Rear calipers seized? Or am I just retarded?
02-05-2012, 04:44 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 10
Rear calipers seized? Or am I just retarded?
LOL So today I tossed some Tokico Blues in the rear of my 82' and I immediately noticed that the pads had direct contact onto the rotors. I removed the calipers to see if there were in face seized and I cannot get the cylinder to compress to save the life of me! I even completely removed the caliper, took out the bleed screw, and tried it in a vice on my workbench and ended up breaking a c-clamp trying to compress this thing!
The car had been sitting for 4 years until last week when I picked it up. The e-brake cable feels like garbage too! When I pull the handle it does engage, but when I disengage it feels spongy as hell. Doesn't seem like its even doing anything. The car had been sitting on a hill with the e-brake engaged for 4 years! So im assuming the cable and the calipers are trashed. The right side was the exact same way. The seals looked good on both sides, but i'm guessing that over time they just got locked up. Your thoughts?
The car had been sitting for 4 years until last week when I picked it up. The e-brake cable feels like garbage too! When I pull the handle it does engage, but when I disengage it feels spongy as hell. Doesn't seem like its even doing anything. The car had been sitting on a hill with the e-brake engaged for 4 years! So im assuming the cable and the calipers are trashed. The right side was the exact same way. The seals looked good on both sides, but i'm guessing that over time they just got locked up. Your thoughts?
02-05-2012, 06:21 PM
#2
It pays to buy a Haynes manual / download the FSM. 
https://www.zdriver.com/forums/280zx-performance-technical-79/problem-changing-brake-pads-33202/
https://www.zdriver.com/forums/280zx-performance-technical-79/problem-changing-brake-pads-33202/
02-05-2012, 08:02 PM
#4
Über User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: lemont, Illinois
Posts: 9,532
You already ordered new ones? Awww, I was really excited to see if the calipers really were seized or if you turned out to be retarded lol. Just kiddin.
Last edited by snwbrderphat540; 02-06-2012 at 12:05 AM.
Have any of you ever seen another car that twisted in? Ive never heard of such a thing!?!
02-06-2012, 08:45 AM
#8
The Evil Twin
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 9,294
The 280ZX rear calipers can be tricky. I had a 280ZX for over 10 years and struggled with those rear brakes every couple years. I think I went through 3 sets in total.
I found the parking brake cable got sticky as well leaving the calipers slightly engaged while driving sometimes. Besides that, the parking brake lever on the caliper dried out inside and ate away at the metal internally every time I used the parking brake. Eventually it began leaking brake fluid and needed to be replaced. You can take off the little 'handle' and put some grease inside to prevent this.
When I first got my Z in the 90's, my dad showed me how the caliper twisted in to reset it when we put new pads on. It was his first time working on this type of car so seemed normal to a guy who knew how to work on cars.
As for other cars, well mine have all either been rear drum or they were new enough that I never had to do work on the rear brakes.
I found the parking brake cable got sticky as well leaving the calipers slightly engaged while driving sometimes. Besides that, the parking brake lever on the caliper dried out inside and ate away at the metal internally every time I used the parking brake. Eventually it began leaking brake fluid and needed to be replaced. You can take off the little 'handle' and put some grease inside to prevent this.
When I first got my Z in the 90's, my dad showed me how the caliper twisted in to reset it when we put new pads on. It was his first time working on this type of car so seemed normal to a guy who knew how to work on cars.
As for other cars, well mine have all either been rear drum or they were new enough that I never had to do work on the rear brakes.
02-06-2012, 03:26 PM
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 10
Nice! Yeah the car was parked on a hill with the ebrake on for three years before I bought it! It took all I had to force the spring forward so I could remove the rear calipers. A new cable is only $50-60 though. Definitely on the list of stuff I need to get in the near future!
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