My brakes are really pissing me off now. They work, but they are really weird. Most of the time, the pedal grabs near the ground, and is weak. If I pump the pedal once, then use them right after, then it grabs where it should. When it started doing this, I just thought I needed to bleed them again, but then one time after driving about 10mins they just started working perfectly again, nice firm pedal right at the top of the pedals travel. The next time I drove me car, they were **** again, and I have to pump them once before I have a decent pedal, and it's stil not quite as good. When the brakes work good, the parking brake woks great, when the brakes suck, the parking brake doesnt work at all. I replaced my master cylinder about a month ago, and they worked great right after, but then a week after I replaced it, this started happening. Any ideas?

-Matt

 

is it disc or drum rear?
either way, it sounds like the parkbrake mechanism is adjusting itself, it backs off, pedal is soft because it has to move pads/shoes further, and handbrake doesnt work because it doesnt move pads/shoes far enough.

my 1970 Mazda 1300 which uses the same rear drum brakes as VERY early RX-7s also had this problem first time out after adjusting shoes, then it seemed to drop into place and firm pedal and good parkbrake ever since...

 

oops, 1985 GS, drum rear

 

Sorry if this is wrong, but I thought only early sevens had drums. As in Series 1s or SAs to you guys.

 

yeah like S2-13BT said, at least in Oz we only got S1 or SA models, pre 81 I believe with drum brake rear on them.

sounds like adjustment like i said, the eccentric adjusters are real bitches to get spot on, well at least they are for me.

 

ive never heard of any problem like that, its gotta be something with your rear caliper piston. im not sure, but i think that when you pull the e-brake it screws the piston out and when you press the brake pedal it pushes it straight out, but im not sure of that. thats a very strange problem. it wouldnt hurt to rebuild the rear calipers, the kits are cheap. update us if you figure out the problem.

 

OOPS LOL NEVERMIND..... I MISSED THE PART WHERE YOU SAID DRUM BRAKE REAR. SORRY LOL

 

My 84 GS has drums in the rear

 

Wow, OK!

My advice... Take it to a brake shop. It's not the sort of thing you want to have fail on ya. And if you have to ask for advice it might be worth having a pro look at it.

Of course, I say this even though I have no idea of your mechanical abilities. That's just what I'd do.

See ya.

 

yeah only the GSL's and SE's ( I think) had the rear discs

 

Yes ALL GSL and GSLSE are suppose to have disc brakes,and they are diffrent.

Who put on your master cylinder?Did the bleed the system out right?Did you get the rear brakes adjusted?Look to see if the rear cylinders are leaking..

 

In Austrailia Im pretty sure even the 12A cars had the -SE suspension. Hence no one having drum rears over there.

~T.J.

 

Here in the US only the GSL and GSL-SE had rear drum brakes. (No matter what year.)

-Error402

 

In Oz, '79-'80 (S1) cars had drum rear ends, all the rest had discs.

Interesting aint it?