I'm going to try to tackle the brake booster and master cylinder tomorrow and it looks like swapping out the brake booster is going to be a pain in the ***.

If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

 

Long extension, 14" should do. that way you don't need to swing a ratchet in tight confines.

 

I didn't find it to be that much if a pain IMO. It may help to have a friend though.

 

Pro tip: Put fluid back in and bleed the system before testing.

 

It's not that hard.

 

As others have said, easy peasy. A swivel adapter is your friend to get the two two bolts under the dash, iirc.

 

I don't think you understand how bad at cars I am.

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

Take the seat out, obviously. I dropped the lower panel below the steering wheel as well.

It's not difficult, I just get frustrated messing with stuff like that.

 

Taking out the seat is probably a 2 hour affair since I was in a rush to complete the car last year. I need to fix it, but I don't have the time flexibility until next month unfortunately.

I'm hoping that the seat won't bruise me too badly.

 

It's 4 bolts....

What are you doing that it takes 2 hours?

 

Interesting, don't know how everyone else contorted their bodies, but I just removed my seat and laid with my back on the floor and did it upside down.

Can't imagine trying to do it with the seat in.

 

Not a problem, either put you legs up on the cage and work fast (before your head gets too red) or place a bench in height with the sill and poke you head/arms in there from the side (not possible with door bars).

But I have a 12" steering wheel, that gives me more room. Big torso and long arms does not help...

 

Side mounts, didn't cut out the rear humps.

Steel stock to mount to the floor goes in first. Seat with side mounts goes in second and gets bolted completely blind to the steel stock. Basically, Momo side mounts don't fit in the Miata and they're pretty awful.

It's on my bucket list of stuff to fix, but time is of the essence.

 

That wasn't too bad, but the MC is leaking at one of the seals so Amazon Prime is 1-day shipping a new MC.

Now my booster is being held on by 4 nuts versus 3!

 

Getting the 4 nuts *out* is easy (long extension, might need a U-joint socket), no need to take the seat out.

Getting the nuts started so that you can put the new one back in is something else entirely. You want small hands.

I also found the little locking clip for the brake pedal clevis to be a major PITA.

--Ian

 

The brake one was easy. I've decided my clutch master one is impossible and will require me to pull the pedal assembly, its like it was installed with the pedal assembly out and whoever did it didnt think about how you'd get it off with it in the car. If they'd have just put the pin in the other way around...

 

What maes you think the booster needs replaced?

 

It's part of a conversion to the NB2 5/16 master.

 

You can't mix NB1 and NB2 boosters and masters.

--Ian

 

You cant mix masters between thick and thin boosters.