Rear caliper stuck

[koop21]

Hey,

I was wondering if anyone could help me as i cant seem to figure out why my rear passenger caliper is stuck.. Yesterday driving back home from the city i noticed my car was very hesitant on moving. I only realized one of my caliper was stuck because on friction point the car would not even move and would stall, half-way in getting back home the caliper became free and no more dragging.. so i thought something must of got stuck there? Or it grinded away enough of the brake pad to rotate freely.

Today i checked both rear calipers, noticed the rear passenger smelt burnt/cooked with alot of red dust around the rotor. So i took off the brake pads and sanded down the glazed surface, sanded down the fittings, lube both slider pins (werent dry to being with) and adjusted the piston. Went for a test drive it was fine, later on i went for another drive and the brakes got stuck again, but only lasted a few seconds as i ripped the handbrake up and down repeatedly, then they got free.

So now i'm thinking do i have a seized handbrake line? If not what could it be?

[zero00]

koop21

Had a similar problem a month or so ago, driving my NB8A, stopped after 15km at lights and smelt that 'cooking' smell, didn't realise it was me for another 5-6km when I stopped for coffee - after that it freed itself. Did that several times until I left the handbrake totally off all times and got the car to MX5 Plus. They removed the rears and replaced, no problem since!

I also was speaking to another MX5 owner who has had quite a few and he said every one of his has done the same thing but like mine, always right rear for some reason!!

Maybe ORX626 can answer what's the cause etc, I'm no mechanic, far from it!! I know how to fill the car, check the oil etc and check tyres, nothing more!!

Unlike yours, mine didn't actually slow the car down, just that burning smell when you first stopped at lights and the wheel centre very warm, wheelnuts untouchable!

Good luck with it, hope you get it sorted

[koop21]

hmm very strange, i do have another caliper lying around to use. What thinking if i should swap it over but im waiting about 1 week before i do it to see if the problem is still there.

[OMY005]

A common problem have a look here.

Andrew

[timk]

My sliders got seized and I had to replace the caliper as it was rusted together. Richard from MX-5 Plus sorted me out with a replacement one.

[koop21]

A common problem have a look here.

Andrew

Thanks, i will check out the handbrake mechanism as i did not check that when i was inspecting the calipers.