I would recommend not using these) but the 94-98s are pretty much the same. They sit maybe 1/2" higher, but not a huge deal as they still fit the fox console.

Fox (top) vs 94-98 SN95 (bottom)
IMG_3820.JPG


SN95 (left) vs Fox (right)
IMG_3821.JPG


Minor visual difference, but mechanically the same. Same adjuster too, which coinicidentally Ford issued a recall for in the SN95 manual cars.

This little part locks the adjuster...same as welding. It's part number 1R3Z-2A753-BA and can be found under $5 if you search around. And yes, it will work on fox handles too. Installs like so

IMG_3833.JPG
IMG_3834.JPG
IMG_3835.JPG


So with that said, I removed my stock fox handle that was welded for SN95 rear disks and began installing this.

You'll notice that when handle is full down, the ratcheting pawl is not in contact. This is to adjust the brake tension automatically. What would happen is sometimes when you engaged the parking brake, the teeth wouldn't fully engage

IMG_3826.JPG


So what I did was install the handle with the Ford racing center adjustable cable. Should be the last time I ever need to touch it. I trimmer the cable, and then adjusted the nuts to try and get the parking brake towards the center of the range of adjustability. I trimmed the center rod because you can see where it rubbed my AL driveshaft. (This photo is upside down in orientation...sorry)
IMG_3827.JPG


I also adjusted the parking brake to be loose by moving the ratchet to the "less tension" end
IMG_3823.JPG


With everything snug, I was free to adjust the tension on the brakes by lifting the pawl and setting it and pulling the brake. I was trying to adjust to little movement of the handle to stop wheels, but full loosen when I release.

IMG_3829.JPG


This is where I ended up, to which I put the locking plate on and tightened it down. Same thing as welding, but now I can remove the plate and readjust in the future. I can also tighten under the car but this is much easier.
 

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Finished result.

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One thing to note is I did not trim the adjuster to prevent contact with the pawl. You can see what o mean here. The part that sticks up and releases the pawl would contact it when locked down.
IMG_3826.JPG

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As a result, the handle sits pointed up slightly. Not much and not a big deal. I wanted to keep it uncut. You can cut yours and handle will sit low, and you can still grab the pawl and adjust.
 
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Mike,
Where did you get your leather cover? I remember you covered this before but can't recall what you did.

BTW I modified a SN95 handle to fit my car, I just cut the bracket off and moved it and rewelded it. My thought was with the larger diameter cam found on these it gives you a little more leverage. IIRC it already had the repair bracket on it.
 
Mike,
Where did you get your leather cover? I remember you covered this before but can't recall what you did.

BTW I modified a SN95 handle to fit my car, I just cut the bracket off and moved it and rewelded it. My thought was with the larger diameter cam found on these it gives you a little more leverage. IIRC it already had the repair bracket on it.

Pics or it didn't happen. :p
 
Mike,
Where did you get your leather cover? I remember you covered this before but can't recall what you did.

You talking about the leather covering on the handle? It's part of the 94-98 cobra parking brake handle....I believe mine is actually out of a 1998.

The covers do come off and will swap onto the fox handle. There are two pieces. Top part with the botton pulls off, and then you unclip the bottom part and slide it off the handle. As much as that seems very easy to do, I tried to get them off the cobra handle to swap to my stock fox handle, but they are on there VERY tight. Since I didn't want to damage the leather, I swapped the entire handle in....hence this thread.
 
I used a 1998 Cobra Handle in mine too, but I recall doing the Mod where I cut the Spring and Welded the Pawl, looks and feels much better than the Original Handbrake.
 

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I used a 1998 Cobra Handle in mine too, but I recall doing the Mod where I cut the Spring and Welded the Pawl, looks and feels much better than the Original Handbrake.

You can do either. The locking clip I show above didn't exist when ford released the M2300-K kit and the directions to cut/weld the pawl. It took ford to have a recall with the brake slipping to release that little clip, which is ironic as they tell you to defeat the self-adjuster on the M-2300K kit, but leave it intact in the cars they sold to the general public and eventually had issues with. Strange.

The benefit to the clip method is you can adjust the e-brake tension from inside the car rather than underneath. I recall after installing my cables, there was a little bit of stretch requiring me to get under the car to readjust. With the clip, you just need to remove the console top plate, readjust the pawl that the shifter is locked into, and then reinstall the locking plate to keep it there. Accomplishes the same as welding, but you can undo it.

I never cut the spring. Just left it alone to go along for the ride. Doesn't affect anything.

Oh and it looks way better. I'm debating the lower boot like you have there.
 
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You can do either. The locking clip I show above didn't exist when ford released the M2300-K kit and the directions to cut/weld the pawl. It took ford to have a recall with the brake slipping to release that little clip, which is ironic as they tell you to defeat the self-adjuster on the M-2300K kit, but leave it intact in the cars they sold to the general public and eventually had issues with. Strange.

The benefit to the clip method is you can adjust the e-brake tension from inside the car rather than underneath. I recall after installing my cables, there was a little bit of stretch requiring me to get under the car to readjust. With the clip, you just need to remove the console top plate, readjust the pawl that the shifter is locked into, and then reinstall the locking plate to keep it there. Accomplishes the same as welding, but you can undo it.

I never cut the spring. Just left it alone to go along for the ride. Doesn't affect anything.

Oh and it looks way better. I'm debating the lower boot like you have there.
That is pretty cool that they came out with that clip as that looks much easier! I got that Leather Boot From Redline, pretty sure I told them I was using a 98 Cobra Handle in my Fox so they could make adjustments as needed, looks way better than that piece of rubber that was there in stock form.
 
Figured it was a redline boot. I have their shifter boot and love it.

I might contact them and see if they can do one for me that's pretty stubby. I want as much ofbthe handle exposes and just want to cover where the console is
 
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Their website not working for anyone else or just me?

I just need to remember what leather and stitch colors I used for my boot. Don't think I went with pure black

Highly recommend their Shift boots as well to anyone still rocking the stock vinyl boot
IMG_8301.JPG
 
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The So I just put a 1998 Cobra leather handle in my car simply for the look. Learned a few things about the fox and SN95 handles.

First off, there's no difference major differences in the87-93 and 94-98 handles. The 99-04s use a different mounting pattern (so I would recommend not using these) but the 94-98s are pretty much the same. They sit maybe 1/2" higher, but not a huge deal as they still fit the fox console.

Fox (top) vs 94-98 SN95 (bottom)
IMG_3820.JPG


SN95 (left) vs Fox (right)
IMG_3821.JPG


Minor visual difference, but mechanically the same. Same adjuster too, which coinicidentally Ford issued a recall for in the SN95 manual cars.

This little part locks the adjuster...same as welding. It's part number 1R3Z-2A753-BA and can be found under $5 if you search around. And yes, it will work on fox handles too. Installs like so
IMG_3833.JPG
IMG_3834.JPG
IMG_3835.JPG


So with that said, I removed my stock fox handle that was welded for SN95 rear disks and began installing this.

You'll notice that when handle is full down, the ratcheting pawl is not in contact. This is to adjust the brake tension automatically. What would happen is sometimes when you engaged the parking brake, the teeth wouldn't fully engage

IMG_3826.JPG


So what I did was install the handle with the Ford racing center adjustable cable. Should be the last time I ever need to touch it. I trimmer the cable, and then adjusted the nuts to try and get the parking brake towards the center of the range of adjustability. I trimmed the center rod because you can see where it rubbed my AL driveshaft. (This photo is upside down in orientation...sorry)
IMG_3827.JPG


I also adjusted the parking brake to be loose by moving the ratchet to the "less tension" end
IMG_3823.JPG


With everything snug, I was free to adjust the tension on the brakes by lifting the pawl and setting it and pulling the brake. I was trying to adjust to little movement of the handle to stop wheels, but full loosen when I release.

IMG_3829.JPG


This is where I ended up, to which I put the locking plate on and tightened it down. Same thing as welding, but now I can remove the plate and readjust in the future. I can also tighten under the car but this is much easier.

Was wondering if anyone else has run into this issue. I snapped the center cable that connects from parking brake handle to the equalizer bar so i fished it out and i was going to replace it with an older one from my 91. However i noticed the equalizer bar is much longer on the 91 than on the 93. I tried to get it on the but 93 has the plate in the tunnel which holds the cables a set distance apart. All the Ford and repro replacements indicate the 87-93 and appear to show the longer bar (not the short one). Do they make a replacement for this? Even a comment/review by a customer on LMR site indicated that the bar is too long and not correct for the 93? Has anyone figured a work around? Do I need to get the 2300K Ford racing adjustable one and re-use my existing shorter equalizer bar? Is there a difference in the equalizer bars or do i have some weird setup on my car?
 
It's possible the 93 setup is more closely related to the 94+ parking brake as they also use the trans mounted clip for the cables.

I'd explore and SN95 equalizer bar, or just buy the Ford racing center adjustable cable
 
Well it's definitely 2 different part numbers. So ford has the 87-93 cable listed as E7ZZ-2A603-A and the 94-98 listed as F4ZZ-2A603-A but I don't have good pictures to compare both. So, there appears that some 93 cars did have the SN95 setup simply because I have the trans mounted clip on my car right (unless it was put there by the previous owner)? Do you know if some 93 cars came stock with that trans mounted clip?
 
All 1993 cars had the SN95 style parking brake system with the clip in the tunnel. It was a 1-year only setup that had unique cables that attached directly to the clip and were sheathed all the way back. The 87-92 cables were exposed up to the torque boxes and used unique "football" pulleys to get around the rear seat area.

The 1993 setup is very similar to the 94+ setup, but may not be exact.
 
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