I changed the pads to Hawks on the front. No problem. Then I proceed to do the back, thinking that it will be easier with the single piston. WRONG! I could not fit the new pads back there. The piston would catch by just a nut hair, preventing the caliper from going back in place. Any ideas? Also, where can I drain a little brake fluid out? I'm close to going over max on the tank. i'd rather not enjoy syphoning it out with a straw.

 

Just to check. But did you retreat the rear brake cylinders all the way. I think you have to turn them not compress them. also some (if not all FD rear) pads have a little post sticking up so that the cylinder doesn't spin once the pads are in place. What kind of rotors do have? maybe there thicker than stock. by the way I have hawk pads and started with the back, and found the fronts to be vary easy, with the right tools of course. they do seem to be very good pads and have lasted me quite a while. anyway hope this can help you a little

 

I have stock rotors. What do you mean by retreat the rear brake cylinders?

 

the cylinder that presses on one of the pads, the inside pad, per brake caliper.

 

two usual issues on the rears:
1. retract the piston all the way back into the caliper (turn it clockwise, iirc). You can do it with a pair of needle-nose pliers, use a special Mazda brake tool, or one of the "universal" brake tool kits from most car parts stores.
2. When you're done, make sure the two notches in the piston (that you use to turn it) line up radially from the center of the hub - one of them has to fit over the little nub on the inner brake pad.

I use a 50 ml syringe and a little clear tubing to siphon fluid out of the reservoir when changing fluid. You can also use a turkey baster.

 

The rear pistons "screw in" to retract them - you can't push them back in like the fronts. It has to do with the self-adjusting mechanism and the parking brake, I believe, but it's a fairly common way to do it - not just on RX7s, and not just on Mazdas

 

Good to go. Thanks, guys. Never had to screw in a piston before. Guess you learn something new everyday.

 

glad to see we could help, good luck with the tunning.

 

As for the extra fluid. Bleed your calipers (all 4) while your down there. Get the old out and in with the new. When you do this the fluid level will go down to the level desired.

 

Just remember, the turkey baster is no longer a turkey baster now

And I agree that these two things are what you need to observe to get it right. The brake tool is $10 at Advance Auto - I highly recommend picking one up since most cars rear disc brakes need it.

 

I 2nd buying the brake tool, this job is a real PITA with needle nose pliars. I had to learn the hard way the first time I did my brakes, luckily I had the FSM with me to tell me about rotating the rear pistons.

 

Good to know going to replace rear pads on my 88 today thanks for info

 

As others have said, the rears are def more of a pain than the fronts. Besides getting a proper tool to twist the rotors in (I got mine from harbor freight), also make sure you only undo the bottom bolt and swing the caliper up to replace the pads. A few years back I removed both the top and bottom bolt and accidentally reversed them... They are different, and I stripped the caliper and had to replace it.