gta rear brakes binding on

two years ago i had my rear calipers refurbished, they came back looking like new and when fitted worked perfectly. after being parked up over winter when pulling on the handbrake at the mot, it showed poor effect. so i took the adjustment up at the handbrake, this got it through the mot but it was'nt operating as it should. if you just pull the handbrake on the car will roll back on a hill, if you depress the foot brake first then pull on the handbrake the car stays put it has been this way for the last few months. i know there is something not quite right but have been to busy to sort it out.
tonight i went out in the car and after driving only 200 yards the brakes were binding on.
could the mechanism inside the caliper be sticking and is there a way of lubricating it. all seems strange that after being referbed they were perfect and after winter layup in a dry garage they are causing this problem.
even more of a pain is that in 7 days i need to drive the car to cholmondeley.
i have'nt had chance to jack it up yet and have a look but i will do this tomorrow .
any help would be great...thanks

I found that if I left the handbrake on with the car parked in the garage for ages at a time, it would bind - or worse, if it was wet when it went in the brakes would stick on.
Ever since, I've always parked it with the handbrake off and in gear. They'be behaved fine since then. Although, I had one of mine re-furbed last year and all set up but the handbrake adjustment needed doing again this year for the MOT with excess travel. I was a bit surprised that it needed that again so soon but it's all OK now.

They will need winding back in and re setting .If they don't want to go back then it's strip time .

.... watching with interest!

I had a problem with cable drag- one cable was not sliding back under the pressure provided by the caliper- so the mechanism didn't reset properly. Cable looked fine with no other damage, so I though it was OK. (only on one side, other was fine)

After a number of years of, remove pads, rewind caliper refit pads, have handbrake working for two weeks, repeat type activity etc, I had the caliper overhauled- but there was only a temporary improvement.
A new cable and all is now well, I have had a working handbrake all year- but still leave it off in the garage.

Not a universal fix, but it shows that all the system must be in good order for it to work properly.

PS- Nice to find a thread not peddling drugs today.....come back Steve and change those permissions.....

.......before winding the pistons back, when I replaced my rear pads, I smeared the exposed piston with a red grease, which is designed to lubricate master and slave cylinder seals when replacing them. Dont know what the actual name of the grease is, perhaps someone can help with that, but I think it is worth doing, should protect the piston from seizing up

thanks to everyone for there coments and advise, looks like its sorted.the problem seems to have been caused when i fitted all new rear brakes last year and found the new handbrake cables had been manufactured too short. it appears that the os cable has been pulling more than the ns, and overadjusting the caliper, thus binding the disc.
im going to moniter the handbrake cables to make sure it is opperating correctly now, and wind back both pistons, reset , and set the handbrake again after a few days on the road.
once again thanks for all the help

[Alpineandy]

.......before winding the pistons back, when I replaced my rear pads, I smeared the exposed piston with a red grease, which is designed to lubricate master and slave cylinder seals when replacing them.

As JohnC says, It's not the perfect cure but reduces the occurrences notably. After winding the piston in very lite smear of the red rubber compatible grease on the inside of the bore, under the rubbers. Only a smear as (like all greases) it melts when hot and you really don't want it getting on the disc/pads...

Sorry, don't know the name either.

It's just called Red Rubber Grease.

Simple really!

thanks to everyone for there coments and advise, looks like its sorted.the problem seems to have been caused when i fitted all new rear brakes last year and found the new handbrake cables had been manufactured too short. it appears that the os cable has been pulling more than the ns, and overadjusting the caliper, thus binding the disc.
im going to moniter the handbrake cables to make sure it is opperating correctly now, and wind back both pistons, reset , and set the handbrake again after a few days on the road.
once again thanks for all the help

I had that problem with too short cables. I welded an extension on the adjuster at the handbrake. It is best to fit the pin to the handbrake after re setting the calipers without pulling on the cables so they have enough slack to be able to re set each time you release the handbrake. Good luck!

After winding the piston in very lite smear of the red rubber compatible grease on the inside of the bore, under the rubbers

Sorry Andy....not quite what I said .....I would smear the Red Rubber Grease....thanks for that info Richard .... on the extended piston before winding it in. That way it would stop any corosion forming between the piston and its housing as it works its way out again as the pads wear.

John

[Alpineandy]

JohnC, When the piston is pushed in, I smear it on the bore, and the piston catches it when it moves (assuming you give the brakes a try after doing it). Similar idea from a different perspective.

With Macon approaching I've made some space in the garage and am going to get the damn thing working somehow.
Firstly the rear brakes.

These have new calipers new discs, new flexy hoses, new pads, new handbrake cables, new copper lines.
The master cylinder has also been replaced - the last thing to be done.

The pedal is really hard to push down, hardly any movement.
The pedal doesn't quite return fully.
Even if you pull the pedal up, the rear brakes stay on slightly, enough drag to heat up the pads and seize the brakes after a couple of miles.
The pressure stays in the caliper so that you can;t screw the pistons back in without undoing the bleed nipple.
The front brakes do not seize at all.


I think there are two possibilities.
1: the servo is knacked but then why don't the front seize?
2: I think thee is some kind of return valve on the brake pipe to the rears. Apparently this can seize up?

Any other clever ideas, short of towing it to Mr Crowston? Thanks.

There is a Brake Limiter in the rear Brake circuit, but it cannot be serviced...just replaced, but it could possibly be causing you problems.



However, I still can`t help thinking that the servo is not all it should be, as you should not be able to pull the pedal back as the spring in the servo which returns the pedal it in the rest position is quite strong. But as you say,....why does it not affect the front brakes

Any other clever ideas, short of towing it to Mr Crowston? Thanks.

Sorry not my bag, but last bit not a bad suggestion, as could also get your ecu sorted at the same time.