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HOW & Why to Adjust your Handbrake!

Flyin' Miata

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If you want your Miata to stay exactly where you park it, you need a properly adjusted and reliable handbrake. This week on FM Live, Mike Usrey walks through how to adjust your Miata’s handbrake for both the factory setup and our Wilwood rear brake kits. Whether you’re chasing better holding power on hills or just tightening up a tired system, this guide will get your parking brake working the way it should.

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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:23 NA & NB ('90 - '05) Mechanisms
08:21 NC & ND ('06 - Now) Mechanisms
13:15 Adjustment for Wilwood Calipers
18:43 Stock Adjustment Procedure ('90-'05)
25:35 Adjustment at the Handle (All Years)
30:21 Questions

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14 Comments

@Gearsandgrease 7 months ago

This is such an awesome tip! I never knew there was an adjustment for this, I bought rebuilt calipers to help alleviate a sticking parking brake issue. Even after replacement the parking brake still takes many clicks to set on a hill. Sounds like this is what I need!

@sglloyd100 5 months ago

Very clearly explained, thanks

@travdripdrip382 8 months ago

Mike, my dawg! 🫡

@JonathanT61 8 months ago

Most excellent! 👍

@PuddlesGarage 4 months ago

10:00 ive seen them also call and look like a castle socket

@Thatdavemarsh 8 months ago

3:59 ‘pro tip’: if you strip the last few mm of that spline running it with a power tool, you can grind down the mangled part to expose fresh splines….

@lowcostchicken 7 months ago (edited)

Other neat thing about the NA/NB rear caliper design. If you have a rear caliper seize up on you while driving you can back the adjustment all the way out. Assuming the piston is only kind of stuck and not super stuck like mine was. You'll not have rear brakes or a parking brake, but it can get you down the road in a pinch to where you need to go.

But using the Fren kit to rebuild the caliper is the way to go. I was having non-stop problems with my rear calipers until I did that. Now everything is perfect and all I had to touch is the adjustment screw and it has been fine for years. 1/3 turn works better than 1/2 turn and is the factory manual spec.

@saccaed 8 months ago

For anyone running a LHD NA Miata, consider adding some washers(2-3 for each bolt) between brake handle and body at the rear and lower bolts. Adding washers will tilt and twist the lever inward so that it does not prod the drivers right leg while driving. Made long road trips so much more comfortable.

@mrw40 7 months ago

Parking brake, emergency brake? I thought it was called the fun stick 😆

@guanqiaowang7586 6 months ago (edited)

My 93 NA handbrake keeps getting loose a few days after adjustment. Done it many times already. And I follow the instructions you said too. New calipers too. Any suggestions how to fix it?

@mastercricket7626 8 months ago

I have had ti do this like 10 times on my na .. i think im going to replace all the lines (from handle to the y and then the 2 to each caliper) to start as the rear calipers have been replaced recently and i set it just like u said. It works for like two drives , then it wont grab no more .. im pretty sure the lines are all stock from 91 so i think maybe its hanging up or something 🤔 😅idk 🤷🏽‍♂️ , but thanks for the great info , if ya ever had this happen to ya and have a ide feel free to share the fix 😅.. peace and love all, keep it rad, stay safe, and build on.. ps any miata is always the answer , there is no bad miata 🤘🤙👊💪✌️