Notices
Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain discuss the wondrous effects of boost and your miata...
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: 949 Racing

E brake keeps going out of adjustment

Old Jun 18, 2020 | 12:53 PM
  #1  
Jadix_'s Avatar
Thread Starter
Newb
 
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 34
Total Cats: -1
Default E brake keeps going out of adjustment

Just did new pads and rotors on my '90 a couple weeks ago. One of my rear calipers was seized so I took both the rears off my '99 parts car. After the brake job I keep having to re-adjust my e brake using the 4mm hex key, over the course of about a week it will continue to get looser to the point where if I'm parked on any kind of incline I can pull the handle up all the way and the car will still roll. Are my calipers just bad?
Old Jun 18, 2020 | 06:05 PM
  #2  
wherestheboost's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (-1)
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 428
Total Cats: 17
From: Southern California
Default

This happens to me too - only on my passenger side. I ended up buying new remanufactured calipers off rockauto (centric). We'll see if that settles it once and for all.
Old Jun 20, 2020 | 08:45 AM
  #3  
navalhawkeye's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 286
Total Cats: 28
Default

Interested in this too.
Old Jun 20, 2020 | 09:54 AM
  #4  
rleete's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,794
Total Cats: 1,342
From: Rochester, NY
Default

Chances are, the adjuster, or the threads on the caliper are stripped out. People unfamiliar with the adjustment over torque them, and something gives. You can try a different screw, but the best solution is to get a new caliper.
Old Jun 20, 2020 | 12:41 PM
  #5  
xturner's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,221
Total Cats: 296
From: Round Pond, ME
Default

From the garage thread at m.net -

I'd like to take a minute to thank Lance for his valuable information re the parking brake. I had a problem with my parking brake and after reading over my Miata shop manual many times, I could not resolve the problem. Thanks to Lance and his informative piece on the proper operation of the E brake I was able to correct the problem. The key to the problem was releasing the parking brake cable fully to allow the actuating levers to fully release, and then, adjusting the allen screws in until the pads just touch and backing off 1/3 of a turn. The last step is to readjust the parking brake cable to the proper number of clicks and lastly verifying that the brakes do not drag when released. Thanks again Lance. PS Nowhere in the shop manual does it say anything about returning the levers to the fully released position before making the allen screw adjustments. Someone had messed with this problem before me and apparently didn't realise that there were manual adjusters. I had one new caliper with no adustment made, or it was backed off fully because of the intermittent overclocking of the lever and the resulting brake drag on that wheel.

I just tried this this morning. Guess I’ll find out in a few weeks if it works.
Old Jun 23, 2020 | 12:06 PM
  #6  
sixshooter's Avatar
Moderator
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 22,204
Total Cats: 3,560
From: Tampa, Florida
Default

That blurb explains why my adjustment finally worked this last time. I released the tension at the handle adjuster and the cable ends before setting the screws this time and it worked.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Keith@FM
Flyin Miata - Miata Accessories
24
Dec 11, 2013 04:36 PM
MR.M!474
Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain
86
Sep 27, 2011 12:39 AM
miataz
General Miata Chat
10
Oct 16, 2007 07:25 PM
SOL General
General Miata Chat
4
Jul 3, 2007 04:18 PM
timhill78
General Miata Chat
4
Jan 7, 2007 09:49 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:18 AM.