Rear brake binding from handbrake only

Technical Area Wheels, Tyres & Brakes
2

Hi
Driving off in my 1993 Mk1 Eunos 1.8 on Friday for a weekend away in Herefordshire, I noticed the car pulling up a little more quickly than usual. Thinking I must have a soft tyre or a brake binding, I drove on for a few miles more and a high pitched squeal began from my N/S rear wheel. Pulling over, it was immediately obvious that the brake was binding on that corner. As things were very hot I parked up and called the RAC out who duly turned up. He checked the handbrake cable, which was fine, then the link into the caliper from the cable. This was where the problem was. You could release it by prising with a screwdriver, but once the handbrake was used, it stuck. Normal braking didn’t bind the brake, but using the handbrake did. Drove the car back home and had to take a “normal” car instead!

Question is, I’ve read about brakes binding in the forums, but no one seems to mention the handbrake only binding. Does anyone have any experience of this and is it worth trying to troubleshoot? It seems the rears on the Mk1 are a real pain to troubleshoot, time consuming and not necessarily good use of time. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mex 

3

I had this on mine when i first got it, the handbrake “lever” on the back of the calipers were not releasing themselves, but even a push with my finger would be enough to un-stick them until the handbrake was next used. in my case it was just years and years of muck building up on the lever making it stick… Wayne (MazdaMender) took them off and cleaned them for me and they have been fine ever since…

If yours require much more than a prod on the back of the caliper to get the handbrake to release, maybe the pads have been changed in the past in the incorrect way and broken the adjustment nut on the back. (you are suppost to wind these calipers off with a hex-bit on the back but its common for garages who dont know this to just try and sqeeze the piston back)

4

 

Have you read this one?   It is probably binding because of a lack of lubrication. http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/t/250.aspx

5

Thanks for the info guys. I had a look at the caliper around the handbrake lever and it didn’t look too dirty. With time an issue I decided to replace the caliper and have done with it. Now back on the road and all OK.

Mex