i bought a Ractive e-brake handle from here and i'm wondering how do i remove the stock e-brake handle? i own a 2000 Civic EX?? If anyone who has done this before, or can give me links to other websites that might help, that would be appreciated.
BTW, if i posted this in the wrong forum, i apoligize in advance. thanks.
lol, it's a little too late for any help now. anyways, i think some people who were thinking about doing this might benefit from my feedback, so here it is:
Note: I forgot to take pictures during the installation, because of time constraints, but if i have time, i will post a picture of the finished product. Please also note, that the installation instructions are for a 2000 Civic, but if you drive any other car, the instructions are similar.
What You'll Need: - a philip - 2 hex wrenchs (i don't remember the sizes you need) - a drill with drill bits - hacksaw or bandsaw - desk clamp (a clamp that is attach to a desk) - No.2 pencil or mechanical pencil - everything that came with the Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set - a brake handle release button (see 2b)
1) Be sure to park your car on a flat ground (NOT on a hill) and leave the car in gear (if manual) during the installation of the Ractive TKB500 or Ractive TKB501 or Ractive TKB540 e-brake handle & boot set.
2a) The Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set contains:
- a 2-piece set custom chrome hand brake handle and a matching boot - a small ziploc bag that contains a hex key, with 2 short unique screws and 2 longer unique screws - 2 extra release button spacers - a small bag that reads "desiccant silica gel throw away do not eat" LOL
2b) What the Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set does NOT contain is the release button, that goes into the end of the hole of the handle. In this case, you need to drive to your local automotive parts store, or an automotive import store and find a perfect fitting release button.
I went to my local StereoWest store and they happen to have a matching button for my Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set. I blew an additional $40 for it, but i guess it was worth it. In case you are lazy to look for one, or if you want to know what i put in mines, it is a Nokya Motorsports Billet Automatic Shift Knob (NOK153.02.1). Yes, the push button of the shift knob is in chrome, and the only parts you need from this is the push button, which you'll use as a release button, and the springs (if you want to add springs). I did a GoOgLe search for you already and found a site here. It is the same exact thing i bought, but the only difference is i paid more money for mines, because i bought it locally, instead of from the web.
Also, one thing i like to add, is that if you happen to lose your hex key or any of the special screws, you can use the one that come with the Nokya Motorsports Billet Automatic Shift Knob (NOK153.02.1). The hex key and special screws are the same exact as the one that comes with the Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set.
3) If you haven't done so aleady, separate the Ractive brake handle from the matching boot. Now put them aside in a safe spot you'll remember; preferable next to a hacksaw or a bandsaw machine. You will want to test fit it right after cutting off the plastic stock e-brake handle.
4) Start out by taking a philip and remove all 8 screws holding the center console down; there are 4 screws on the drivers side of the console, and 4 screws on the passenger side of the console.
Note: It may be neccessary to remove the shift knob, especially if the shift boot is stock. To remove the shift knob, turn it counter-clockwise. In my case, i didn't need to because i own a Ractive Shift Boot (Ractive TKB101). I just had to untie the boot at the top.
Now that you have the screws removed, put the screws somewhere safe, like in the cupholder. Then remove the 2-piece center console. The whole stock e-brake handle and the whole shifter are clearly visible.
5) Now what we are going to do next, is to remove the whole stock e-brake handle off the car, so that we can easily cut off the plastic stock brake handle. As you examine the stock e-brake handle, please note the 2 large brass hex screws (one on the driver side and one on the passenger side of the e-brake handle), the hex nut at the back of the stock e-brake handle, and the wires with a plastic push button attached to the stock e-brake handle, located on the driver's side of the e-brake handle.
You will want to remove them all, in order to take out the entire stock e-brake handle unit. Just to be safe, you should make sure that you have parked your car on a flat road/driveway and that the car is in gear (if manual).
6a) Start out by taking out the hex nut at the back of the stock e-brake handle unit. Turn it counter-clockwise to loosen and remove it. When you completely have the hex nut removed, three pieces (including the hex nut) are loose. They are the hex nut itself, a long metal spring, and a thing that is cylinder-shaped with a hole in it. Please take note of their locations, and place them someplace safe, like in the cupholder.
6b) Next you will want to remove the 2 large brass hex screws. When you are done, place them hex screws someplace safe. Now the entire stock e-brake handle unit should come completely off the car, but don't yank it out so quickly, as there is still a wire with the pushbutton that is still attached to it. To remove it, use a philip. Now that the entire stock e-brake handle unit is completely free from the car, take it to your garage, basement, etc... where you will want to cut off the stock plastic handle.
7a) Suggestions to remove the stock plastic handle are to use a hacksaw, or a bandsaw. If you are doing it this way, then you will only need to cut off one side of the stock plastic handle. You'll want to keep cutting away at the plastic handle, until you see a good chunk of the metal underneat it being exposed.
Now use the clamp, and clamp down the plastic part of the stock handle, and twist it off. The only hardest part of this installation is removing the plastic stock e-brake handle. The plastic is glued onto the metal part of the e-brake and took me a real long time to finally get it off. If you are lazy, or don't have the neccessary tools, then you can try going to a local machine shop, and they'll do it for you.
7b) When getting the plastic stock handle off, try to keep the stock release button at the very end of the e-brake unit (it's the thing with a small rod attached to it and runs through the e-brake unit). You will want to use that in conjuction with the chrome push button you bought.
8) Now that you have the stock plastic handle completely off the e-brake unit, test fit everything. If you decide to use springs, you may need a bit of fabrication, but anyhow... use common sense when test fitting the piece(s) and the Ractive brake handle over the naked e-brake unit. If it is to your liking, take your No.2 pencil and mark the two spots where you want to drill. The Ractive brake handle has two small holes. Use them as a guide for marking the spots on the metal part of the e-brake unit.
Note: The Ractive brake handle may wiggle around. In this case you might need to custom fabricate something to make it hold, but it might not be neccessary depending on whether or not you do the next few steps correctly, since the special screws that came with the Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set, should be enough to hold it in place.
Once you have marked the two holes, slide the Ractive e-brake handle off the e-brake handle unit.
9) Now use a drill and drill a hole in the two spots where you've marked. It is best to start out with a small drill bit, then work your way up, but don't drill a hole that's too big, otherwise you'll run into some complications in the future.
Once you have the two holes and they are a snug fit with the special screws that are included with the Ractive E-Brake Handle & Boot Set, slide the matching Ractive boot into the e-brake handle unit first, then the button space, then finally the Ractive brake handle itself. Position the handle, so that they line up with the two holes you've just drilled.
Now taking the hex key, and one of the special screws, screw in the special screw into one of the holes in the Ractive e-brake handle. After that, take another special screw and screw that into the other hole. Then finally tighten both screws in, so that they won't come loose.
Note: If you drill the holes where the special screws will fit snuggly, then the handle should not wiggle at all. If it does, then you need to make some additional fabrication to make it so that the handle will not wiggle.
10) Push the release button on the handle a few times, and test it again. It should work properly, and if not, you might have fucked up somewhere. On my handle, i gave a bit too much leeway for the release button, but not much where it would really matter. I just had to push the release button a tad bit further.
11) Now you will want to put the new e-brake unit back into the car, but before doing so, attach the Ractive boot to the handle if you have not done so already.
When you are ready, line up the e-brake handle unit where it should be in the car. Begin by reattaching the wire with the plastic push button onto the e-brake unit. To do this, take a philip and the original screw, and screw it back in.
Now take the spring and the cylinder thingie from step 6a and put them in their proper places. Then take the hex nut and turn it clockwise a few times, like 6-8 revolutions.
Finally, take the two large brass hex screws and screw them back in. Once you have done this, pull the e-brake all the way down, then pull it up just ONE click. Then this is the time where you will adjust the e-brake brake settings by adjusting the hex nut at the back of the e-brake unit. The more you turn the hex nut clockwise, the more you will tighten the brake. The more you turn the hex nut counter-clockwise, the more you will loosen the brake. When everything is to your liking. Test out the e-brake handle, by pulling up and pulling down.
12) Now it is time to put the 2-piece center console back on. If you removed the shift knob, that should be the very last thing you put back on. Take a philip and screw the console back in.
Note: To get the shift knob back in after installing the console, just turn it clockwise.
Registered: 03/12/01
Posts: 45848
Loc: Long Beach, CA
Jesus...talk about long winded. There is no need to remove the whole assembly. All I did was leave the car in the sun for an hour or so, walked out to the car got in, grabbed the old ahandle and pulled/twisted for all of 10 seconds. Sucker came off in one whole piece. Slide the new one on and thats it. Why change out the button?
Shouldn'tt take longer than 10 minutes.
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"your fucking ansel adams with a polaroid" Art
you wouldn't want to use the stock button do you?? personally i don't think it would look nice having a brand new shiny e-brake handle with an ugly plastic stock release button.
