Miata Mailing List: December 1995, Message #614
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   From: 
Subject: Sticky Brakes
   Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 22:39:15 -0500

Reijo, Ed et al:
I have experienced the jammed parking brake problem you discribe.  The
parking brake cable connects to an actuating lever on the brake shoe, which
applies the pads to the disc.  This lever is released by a spring which
could be broken.  More likely the lever is corroded or seized preventing the
pads from being released from the disc.  This would be especially true for
guys like Reijo and I, who drive their Miatas in the winter or if the car
has been washed and then stored for any length of time.  It may be possible
to repair the lever/spring without disassembling the brake shoe but I have
rebuild kits just in case.  Until I can get to it, I simply dissconnected
the offending cable from the shoe.  As the parking brake system is
mechanical and not hydraulic, it should not effect the operation of the
brake system unless the pads are locked on the disc.  Reijo, I'll call you
to see if you have had any luck with this problem.  

John Seigner
Banff, Alberta
jseigner@banff.net