Differences between NA1 & NA2 rear brake pad change procedure

[Gansan]

Hi folks,

I just finished changing my brake pads and I found that the NA1 service manual's rear brake pad procedure might not be identical to what an NA2 requires. I wanted to confirm that this is what others have experienced.

In the manual, you are instructed to remove the retaining clip and then remove the pivot pin that connects the parking brake cable to the rear caliper. Try as I might, on my NA2 car, there is not enough clearance above the pivot pin to slide that thing out. Trying to get it out results in the head of the pivot pin hitting the caliper body as you push it up.

So what I did instead was remove the cable brackets behind the rear suspension so that there was enough slack in the parking cables to move the caliper clear of the brake pad holder. It all worked out and it's pretty easy, but it makes me wonder what the "official" procedure is for the NA2 cars.

Anyone care to share their methods?

 

[2slow2speed]

Hi folks,

I just finished changing my brake pads and I found that the NA1 service manual's rear brake pad procedure might not be identical to what an NA2 requires. I wanted to confirm that this is what others have experienced.

In the manual, you are instructed to remove the retaining clip and then remove the pivot pin that connects the parking brake cable to the rear caliper. Try as I might, on my NA2 car, there is not enough clearance above the pivot pin to slide that thing out. Trying to get it out results in the head of the pivot pin hitting the caliper body as you push it up.

So what I did instead was remove the cable brackets behind the rear suspension so that there was enough slack in the parking cables to move the caliper clear of the brake pad holder. It all worked out and it's pretty easy, but it makes me wonder what the "official" procedure is for the NA2 cars.

Anyone care to share their methods?

Hmm.. I never had to remove the cable brackets on the rear suspension on my 1997. I only had to move the spring loaded arm that the pin attached to in order to be able to remove the pin. Pretty straight forward procedure for the most part.

 

[Gansan]

Hmm.. I never had to remove the cable brackets on the rear suspension on my 1997. I only had to move the spring loaded arm that the pin attached to in order to be able to remove the pin. Pretty straight forward procedure for the most part.

Doh! I didn't try doing that! :redface: I'll have to try that next time. That teaches me to take things literally, if only the manual had said, "move the spring loaded arm aside and remove the pin" I might have gotten it. :smile:

 

[ATERPAK]

Don't fault yourself on this one. It is slightly different for the earlier model. I had no problem removing that pin without hitting the caliper body on my 91 model year. When I did some work on another later model car, I found that it was slightly different in this respect and the pin just didn't seem to want to come out easily. I just removed the bottom bracket bolts to give it the greater movement it needed to do that but they are defintiely different in just a slight way. It may be from the newer style bracket moving the caliper a little further out to accomodate the larger rotors that puts a slight bit more tension on the cable than the earlier models. Otherwise everything else seems to be the same.

 

[TyraNSX]

I had the same problem when I did mine. I took out the 2 small (10mm?) bolts on the bottom to free up enough slack to move stuff around. I just figured I was doing something wrong and had a home made solution.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

I do not bother removing anything from the caliper. On the back of the knuckle is a small plate that holds the flexible brake line to the knuckle. If you remove the three bolts(very accessible and quick) you can move the caliper anywhere you want.

HTH,
LarryB

 

[Hrant]

For those of us tool challenged, can we get some references to these tid bits with pics from the manual so we can follow the various solutions :wink:

Edit: I am looking at page 19-17 of the 1991 Manual downloaded from Prime. Does someone have the 97+ Manual for the same page?

 

[Gansan]

I do not bother removing anything from the caliper. On the back of the knuckle is a small plate that holds the flexible brake line to the knuckle. If you remove the three bolts(very accessible and quick) you can move the caliper anywhere you want.

HTH,
LarryB

I took those off, but the parking brake cable was the problem. That's why I ended up unbolting the cable bracket so I had the slack I needed to work.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

mmm...I just had a 1997 here before NSXPO for service, and did the brakes, just did the usual three bolts and I had access just like a 1991. What year NSX??

Regards,
LarryB

 

[nsxtasy]

I just finished changing my brake pads and I found that the NA1 service manual's rear brake pad procedure might not be identical to what an NA2 requires.

You're confusing the engine designation (NA1 vs NA2) with model years. NA1 (the fourth through sixth characters of the VIN) refers to the 3.0-liter engine, either with the five-speed as sold in '91-96, or with the automatic as sold in all years '91-05. NA2 refers to the 3.2-liter engine, which accompanied the six-speed for '97-05.

The rotors and brake calipers were changed in '97 for both the NA1 and NA2 versions. So there are two versions of the brakes: the '91-96 version (all of which came with the NA1 engine) and the '97-05 version (which came with both the NA1 engine and the NA2 engine).

 

[Gansan]

You're confusing the engine designation (NA1 vs NA2) with model years. NA1 (the fourth through sixth characters of the VIN) refers to the 3.0-liter engine, either with the five-speed as sold in '91-96, or with the automatic as sold in all years '91-05. NA2 refers to the 3.2-liter engine, which accompanied the six-speed for '97-05.

The rotors and brake calipers were changed in '97 for both the NA1 and NA2 versions. So there are two versions of the brakes: the '91-96 version (all of which came with the NA1 engine) and the '97-05 version (which came with both the NA1 engine and the NA2 engine).

OK, so it's a 99 model, and so has the 97-05 brakes.

To answer Larry's question: The manual specifies that you remove the parking brake pivot pin so you can disconnect the parking brake cable which lets you have enough slack to move the caliper around. I couldn't figure it out until 2slow2speed suggested moving the the parking brake lever arm so there was room to get the pin out.