I hope someone can answer my question. Changed the pads and discs the other day which was problem free apart from the lower slider part of the caliper was seized on both calipers. I tapped them back with a hammer but neither is what i would call free.

Despite this i fitted the pads and discs which was easier with the sliders moved back. I pushed the pistons back which was extremely hard which i think could of done some damage!

The pedal is soft it goes 1/4 the way down before you feel them!

Would a brake bleed solve this?

Also what should i do about the seized sliders? Can they be removed and re-greased???

Much appreciated!

you can remove them ,clean them up and grease them (the slides) but its much easier removing the caliper from the car.
you should also do both sides at the same time.
did you remove the cap from the fluid reservoir before you pushed the piston back?
this will make it easier. its also worth freeing up the pistons while you have the caliper out. spray some WD40 under the rubber boots on the piston and work the piston in and out. try not to damage the rubber boots though.
calipers back on, bleed the brakes well, maybe just change the fluid, you should notice the difference!!!:wink:

Something a lot of people don't consider is that brake fluid deteriorates over time. Ideally you should flush out the system once every couple of years, i.e. bleed all 4 brakes (and the clutch) until you see fresh clean fluid coming out.

NB : Keep a close eye on the reservoir - if it runs dry, it's a huge mission to get it pumping again !

When I had my pads changed last, both calipers were siezed. They took the sliders out (one with the use a large hammer and vice - I couldn't watch and went and played their bull terrier), cleaned them with some fine emery paper and then put (I think) copper slip grease on them. Re-assembled with new pads - all fine. Brake pedal was soft and need a few good long pumps to get the pressure right again. Been fine ever since.

(Cost me £50 all in )

Mark

[quote="geetee"]spray some WD40 under the rubber boots on the piston and work the piston in and out.[/quote]

I wouldnt recommend spraying WD40 anywhere near the brakes!!!!

by the way for you info mark, remember the ruckas when i changed my pads last? asking what to do etc - well i bought some pads from my local motorfactors for 12.95 which entailed the total price for the change!!!!

hehe

Ok, wil try a brake bleed and while I am at it take the seized sliders out - with a G-clamp or something???

I didnt take the resovoir cap off probably why it took me an age to push the calipers back

could it be that your brakes have not bedded in yet which can take about up to about 500 miles i believe.
on my previous car the brakes did not feel right on the pedal untill they had bedded in
hope this helps

You have'nt said which pads you changed, front or back, if it was the back i had a simular problem, put the new pads on and the pedal was all soft, it turned out to be the adjustment on the handbrake, re-adjusted it and it was fine.

yeah, they do take a while to ''brake'' in

If you did'nt take the cap off, you must of been struggling to do anything

When i did mine for the first time, i thought it felt weird, but its all Ok now, If you did it how it should be done, it should be ok in the end.

Gonna borrow a g-clamp tomorrow see if i can persuede the sliders to shift, then check the brake fluid. Still cant understand why the pedal is soft, unless there is air in the system?? They are worse than when i have grooved discs

geetee wrote:
[quote]
spray some WD40 under the rubber boots on the piston and work the piston in and out.
[/quote]

i kinda mean`t with the caliper out of the car using the WD40 to release the piston.
obviously you don`t want WD40 anywhere near the brake surfaces.

Hi there

I changed my rear pads not long ago and seem to have the same softness in the pedal, think it may be to do with handbrake as Tiswas said or a need for longer bedding in. One thing i discovered was that the rear pistons had to be backed out using a hex key if u werent aware. For a guide i used http://www.miata.net/garage/brakepad.html cos the miata brakes seemed to be similar if not the same to the 323 brakes.

Thats for Discs - fairly sure the drums don't have that

Mark

Hi again,

Sorry if i was confusing , i was reffering to the rear discs, is Australian spec different for brakes im still learning. I thought 4 wheel discs would have been a worldwide feature. I guess maybe my '94 not having an airbag evens things out...

No worries matey.

Only the 2.0L got rear discs over here - my '94 GLXi got both front air bags though.

Mark

Here in SA, they only released the 1.8, but full spec (i.e. A/C, R/T, EW, PAS etc.) with rear spoiler and discs front & back.