Rear brake caliper

[jimmyV8]

Ive just taken my 98 mk2 Mx5 for an MOT and the garage has come back and says it needs new rear pads. After agreeing that they go ahead and do it, I had a phone call to say quote 'the worm gear attached to the rear of the piston has come off and its a kind of trial and error thing to get it back home'. He mentioned that it will need a new caliper if he cant sort it out tomorrow. Does this suggest that maybe the piston wasnt backed off sufficiently as when i phoned earlier they had said the piston was seized and they were waiting for some pretraiting fluid to hopefully shift it? I have never used this garage before and sounds like they maybe ripping me off, any suggestions please?

[princeperch]

Ask them how they went about it.

They should have wound them back with an allen key to give enough space to fit the pads - if they didn't know this then christ knows what they did to try and fit them.

I like the cut of your jib by the way. A Tiv and and an MX5.

Good work.

[jimmyV8]

Well to be totally truthful it was supposed to be my last day of MX-5 ownership as I have sold the car just went to get it MOT'ed for the new owner. I must admit I was fully expecting it to sail through. I have enjoyed having the car but I have always fancied a TVR. The garage still have the car so going to have to go back tomorrow and sort it out, I just wasnt aware of this worm gear he mentioned? Basically said that since the pads were changed the handbrake doesnt work now due to the worm gear not being engaged?

[anonymous-user]

This bit is used to back off the pistons. It comes out if you pull the allen key out at an angle. It can just slot back in. If the teeth get chewed off, you can grind it down until there are fresh teeth at the end, or buy a new one from MX5 parts.

[MX-5 Lazza]

It sounds to me like they didn't know how to do the job properly. That's why they thought the pistons were seized. They probably soaked it in GT85 and then forced it with a calliper clamp until the worm-screw broke.

I'd confront them and tell them that they have to fix it FOC.

[jimmyV8]

Cheers for your help, its my first experience for using a garage for work as I have always done it myself and called on my old man when ive got stuck, but with having a deadline to meet i thought it was worth it.

After some research last night i went down and confronted him this morning, basically he hadnt backed the piston off as the nut that is located over the worm screw hadnt been touched. After i mentioned this to him I left and he phoned back in an hour to say it had been finished. So what should have been an hours work took a day and half.

At least he only charged for an hours labour, but had a accepted what he had said i may have been charged for a new caliper!!

Beware of all garages, unless they are known and trusted of course!!!

[franv8]

Sadly yes! Hence always pick up own spanners first if possible!