75 boot release cable

[Colin Edwards]

Hi all,
Busted the release cable and need a new one or something used but in good condition.
Any advice or source of replacement greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Colin

[four90s]

Hi Colin,

I've probably got one. PM me your address.

Regards
Steve
Adelaide

[GTVeloce]

Other solution is to try and get the solenoid idea working. Then you won't need a cable. 
http://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/forum/index.php?topic=21789.0

[Colin Edwards]

All sorted!  Thanks for the responses.  Sourced one locally from Alfetta Man.

I'm going to contact https://www.flexibledrive.com.au/
Have them make up a couple of spares using my failed cable as a sample.  The screw type pinch clamp on the boot end of the cable is a poor design - destined to fail!  This needs to be altered to prevent same failure in the future.  Replacing the pissy cable is a huge job - not something I want to do again for a while!

Regards,
Colin Edwards

[Domenic]

Hey Colin,

what i did was take the old one out and took it to a cable place and had the inner re-made and slipped it into the outer, i also got them to make the emergency cable out of metal instead of the nylon/plastic.

Finally i installed an electric solenoid so i could open it via my alarm remote. in the end i had 3 options of opening the boot which should last the life of the car.

[GTVeloce]

Domenic - how did you get the solenoid to work? Mine doesn't seem to have enough pull to open the boot. I have bought thicker cable to see if I am getting volt drop causing the problem and am installing a relay in the boot to provide the juice.

If I manually push it at the same time it works and it has enough pull to then hold the lock open, but not enough to do it by itself.

[Colin Edwards]

I considered installing a solenoid based release system however finding space for an additional fuse, relay and control button where all this extra stuff can be reliable and accessible seemed like too much work.  Plus the cable release is simple and would be very reliable and long lasting if not for that design shortcoming where the boot end of the cable attaches to the swivel.
Selection of an appropriate solenoid is critical.  You need to use a spring balance to determine what "pull" is required to unlatch the lock.  A quick sniff around the internet revealed just the one product specified the "pull" the solenoid produced.  Given the inverse square law for magnetism, the maximum "pull" performance would only likely be produced when the solenoid is just reaching the end of its stroke.  The "pull" needs to be relatively linear to get the unlatching lever to begin moving.  Unlikely performance for simple $20 electromagnet.  A quick check on the 75 boot release with a spring balance suggests 7.5 kg is needed to overcome the return spring and move the release lever fully through its arc. 

[Domenic]

It was years ago, but i used a solenoid from an EA Ford Falcon, it had a bit of pull to it so i had no issues with it not pulling the lever enough, but also had a relay installed too.

[GTVeloce]

Thanks guys.

I have bought some 25amp cable which is a lot thicker than what came with the solenoid. I already have a powered junction box in the boot mounted on the rear wall behind the carpet. It feeds the amp, the heated rear screen and the fuel pumps so not hard to add another relay next to them and pick up power. If the relay and beefier wiring don't work I will try another solenoid from pick-a-part (hopefully there is an EA in the lot!)

This is the kit I bought;
https://bluewireautomotive.com/products/boot-release-solenoid-kit
It is rated to 11lbs which converts to (I think) 5kgs (if converting mass). In force it converts to 49N.

Hopefully I can get this wired up tonight and provide a (successful!) report.

I haven't had any issues with the original system (both cable and plastic wire are still intact) but I hate having to open the doors and reach under the chair to open the boot, especially when my hands are full.