Handbrake Adjusted -> Caliper Siezed - Related?

i_surge

All,

Just trying to figure out if I'm being screwed. Any help will be appreciated.

Failed my NCT, handbrake wasn't holding on one side.

Got the handbrake adjusted and as soon as I got the car back from the garage there was an intermittent squeal which would go away as I feathered the brake.

Dropped it back to get it looked at and I'm told the rear driver side caliper is seized and new pads are needed. €60 including labour and that's "doing me a favour".

Are both systems isolated or is it likely that a poor adjustment on the handbrake caused/exacerbated the caliper problem?

The garage says that they're unrelated but I get the feeling I'm being screwed. It's too much of a coincidence!

cletus

what car is it

franksm

It's not an MX5 is it ?

Some cars, like the MX5, have the handbrake integrated with the main caliper. Other types of car have a separate mechanism (drum/show combo for the handbrake, caliper and disc for the main brake).

The latter is less likely to jam up in your situation unless the handbrake shoe was tightened too much.

With the integrated version, it's very likely that the caliper can sieze, and the MX5 is well known for the problem. The caliper piston may have been sat in an unadjusted position for so long, it might have picked up some dirt or rust. Adjusting the caliper moves the dirt and rust around, causing the piston to drag or sieze. You can have the caliper/piston refurbed but a lot of the time, a whole refurbed caliper is installed.

Not sure the above is what your problem is, but with some cars (MX5) it is almost expected.

GTE

Mark 4 Golf/Boras are prone to this too, I have just finished work on my car repairing some rear brake issues and in the process I found that those cars can have sticking handbrakes as they get older.

Thankfully not in my case, but I did order some caliper springs from a VW Sharan which can be man handled into the brake caliper externally which give the internal spring system an extra hand.

The below image is actually a spring installed incorrectly, it should be the other way around with the coil on the opposite side but it is just for illustrative purposes (lazy Googler)



The Golfs/Bora can also have sticky hand brake cables.

CJhaughey

Mazda 6 also have problems with calipers.

mobfromcork

As do the mazda 626. Well, at least the model from 1999.
I ended up having to replace both cables, calipers and pads on mine to reduce the imbalance. Pricey job, even when doing it yourself.