Parking Brake Cable Equalizer Adjustment

[windswept4]

The parking brake cable equalizer on my 1998 GMC Sonoma (same as the Chev S-10) is under the driver door and it has a 12 MM hex nut on the threaded end of the cable that continues on to one of the rear wheels. I grip, with vice grips, the square stock of the brake cable at the point where the threading begins and I use a 12 MM open end wrench on the hex nut. With that excellent leverage and grip on the cable and the nut, the nut won't break loose and turn on the threading. It's been soaking in PB Blaster for 3 days now. Should I heat the nut with MAPP gas until red hot, quench quickly in cold water and try turning the nut again? Or is there an easier way to get that 12 MM adjusting nut to turn?

[maxwedge]

Doesn't have a second lock nut?

[windswept4]

Thanks Maxw: I've looked carefully at the hex nut, which does have a length long enough that you would think it might have a locking nut; but I can't detect any seam or indication that there is a locking nut present. I've also looked carefully to see if the washer or nut has been "staked" thereby locking it in place. No evidence is present of a locking nut and no evidence of staking is present. I also looked at the equalizer of a 2002 S-10 which has the very same hardware and there was no staking or lock nut present on that vehicle either. This is day 3 of Pb blaster soaking and the nut is still frozen tightly on the threaded portion of the cable. I'll try to post a photo of the nut in a few minutes but i have trouble meeting the formatting and photo size requirements that this site specifies.

[windswept4]

This is a photo of half of the equalizer that is nearest the rear brakes. Missing from the photo is the portion of the equalizer that is nearest the truck cab.
The nut that won't spin is a 12 MM elongated appearing nut on the threaded portion of the cable. At the right side of the photo, the threading of the cable becomes square stock -- and that is where I attach the vice grips. An open end 12 MM wrench fits the nut, yet I can't get the nut to spin.
https://gyazo.com/6bc97acaa72d6cc293b5833750c4ba97

[maxwedge]

Looks rusted in place, time for some heat.

[windswept4]

Hi Maxwedge: Thank you for the advice. I'll apply some MAPP gas to the 12 mm nut to try to get it red hot; quench it; then heat it red hot again to see if it will break free and spin. I'll post the results tomorrow. In the meantime, it's still soaking in PB Blaster.

[windswept4]

Maxwedge: Today I applied mapp gas to the 12 mm nut for about a minute (just long enough to bring the nut to a temperature below the point when it would glow red); then with vice grips holding the square rod portion of the cable and a 12 mm open end wrench, the nut easily broke loose. I let the nut cool and applied pb blaster; then worked the adjusting nut loose and spun it counter clockwise to tighten the brake cable. The parking brake cable is now tight again and when the parking brake cable pedal is depressed, the rear two parking brakes once again hold the vehicle until the release lever is pulled. Thank you for sharing your advice regarding heating the nut to break it free. It worked like a charm.

[windswept4]

Incidently, had there been complications in breaking that adjusting nut loose, Dorman makes a very cheap universal brake cable shortening tool. It's quite imaginative in that it utilizes a U shape with a hook and a nut (with a locking nut) to draw taut any slack in the brake cable. My plan B was to use this, but my equalizer adjusting nut broke free and I never had to advance to try using the Dorman get-around. https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-03006-.../dp/B000COB3TG