Really weird Ebrake problem - need suggestions

[Raine]

OKay... so I've been trying to figure this one out for awhile now:

- Ebrake seemed a little weak when I first bought the car.
- Changed to new pads and rotors, adjusted ebrake handle nut
- If I pull the ebrake up (way up), only the left side locks. The right side still spins
- Read stuff about "Stretched cables" - replaced right side cable with new OEM part
- Had to readjust ebrake nut; now ebrake "locks" at normal height
- lifted the car - left side locks, the right side STILL spins.

I looked at the right side brake and it looks like the ebrake lever thing is moving when the Ebrake handle is pulled. Another weird observation: underneath the center of the car, where the 2-into-1 splitter thing is, with the Ebrake down the two rear ebrake cables are at an even spacing.

With the Ebrake up, the RIGHT SIDE of the splitter thing gets pulled closer to the front of the car than the left (try to picture it in your head). It's as if the front ebrake cable is pulling on the splitter thing at a point other than center. In other words, by looking at the splitter with the Ebrake up, the right side cable looks to be being pulled more than the left.

Problem is, even if the right side cable looks to be tighter than the left, it's still the LEFT that locks, and the right side STILL SPINS.

WTF. I don't want to drop another $45 for a new left side cable until I can be sire that the problem lies there.

What doesn't make sense is, the ebrake handle gets tighter at a lower point, and the right cable is brand new (thus not stretched) so you would figure that it would lock the right caliper before the left side locks. Add to that the observation that the right cable looks like it's being pulled more (due to the orientation of the splitter thing) and yet the right brake itself isn't locking at all.

This one's been bugging me since I got the car, and I get paranoid everytime I park anywhere with an incline in fear that the left brake (the only one that locks with the Ebrake) will give one day and my car will go rolling down into something.

Any ideas?

[aznpoopy]

holy crap. uh... no clue really. have you taken a look at the caliper? maybe one side is slightly seized. does it pull to one side when you limit brake with the pedal? try re-greasing the sliding pins.

[rainier]

i have the same problem with my s14. except its reversed. my left rear doesnt lock up and my right one does. i have no idea what it is. cables are fine. and when the line pulls the thing on the caliper it doesnt give much pressure at all to the caliper. ive changed the caliper twice and still no difference. sometimes i find the cable unlatched from the caliper. i kinda gave up since no one really helped me either. i looked t my pads and my inside pad is getting worn like crazy. iuno what the heck it is. but when u find out. ill fix mine too.

[aznpoopy]

how the heck did the ebrake line unlatch from the caliper. there's a lock plate that does a pretty good job of keeping it attached. when you guys connected the ebrake to the caliper you lined up the little alignment mark right?

uneven pad wear can be a symptom of a seized or in the process of seizing caliper. grease up your sliding pin.

[Kid Zelda]

I think both you might need to inspect closer.

I'm wllling to bet the e-brake is not installed proper at the caliper.

Look at you left side, then right side .. you'll notice it

[TougeNinja]

hey hate to revive an ancient thread but ive got the same problem 2 and still havent found an answer anywere...

anyone figure out anyway to fix this in the past 2 years?!?!

[Otis Performance]

OMG... i had this same problem two. i put all new calipers pads and rotors and it still did the same thing... i had to upgrade to r33 rear cailpers so i could get both to lock up.

[TougeNinja]

... i dont consider that FIXING it. i wonder if its an issue in the actual ebrake handle / 1st single cable..

[TougeNinja]

i cant believe no one knows who to fix this problem..... im sick of leaving my car in gear and not being able to play with the fun handle :(

[cdlong]

s-chassis rear calipers are terrible, they bind up and freeze all the time. just because the arm is moving doesn't mean anything is happening inside. take the caliper off and watch if the pad moves when you turn the arm. put some pressure on it when you twist the arm. it might be chewed up inside enough that it looks ok when unloaded but doesn't work on the car.

replace the caliper or upgrade to the Z32 drum-in-hat.