Diebh

First of all, Hello everyone! This is my first time posting on here. Well down to the problem. I have a 86 RX-7 and the e-brake is on and I can not get it off. I can move the lever next to the seat, but it just does not release the brake. How can I go about atleast getting the brake off?

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

Releasing the brake handle just releases slack onto the cable, so it doesn't "force" the brake to release. It is possible that the cable is hung up under the car, and is thus not releasing. It passes through several bushings, any of which could be holding the cable. If this is the case, you will likely find the cable rusted and about to break anyway.

You can also remove the cover from the e-brake handle by removing one Phillips screw. You can then examine to make sure that the cable moves freely when you release it. If the cable bunches up, then it is hung up somewhere else.

Or, one of the calipers is simply stuck. You can jack up the back of the car, but the car in neutral, and see which wheel you can turn. The one you can't turn has the stuck caliper.

limbar85

iTrader: (21)

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also, your ebrake actuator may be screwed up on the caliper, and it not just being "stuck"

Needa13b

I just got my 86 N/A recently, the previous owner mentioned that I needed to get new rear brakes. I was skeptical. I found out my e-brake lever worked fine, all the way till the back brake calipers.

When you pull up on your e-brake, the cable pulls a lever on your caliper, mechanically engaging your rear brakes. Both mine were stuck in the brake position, (must have been the squeaking i hear when i brake, cause they are worn down a bit, previous driver just drove with the e-brake on without knowing it for god knows how long). There is a small spring attached to that lever that is supposed to return the lever to "disengaged".

I removed the lever and rusted spring to reveal a "2 sided nut" that the lever was acting on. The nut looks like a circle, but with 2 sides flat. Any way i got a wrench and with alot of torque I could move passenger side one open/closed. The drivers side is just completely stuck in the engaged position.

I've just been driving it like this cause I can move the drivers side hub freely while it's engaged. I supposed I would have to either take apart the calipers, or just get new/used ones that work. So for now, i just don't park on hills.

Sorry to answer your question with another question. But maybe this is your situation too. I would welcome any suggestions to my dillema. It's my daily driver, so i can't just take things apart and hope they go back together in a day.

limbar85

iTrader: (21)

Needa13b...how many miles u got on the car? it may be that the needle bearing that the ebrake actuator shaft goes down on is completely shot. what i would do is to take the caliper off, and see if u can push the piston back down (it may take effort). if it goes all the way down, then your ebrake should be back to the normal position. then pull the ebrake actuator and see if the piston goes back out easy. if u cant do that...i would think your needle bearing is so dead it is jamming it completely.

Needa13b

To push the piston back in, do i need to turn the piston clockwise, counter-cw, then push? Or can I just get a c-clamp and start wrenching on it?

WAYNE88N/A

Push while turning CW...

DON'T try to C-clamp it down

limbar85

iTrader: (21)

u dont have to turn the piston to push it back in. the only time u should be turning it is if u had the piston off and are putting it back on or u got new pads because the pistons should usually be reset (turned back in all the way). u can just turn the piston back in all the way if u want, then push down on it, but there really isnt any point because it adjusts by itself and is going to go out right where u started from, unless there are new pads.