A couple of months ago I changed the brake pads on all four wheels, and did the handbrake. The brakes work fine but a couple of weeks later I found out that the handbrake wasn’t actually holding. I had a quick check of the brakes to make sure they were ok, and I was happy with them.
Anyway, a few weeks later the car had to go back to Mazda to get the front ABS sensor replaced and I mentioned to them that the handbrake wasn’t working and they sorted it out for me. It was holding initially, although I had to pull the handbrake up quite far, but now it’s not holding at all.
All I can think of doing is losening off the handbrake again and adjusting the calipers and then tightening up the handbrake. The only other thing, which I don’t think will affect it, is that I lost one of the ‘W’ clips on the n/s rear. But because I don’t know how the handbrake actually holds the car I’m not sure if this would actually affect it.
The handbrake was working fine before I decided to replace the brake pads - so what have I done wrong?
Someone please help, I want to try and get this sorted out at the weekend!
There is an adjuster at the rear of each caliper and there is also an adjuster in the car. you need to slacken off the one in the car (under the plastic cover ov the handbrake) and tighten up the ones on each caliper - (they have a dust bolt over them - from memory they are a torx grub screw underneath) Checkthe brakes are not bining, then adjust the cable in the car and check that they are not binding.
Yes, I’ve adjusted the caliper with the 4mm hex key and slackened/tightened the handbrake in the car - but it’s still not holding! Which is why I’m now stuck as to what to do!
There is an insert inside the caliper pistons that is held in place with a spring clip thingy. It is threaded in the centre & that thread is what winds the piston in & out as you turn the adjuster. I have known the insert to pull out of the piston when retracting it if the piston is tight in the caliper. This then causes a poor hand brake. Trouble is, to check it you need to strip the caliper down unless you can see that the piston is not retracting fully.
Sounds like you are doing things right but here is the basic way of doing it.
Slacken handbrake cable
Jack up rear of car, remove wheels for easier access.
Remove blanking plug from caliper, tighten adjuster until brake disc will not turn.
Slacken adjuster only about a third of a turn until disc is free to rotate. Note there will be some resistance in the drive train.
Re-adjust handbrake cable until you have about 5 clicks and the handbrake should work.
I do mine like this ok though it does become less effective after a while and i just re do it.
Dont know what others think but the MX-5 handbrake does not seem to be the most efficient. This seems to be backed up by the Owners manual supplied with the car that states when using the handbrake to apply the footbrake first then apply the handbrake when parking. Obviously the hydraulics of the footbrake will apply the brakes much harder and then the handbrake linkage just holds it all in place
Have another look at the link that Geoff Walton steered you to. If you can’t do all of it, take another look at the link and look for the photograph of how the handbrake operated two cables, one to each side brake. Give all this area, spring and cable ends a good soaking in a spray lubricant to see if that loosens the cables up a bit.
