parking brake drags

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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donm
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Posts: 294
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:40 pm
Your car is a: 1980 spider [carb]
Location: Hamilton. MA

parking brake drags

Post by donm »

I just picked up my new 1980 Spider and in getting familiar with it, I noticed the LR wheel has way too much drag in it, as if the paking brake was draging even though the parking brake is fully released and there's slack in the cable. Otherwise, the PB works fine.

What would cause this drag? Is there a way to adjust the pad to disk pressure? Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

Don
1979 Spider
2001Saab SW
2004 Saab Aero
Life's too short to drive boring cars
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SLOSpider
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:10 am
Your car is a: 1973 124 Spider 2.0FI
Location: Lompoc, Ca USA

Re: parking brake drags

Post by SLOSpider »

The piston is a screw in and out type on the rear caliper. It may not be adjusted properly or the rear rubber brake hoses are collapsing causing pressure to remain on the brakes.
1975 124 Spider
1976 Mazda Cosmo http://www.mazdacosmo.com
1989 Chevy k5 Blazer
1967 GT Mustang Fastback
donm
Patron 2018
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Posts: 294
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:40 pm
Your car is a: 1980 spider [carb]
Location: Hamilton. MA

Re: parking brake drags

Post by donm »

Thanks for your reply, but what do you mean "screw in and out"? I removed the caliper from its mount and I can get the piston to move out by applying brake pressure but even by using a clamp I can't get it to return far enough so as not to cause the pads to drag too much. I can also see that the rubber dust seal should be replaced. Maybe corrosion on the piston or caliper won't let it retract fully?

Don
1979 Spider
2001Saab SW
2004 Saab Aero
Life's too short to drive boring cars
User avatar
SLOSpider
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:10 am
Your car is a: 1973 124 Spider 2.0FI
Location: Lompoc, Ca USA

Re: parking brake drags

Post by SLOSpider »

You should see a big slot on the piston face that is used to screw the piston in and out to adjust. Look at the rebuild of the calipers here to understand:

http://www.mirafiori.com/faq/content/re ... lipers.htm
1975 124 Spider
1976 Mazda Cosmo http://www.mazdacosmo.com
1989 Chevy k5 Blazer
1967 GT Mustang Fastback
donm
Patron 2018
Patron 2018
Posts: 294
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:40 pm
Your car is a: 1980 spider [carb]
Location: Hamilton. MA

Re: parking brake drags

Post by donm »

Now I get it! Thanks. I'll check it out when I get home tonight.

Don
1979 Spider
2001Saab SW
2004 Saab Aero
Life's too short to drive boring cars
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danaspider
Posts: 169
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:22 pm
Your car is a: 1979 Spider 2000 79 vw bus
Location: Newcastle, WA

Re: parking brake drags

Post by danaspider »

I would also look at the parking brake cable. I hafve seen where after many years the case around the cable just bonds to the cable itself. Then when you put the brake on it holds, but when released it does not slide in the sleeze and drags. It is a cheap fix to replace the entire E brake cable.
Luck Dana

79 Spider 2000
carb
It all about the romace of the car and owner
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