Well folks I finally was able to attack the rear brakes on the '85 with the proper tools...

Before, I tried using one of those cube things that sticks on the end of a 3/8" drive extension. All the right side piston would do is spin, was not going back in. Hmm. (At this point the left side caliper slide was still corroded solid so I couldn't even pull the caliper up away from the pads) I attacked with gen-u-ine combination rotator/compresser tool ($150 from big name dealers, about $30-50 from JC Whitney) and put it on the right caliper. No go. Got a longer ratchet and tried again. Still no go. Put a cheater bar on it, re-adjusted the tool to turn it a little before it started compressing, and HEAVED on it. Turned a little. Tried some more. Turned a little more. Tried again - getting a little easier. Then >POP< and it turned in nice and easy. Great! Had to use a hammer and a prybar to get the old pads out (one of them was so thin it was wedged between the pad carrier and the rotor! OUCH!) slapped the new pads in, popped the caliper back down, went and stomped the brake a few times... hey the caliper adjusts back up! Tried turning the rotorl - hey the brake isn't binding! COOL.

Then I got to the left side. That piston turned in a lot easier, but the slide is still bad off - it's to the point now where it moves somewhat freely in the 3/4" of travel it uses over the life of the brakes, but still won't come off. "Good Enough" That side also adjusted up nicely and doesnt bind.

Then the road test... WOW what a difference! The car feels like it has a ton more power, just because the rear brakes aren't binding up. The car will also roll freely on any kind of hill, while before it would hold itself stopped at almost any stoplight. MPG also dramatically improved too - I'm now seeing 25mpg on the highway.

The car still won't light up the tires though, even in the rain. (Meanwhile a certain GSL-SE was making 'em spin no problem ) Drifts nice though

And driving home carrying far more load than Mazda ever intended an RX-7 to carry, I realized something. This car is like a continuation ofm y '76 T-bird. Both were silver with red interiors. Both had every option available in its year except for the top level option. Both had bodies in great shape. Both were the final year for its generation. Both were bought to replace similar cars: ('72 T-bird vs. '80 RX-7) the same model, but early in the generation; both were badly rusted and eventually blew the (modified) motors (but were still driveable); both had few options.

Also, these cars have a lot less power than the original one I owned despite having modified exhaust systems, and both have sloppy steering and a nasty pull to the right when braking. So I've decided to name the '85 after the '76 (which was Bass-o-Matic '76)... so my '85 shall now be known as Bass-o-Matic II, or BoM2 or "the Bomb" for short.

But this time, I'm gonna fix the steering and the front brakes.

 

Hmm.... I wonder who that would of been spinning tires thru first into 2nd...... hmm..... Me like 13B

 

Might wanna look at replacing the rotors as the heat turns em into blue steel. The steel is harder than the stock iron and eats up pads faster, as well as providing a little less friction.

 

My TII's rear caliper was frozen on the slide like that. I wound up breaking the caliper bracket trying to free it. (I have a huge prybar) Good thing I have a parts car...

 

That's why I don't pry against the rotor s to push the pistons back in.

I C-clamp em or use channel locks. if thsoe dont move the piston, they're seized, buy new ones... I don't **** with brakes. If it doesn't work right, I'm replacing it. I'll jerry rig engines, but not brakes. That's the first thing I look at when I do my own safety inspection on cars.

(I have my own standards when it somes to if I trust a car to be safe or not. **** mis aimed headlights, bad marker lights, horn, cracks in the windshield, etc... No exhaust getting into the passenger compartment, seatbelts, tires, and brakes is all I need. Those are mroe important than the engine.)

 

Not the piston, the caliper itself. I know how to retract Mazda brakes

 

Misread... Didn't see that it was frozen to the SLIDE...

Way to read. Go me.

 

My rotors turn blue no matter what so I'm not worried Really should get replaced anyway 'cos about .100" was milled away from that right side rotor from all the grinding... got more important things to look after right now, though.