Installing brake cable ferrules

[deejayen]

I've just bought a set of Shimano brake cables. It's been a while since I installed cables, but I seem to remember that the ferrules are normally a tight fit onto the outer cable, but these are really slack and don't grip the outer cable at all.

I'm wondering how to install them! Do they need to be crimped on (not sure how), or is it okay to leave them slack?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just push on. Are you sure you’ve used brake cable outer and not just thinner gear cable outer?

 

[deejayen]

Thanks for that.

I thought they should push on.

I'll have to double-check when I get home tonight.

I didn't actually check to see if it was brake or gear outer, but it's a Shimano brake cable kit (bought from Wiggle) and it was sealed.

 

[DaveReading]

Assuming you don't have excessive amounts of slack in your brake cables, I wouldn't anticipate any problems.

 

[deejayen]

I tried the ferrules on an old piece of brake housing I found, and they grip that. It's not a tight fit, but sufficient that they don't fall off.

I've looked at the supplied housing - it says 'Shimano M-System'. The packaging says M-System 5mm.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

You crimp the ferrule, on your wire cutters you should find a little notch or indentation between the levers, about where the levers meet, pop the ferrule and cable into that indentation and squeeze the levers tight.

 

[deejayen]

You crimp the ferrule, on your wire cutters you should find a little notch or indentation between the levers, about where the levers meet, pop the ferrule and cable into that indentation and squeeze the levers tight.

Thanks for that. I'm wondering if we're talking about the same thing. I'm probably wrong, but I thought the wire cutters were used to crimp the cable endcap onto the inner cable, rather than the ferrules which go over the outer cable. I'll need to check my cutters to see if there's a larger notch for crimping the ferrules...

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Thanks for that. I'm wondering if we're talking about the same thing. I'm probably wrong, but I thought the wire cutters were used to crimp the cable endcap onto the inner cable, rather than the ferrules which go over the outer cable. I'll need to check my cutters to see if there's a larger notch for crimping the ferrules...

No you're absolutely right, I'd misunderstood what you meant by ferrule, I was referring to the inner cable ends and I didn't read your posts as well as I should have! My apologies, and as you were!

 

[Ajax Bay]

The ferrules should be a gentle friction slip fit on the 5mm outer; that's all. Do not 'crimp'.

 

[cougie uk]

They can't go anywhere anyway can they. Just make sure they are all in snug when you tighten the cable.

 

[deejayen]

Just to follow up - when I actually installed the cable the ferrules fitted fine on the ends which I cut. It seemed that cutting the cable caused the outer to expand slightly.