Ebrake wont disengage, help please!
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Topic: Ebrake wont disengage, help please!
Posted By: kawana
Subject: Ebrake wont disengage, help please!
Date Posted: 17 May 2008 at 6:10pm
| I pulled the ebrake and now it wont disengage! I didn't reef on it or anything. What the heck do i do now lol :P Its parked on a slight incline so im scared to jack the car up, is it safe enough to drive it 10ft into my garage or is that going to mess up the brakes. |
Replies:
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 17 May 2008 at 9:57pm
|
10ft won't kill anything. Only thing that will get killed is YOU if you lift it up on an incline. ;) When safe, pull the wheels off, then grab the ebrake arm on each caliper with a pair of vise grips - move them back towards the rear of the car - that should release them. Now, you get to figure out if the cable(s) seized, or the caliper(s). |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 1:54pm
| ya ive already moved it into the garage and got it jacked up, but i ran into another snag. It has those locking nuts, but no key. So im headed down to pick up a 20mm socket to hammer on there and brake them off... Ive pretty much narrowed the problem down to the calipers, the cables in the rear are slack, as is the one that goes to the handle. So, first thing is to take the rims off, then im just going to replace the rear calipers and cables. I got a replacement car for the week so thankfully im not under a time crunch, but i need a walkthrough on how to bleed the brakes. Im asking on fiero.nl aswell but id like your guys feedback too. Thanks |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 4:03pm
|
phew.... got those damned locknuts off finally, stragely one needed a 13/16th and the other a 20mm, just slightly off. Neither sockets were ruined thankfully :) |
Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 5:03pm
|
Good news:...nice - news:)...nice warm day to be working on your car...I am burnt from yesterday:( ------------- Brian (Bassman) 86 GT Fastback 3.2L 2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive [IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png"> |
Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 5:44pm
Ya I am too, LOL. :) Check out my rebuild thread to see my status. :) As for your calipers, congrats on getting the wheels off. Best bet for bleeding is get a buddy to help you. You open the bleeder valve, have them push the pedal down slowly, then you close the bleeder valve and they lift up the brake pedal. Do this about 5 times per wheel and you should be good to go. ------------- Capt Fiero 88 Fiero GT 5spd V6 Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd. |
Bassman wrote:Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 9:07pm
|
thanks, that helps. Now, how do i go about getting the calipers off? The problem doesn't seem to be the cable, its not seized and the spring is not contracted so im thinking its just the calipers that seized. Any good way of getting them off of there? A step by step walkthrough would help (ie// clamp blah off, then remove blah etc..). It'd help if you didn't say blah though, that is pretty vague. :) edit: ya it was a nice day to be working on the car, not as much fun laying on a cement floor when its cold out lol :P Sad part of all this is that before it siezed, i spent 3-4 hours cleaning and waxing her in preperation for a nice cruise. Put the ebrake on, went inside to get cleaned up, go out and find this mess lol :P On the bright side, she'll still be all pretty when i get the brakes fixed. I get sad when i go into the garage and see her up on the jackstands with the paint looking so nice :( |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 9:34pm
|
Pick up some line clamps if you dont have any - they're cheap (Can Tire, etc - the Lisle ones are good). You slip one over each rubber brake line, then twist them down. Saves you loosing all your brake fluid when you pull the line off. You'll still loose some - but far less of a mess. Yank Wheel. Reef arm of ebrake over, and unhook the cable. CAREFULLY remove the spring. CLEAN the area around the banjo fitting. Crack off the hydraulic line (the banjo). Stuff it in a baggie, and zip tie or whatever it on. Use a (T45? T50?) Torx bit, and undo the two bolts holding it onto the bracket. Now... if your rotors aren't rusty around the edge, you SHOULD just be able to slide them off the rotor. If not, you might need to get various weapons in there to pry them off. Your pads might get sacrificed. Install is pretty much the reverse. If your pads aren't perfect, get new ones. If your rotors are crappy... you guessed it... time to grab a new set. This isn't a place to cheap out on!!!!! Prefill the calipers through the hole after they're installed. Pop the top off your master cylinder. Crack off the line clamp, and let the fluid dribble until you get like 5-10 tablespoons or so. Quickly stuff the bolt into the banjo (use NEW copper washers! one on each side of the banjo!) and bolt the line down. Don't strip the hole in the nice new caliper. Let it weep a bit more, then tighten the bolt down (don't go nuts), while wiggling the line/banjo. Do that to both sides. IF you're lucky (hey, it happens!) you won't even have to bleed them. Apply the Ebrake about 20 times (full stroke on/off) to settle the pads. Now gently apply the brake pedal on/off a few times. The first few bleed off the vacuum reservoir. The pedal SHOULD now be hard to press. About 1.5" or so max movement. Much more, or if it feels mushy.... oh well... bleed 'em. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 10:20pm
| Awesome thanks! My rotors are rusty around the edges, but my brake pads are due to be changed anyhow so oh well. Can anyone suggest a good place to get the parts ill need? Lordco is ok, i get a good discount with my dads government discount thing, but ive found things that i bought there were actually cheaper at canadian tire. Where do you guys shop mostly? Oh, and will i be needing a torque wrench? What all will i need? Calipers (obviously), clamps, brake fluid... |
Posted By: Roadfury
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 11:00pm
|
i just replaced the rear calipers on my 85GT and they were like $168 each with a $68 core and a 25% discount from NAPA i dont know if thats how much they cost everywhere but the guys are always helpful at NAPA so thats where i shop ------------- 
|
Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 18 May 2008 at 11:58pm
|
Lordco is 99$ each caliper with a 40 core charge each. (there will be no core if you bring in your old calipers when you buy the new ones.
------------- Capt Fiero 88 Fiero GT 5spd V6 Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 10:41am
| ok thats more like it, ill go pick those up today. Maybe ill paint them while im at it :) |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 1:43pm
| ok im stuck here. I got the spring and cable off just fine, undid the fluid line after clamping it off, and undid the screw holding it onto the bracket. Now, Is there more bolts holding the actual caliper in place or is it just really stuck lol :P Would opening the bleeder valve while i reef it off help relieve the pressure? any tips for how i can pry it apart? |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 2:05pm
|
If you've got both of the long torx bolts out - that's it. You can stuff a strong screwdriver (etc) inbetween the rotor and the caliper, and pry up. Alternate ends - sometimes helps. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 2:11pm
|
?? i dont think i got those ones out that your talking about. Where are they? I see 1 on the bracket that hold the spring and cable, is that one of them? Wheres the other one? BTW, the one i see is stuck as all hell. I put some penetrating oil on it but it doesn't want to budge. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 2:42pm
|
I think you're stabbing in the wrong area... These will be 2 (both the same) large round headed Torx bolts. They'll use a T45 or 50 to get them out, and they're rather long. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 2:47pm
|
Hmm, ill take a picture because i see 2 similar things that arn't bolts, there rubber things. I thought they would be covering the bolts in question but they wont budge. Ill put some penetrating oil on them and try to pull em off. top of caliper:  bottom of caliper:  |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 2:48pm
|
The bolts are down in the middle of the rubber thingies. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 2:58pm
| ah ok.. after i saw the picture i can see how it bolts of, couldn't get that good of a view without the camera. Ill try now. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 3:06pm
| arrg! dont even have a friggen t-45 or t-50 lol wouldn't you know it. Screw it, im done for today. I need a beer :( Ill try to tackle it again tomorrow lol :P Thanks for your help, ill keep you posted. |
Posted By: Roadfury
Date Posted: 19 May 2008 at 11:27pm
|
do you know if the calipers have ever been replaced? if they have they maybe hex not torx. the replacement ones in with my new calipers were hex... -------------
|
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 3:06am
| i have no idea, just from wiggling the t-40 in there it felt like it MIGHT be a hex bolt but its hard to tell, ill check before i buy a t-50. According to a website it is a t-50 bit btw. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 2:35pm
| bahaha i am victorious! Finally got those damn torx bolts undone, they did NOT want to budge lol :P Im thinking i might just get new rotors while im at it, should i bring the old ones in when i get the new ones for that core charge thing. Also, why is it that after i took the caliper off, one of my rotors was loose enough to pull off easily yet the other rotor is stuck on pretty good. Is the loose one missing a part that holds it on, or is the stuck one just.. stuck? |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 7:00pm
|
Stuck one is just... stuck... There's nothing holding them on when your wheel is off. No, there's no core charge. They're just big paper weights now. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 7:11pm
| ah ok, i figured so :P What do new rotors go for? Not too much i hope lol :P |
Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 7:32pm
|
Lordco with our club discount: Raybestos Front at $124.00 for a pair or AIMCO at $111.00 Rear at $34 & $76 for the pair...not sure what the difference is? ------------- Brian (Bassman) 86 GT Fastback 3.2L 2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive [IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png"> |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 9:22pm
| Quite a price difference... maybe ill just get the rears for now :P |
Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 20 May 2008 at 10:41pm
|
Well the front are more important, replace what is worst I guess. Does anyone have any rotors that could be turned and help this guy out?...I donated my old ones, anyone have any getting rusty in their backyards?:) ------------- Brian (Bassman) 86 GT Fastback 3.2L 2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive [IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png"> |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 21 May 2008 at 3:08am
| well im not even really sure if my rear rotors are bad, what should i look for? There rusty around the edge but im assuming thats normal. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 22 May 2008 at 3:00pm
| holy friggen crap... why the heck is it so bloody hard to find rear brake pads! I went to 4 different places, including the GM dealership in the automall and NOONE had them in stock. Lordco was the worst IMO, the first set i bought didnt' match, so i brought them back and they brought me a completely different set, both apparently ment for fieros. Now.. what confused me is that the caliper i bought from them was correct, so why would they sell pads that dont fit the calipers they sell. I ended up finding some at napa but they had to order them in. eesh... |
Posted By: Bassman
Date Posted: 22 May 2008 at 3:06pm
|
Where the hell do you live???...do you have access to Lordco's online order site, Raybestos are the pads to consider and I have never had a problem with them. Sorry to hear about the challenges your having. ------------- Brian (Bassman) 86 GT Fastback 3.2L 2013 Mazda3 Sport GS SkyActive [IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u243/Bassman68/BassmanSignature.png"> |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 22 May 2008 at 3:09pm
|
im in abbotsford, im really really considering some kind of brake upgrade once these pads start to go. I figure it'd be easier to track down pads if i had like a grand am upgrade, or the vette 12" if i could afford it. Dont know why fiero parts are so dang hard to find lol :P There not like some crazy "exotic" car for pete's sake... edit: Oh ya, i forgot to mention the fun i had yesterday. I took my old calipers in for the core deposit, when i was told that one of the ebrake brackets was supposed to stay with me, so i took them back home and attempted to get them off. Man alive where those 2 bolts ever hard to get off. Here is the order in which i tried to get them out: First just the ratchet, no luck. Then i tried some penetrating oil, nothing. Next i got mad and took out the torch, nada. After trying that for awhile the bolt stripped!, so out comes the drill... got almost all the way through but could see i was going nowhere frast, so i finally resorted to my dremel, which actually worked really well lol. Got the tops almost cut off in about 3minutes, followed by a BFH and a flathead screwdriver... stupid things lol :P |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 23 May 2008 at 5:38pm
| awesome lol, now my ebrake cable isn't long enough... good times ;) |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 23 May 2008 at 6:01pm
|
Grab the area of the adjuster cable that's NOT threaded with some vice grips, then undo the nut (don't remove it) until things fit. Now crank the ebrake on/off about 20 times. Adjust the cable up until with a moderate pull you get about 4 clicks on the handle. |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 23 May 2008 at 6:32pm
|
ya, i found that thing but it was too rusty, the bolt snapped (even though i used a ton of penetrating oil).. So, im gunna have to buy new cables and that equalizer thingy... The cables were starting to seize anyways, so whatever lol edit: i cant find that part in your parts listing, does it come with the cables? If not, whats it called? |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 23 May 2008 at 7:14pm
| k, when im attaching that bolt with the hole in it for the brake fluid to go through, how do i know if its lined up? |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 23 May 2008 at 8:09pm
|
whats the process for bleeding the brakes again? I opened the bleeder valve, get someone to press the peddle in, when its down i plug it, they release, i unplug and repeat? My dad thought you just had to press the brake a bunch without the need to plug the bleeder so is it possible that a bunch of air got in? cuz its taking awhile lol :P edit: erm.. can someone post a picture of the master cyl, im REALLY hoping that ive been putting brake fluid in the right one lol. Im 99% sure i am, but you never know. Its the black rectangular capped one correct? |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 24 May 2008 at 1:36pm
|
well crap... here i am trying to bleed the brakes for friggen ever, turns out that the bleeder valve wasn't even drilled out, you look down inside and theres no hole for the fluid to come out haha.. gotta wait till 4:00 now till another one comes in from burnaby :( edit arrrg.. bunch of friggen idiots at lordco, just got the new caliper and its WRONG AGAIN... 3 times they've given me wrong/defective calipers! Now there closed and i doubt they are open tomorrow, so much for a nighttime cruise tonight. Just gets better and better i tells ya. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 24 May 2008 at 10:36pm
|
They're open tomorrow - no fear. And this time.... inspect at the counter. :) |
Posted By: kawana
Date Posted: 25 May 2008 at 10:19am
|
ya illl remember to bring the pad along this time.... wish me luck lol :P |