Just so the emergency brake works well ?
I have never known any disc brakes that needed adjustment, and the front Fiero discs do not.
I guess I answered my own question but wanted to get your thoughts. Are all other manufacturer's rear disc brakes the same ?

quote Originally posted by cliffw: Just so the emergency brake works well ? I have never known any disc brakes that needed adjustment, and the front Fiero discs do not. I guess I answered my own question but wanted to get your thoughts. Are all other manufacturer's rear disc brakes the same ?

Remember. THERE is a difference between brake PADS and brake SHOES.

There are drum brakes inside the disks that is used for your E-brake, those can be adjusted. the pad adjustment it is done automatically.

I have never looked at a fiero rear e brake. but this is how most of them work

This pic is not for a fiero, but gives you the idea. The ebrake is # 7. and stops by rubbing the inside of the rotor # 3.

That's actually not how it works on the Fiero, the e-brake mechanism is built into the caliper, and on the 84-87 cars, might be one of the worst caliper designs of all time.

The Fiero parking brake setup turns a lever about 1/6th turn to apply the parking brake, so there is a small finite distance that the parking brake is capable of compressing the brake pads. As the pads wear the distance between the pads and the rotors will become greater and the parking brake will gradually lose its ability to clamp the rotor within the 1/6 turn it is capable of turning. So to ensure the parking brake stays properly adjusted as the pads wear, there is an auto adjuster within the rear caliper piston that slowly pushes the rear piston out as the brake pads/rotors wear.

A similar auto adjuster exists on the drum style parking brake setups as well, but on the fiero everything happens in the rear caliper.

The fronts are full hydraulic and can self adjust the full range of piston travel.

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: That's actually not how it works on the Fiero, the e-brake mechanism is built into the caliper, and on the 84-87 cars, might be one of the worst caliper designs of all time.

88 Fiero and others uses same Piston design and All has same problems.

Parking Brake use should not matter. Normally nothing to do w/ driver's use of braking brake. Self adjusting is required to meet Fed rules. See FMVSS 571.105...

If you have good Fiero rears, they will self adjust w/o owner using parking brake. (Drum brakes are self adjust too If parts are good. Manual adjustment is often needed to speed up self adjust after service. Especially w/o turning the drums.)

Recall case... Was GM/NHTSA deal to blame owners for brake problem to save Many Millions of $ to redesign rear brakes then recall all affected models.

Fix now?
Most cases need:
Good rear calipers and pistons (rebuild caliper often = rebuild piston that you don't want.)
good cables
good cable return spring at calipers

It does cost... I restore my brake... ~$500-600 in parts. Car will stop fast and lock up when I want. (and W/o messing w/ booster)
4 rotors
new front wheel bearings and seals
front and back ThermoQuiet pads
2 Pbrake cables (Main cable and return springs are good.)
4 OE type hoses
GM rear piston kit. (You can't get them now.)
etc...

Also See my Cave, Rear Brakes

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

quote Originally posted by theogre: Also See my Cave, Rear Brakes

ogre, I have not personally thanked you for the time and effort you put into your cave. Thank you for making it available to me and countless other users.

quote Originally posted by Puffpufpass: I have never looked at a fiero rear e brake....

Quoted for truth. The information you posted would be correct for a Corvette, but it is totally wrong for a Fiero. FWIW, the system you describe (mini drum parking brake inside a hat-shaped rotor) was originally a Porsche patent; the 911 and 912 used it back in the 1960s.

quote Originally posted by Puffpufpass: I have never looked at a fiero rear e brake.

Downloadable Service Manuals http://www.fieronews.net/fusion/downloads.php

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My World of Wheels Winners (Click on links below)

3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163

quote Originally posted by fierosound: Downloadable Service Manuals http://www.fieronews.net/fusion/downloads.php

Download 87 SM... 87 fixed errors in rear brake section, like show caliper w/ right Pbrake setup.

See my Cave, Rear Piston notes