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Hey guys, i've replaced the cables and adjusted everythng correctly.
The handbrake gets stiff at about 6 clicks and cannot go any furthur than 8-10 clicks. But this still doesnt even stop the car from rolling down a slight gradient.

I have tried it with both my normal pads and some D1 spec pads that are supposed to lock the rears with ease.
The car definately uses the rear to brake cause it stops better with the D1 pads installed - but handbrake just wont work!!

Anyone got any ideas??
Do i have to re-build the calipers?

Damn MX5 handbrakes!!!!!

Dave

PS cant find anything helpful on any searches

Mine doesn't really work either if it helps

Hahahah not really mate!! heheh

I had the car jacked up and running in 1st and when i pulled the handbrake it would stop the wheel i just adjusted - but as soon as i went for a drive it wouldnt evne slow the car or hold it with any force what-so-ever.

And the rear disks are hot after a run so i know they are working.

damn

Perhaps your slider pins are seized on the calipers. Have you adjusted the hex nut on the rear caliper?

Jules

Or someone has pushed the caliper pistons back in and striped the adjuster mechanism maybe.

The adjusters that Garry's talking about are described in this. http://www.miata.net/garage/brakepad.htm

mine never really worked well either, on a wet surface where the friction was less, it worked 'Ok'.
FC s4/5 rx7's apprently never have had good handbrakes either, as a friend of mine that drifts his never used his handbrake much, more the 'feint' drifter before the corner!

His recently installed a G4 handbrake from Justjap, and had all new rear brake lines from master cylinder back. Apprently about 10-15mm upwards pull and it locks the rear wheels easily.

Im thinking of investing in G4 Hydro handbrake shortly But that means new lines and prb an extra $200 on top for a brake tech to hook it all up!

Mine's all stock, works fine, hundreds of successful handbrake turns!

never had a drama with mine.. even after i changed calipers to nb8b ones.

the hand brake is totaly mechanicaly operated isnt it? so wouldnt have anything to do with fluids or lines.. might be worth checking with two people, one under the car while one operates the brake, to see if its all moving as intended... something might be seazed or not working/fitted properly

manga_blue wrote:Mine's all stock, works fine, hundreds of successful handbrake turns!

Handbrack turns? ??? get yourself an LSD

Everything is working and all adjustments were done properly!

Had mum pull the handbrake while i was looking at it and also while wheels were moving in 1st gear with the car up.

As far as i can tell nothing is seized and everthing works fine just that it doesnt put enough pressure on the pads to do any sort of stopping power.

It used to work well, then i got the D1 pads and they were ok but then the handbrake got progressively worse untill they stoped working. Bought new cables and that didnt help, changed back to stock pads and its still sh*t.

There is huge tension in ht ecable at about 5 clicks and unable to pull more than 8-10 clicks and handbrake does nothing.

Could the disk be imbedded with dust crap and thats affecting it??

mine suck as well. I only found out the handbrake is no good when I found my car had rolled 15meteres down the driveway and lodged itself on rocks like a see-saw.

Mine is useless aswell.

If I heave hard enough on it it won't roll back down a hill, but it is no good for handbrake turns in motorkhanas etc...

Boags

Seems my faithful brake page has been removed from miata.net. This should help instead ...
http://www.miata.net/garage/ebrake/index.html

get yourself an LSD

Stan, if I did that then there might actually be some part of a motorkhana run where I didn't have wheelspin. Not my style.

Sounds like you've messed something up when you changed the pads Sheck if it was working OK beforehand.

FWIW, mine will hold on our 1:5 driveway at 6 or 7 clicks (no great force).