I found a pristine genuine vw topcable.... I have the pic's and the measurements for you...
That is a steel outer sheath crimped to the end of the cable.
The sheath has a width of 1/8th of and inch and is about the same size as the cable itself.
The total length of the rear cable is 94 inches long from end of bolt to end of bolt.
The rear sheath is 40 inches long.
The cable is 27 inches on either side of the rear cable to the end of the bolt
The bolt is 2 inches long and the treaded part is 1 1/8th of a inch total.
The bolt is 3/16 inches wide.
Now with all that information we can manufacture our own rear cables that are structurally as sturdy and the same dimensions as the genuine VW cable at a 1/8th of the cost.
So for all you folks that don't want to bother and want to pay the 40 to 150 for a new rear cable, and IMHO the TMI cable is a crappy one. Just make your own and send me the difference....
So the operative word is that the cable is only 90 inches long. the bolts are 2 the sheath is 40.... Go forth this spring and replace...........
For outer sheath you can use brake line and run your cable through the middle.
Buy 10 foot of cable, one size over 1/16 or 4/32
Here is 7/32 compaired to 4/32.
Buy one ferule and cut it in 1/2, ok I bought 2 and noticed that it was toooo
effing big.
You don't need beefy eyebolts. The smaller the better.
Make the eye by sliding the ferule on, then the eyebolt then completed the
eye by inserting the free end into the ferule.
Make the eye as small as you can get it. See the tiny eye bolt.
Place it on a steel surface and smack that sucker tight with a hammer.
Then Center punch the ferule to make it even tighter.
YOU ARE ONLY DOING ONE SIDE.......
Now, get a board at least 100 inches long and at the end make a mark.
Place a Nut on the eye bolt so that the threads are even with the end of the bolt Place the end of the bolt on the mark and
hammer a couple of nails to hold the nut even with the mark.
From the mark measure over 93 3/4 inches and make a mark.
On the end of the cable that is finished hang the Eye and bend the nails over to hold it in place.
Pull it over to the other mark, insert the ferule on the cable.
Place the nut on the bolt so that the end of the bolt is at the 93 3/4 mark, and hammer a couple of nails, then
bend it over to hold. Insert the cable through the eye bolt, then into the ferule and pull it tight.
Using a sharpie mark the cable on both sides of the ferule.
Remove it from the board take the free end apart that is remove the cable from the ferule.
Remove the eye bolt, and the ferule off the cable.
Take the cable over to your top.
Insert free end of the cable in to the top from the inside to the outside.
Insert your boot tabs, both of them...(DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP).
Wind it around your top, and insert it on the outside of the other side.
Insert the ferule.
Insert the eyebolt.
Fold the cable over, and now align the marks on both sides of the ferule.
Remove the top from the car, and take it to a flat spot.
Align it again
Place over an anvil and strike it with a hammer.
Punch that sucker on both cables
Center punch the punched area on both side of each cable.
Trim off the excess cable. (BE CAREFUL)
Wallah you are done....
