Hi all.

Well, this spring break will be front disc brake conversion time, and I plan to order a kit in the next week or so.

There's so much choice on the market, but one of the most cost efficient 'kits' I've seen is this one on eBay.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLASSIC-FIA...BARTH-STYLE-/322312403272?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

Any thoughts? Looks pretty good, and is at least 10-15% less expensive than the others that I've found.

Pete

These are faithful to the original type.
Cheaper versions with remanufactured kingpins are also available - most use modern Fiat calipers- so pads are cheap and easy.
These are a straight forward swap out and have the bonus of refreshed kingpins - available for £350.....

1 thing to be careful of when fitting the kits that allow you to still use 190pcd wheels is that will increase you front wheel track--by the total amount that the adaptor plate is proud of the basic disc/hub. You may find that you have to fit front wheels with slightly greater 'inset' to compensate. (Dave Porthouse---'Rusties Uncle' has a very nice set of alloys going for £200). Also, check which hub spindle these kits are designed for---there is quite a difference in stub axle (and therefore bearing) size between a 500 and the latest 126s.

Hi Pete

I ordered the same kit, but from Italy. It was much cheaper, €350 at the time (2 years ago now). Looking, it's now €390, but even with shipping it should be about £100 less than buying it from your link.

I ordered by email, using google translator, paid by bank transfer. They are very good with comms, and quick shipping with reasonable courier costs. I placed a much larger order and they shipped at no cost, and used TransferWise to make transfer at a very competitive rate.

Tom makes a good point about track length, but on measuring this kit doesn't increase it, like most of the ones that use an extra adaptor plate. It's very similar to the original Abarth conversion and Axel Gerst sell the replacement pads on their own.

Cheers, Steve

stevehg said:

Hi Pete



I ordered the same kit, but from Italy. It was much cheaper, €350 at the time (2 years ago now). Looking, it's now €390, but even with shipping it should be about £100 less than buying it from your link.





Cheers, Steve

Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. Very helpful. Do you have a link or a contact?

Sorry about the delay, I'm in the us at the moment on work. I meant to put the link in my earlier post, so here it is...

https://www.500ricambi.it/dettagli.asp?sid=30706138220170322160221&idp=1810&categoria=43

Website is in Italian, but I used google chrome browser, with auto translate on.

Cheers, Steve

Hi Steve.

I assume this kit works with 12" wheels?

Thanks
Steve

Yes they will work with 12" standard steels and aftermarket alloys. I believe the calipers are small enough to even work with the 4x190 10" wheels too.

The also use the standard 500 kingpins.

Cheers, Steve

stevehg said:

Sorry about the delay, I'm in the us at the moment on work. I meant to put the link in my earlier post, so here it is...

https://www.500ricambi.it/dettagli.asp?sid=30706138220170322160221&idp=1810&categoria=43

Website is in Italian, but I used google chrome browser, with auto translate on.

Cheers, Steve

Click to expand...

Thanks. I noticed that they had an eBay webshop, so managed to find it in there, watch the item and now it appears in my UK eBay as a watched item (including the delivery costs of about £25).

You're right, it's coming in at about £120 less expensive than the same item from the UK seller, so whoever that is will be punting these on for a tidy profit!

Before I click 'buy', are you happy with them? Stop well, nice and straight, and you didn't need to change the master cylinder?

Pete

Pete145 said:

Before I click 'buy', are you happy with them? Stop well, nice and straight, and you didn't need to change the master cylinder?

Pete

Click to expand...

Yes they stop well with braking even on both sides, and yes they work fine with the standard 500 master cylinder.

The bracket could be more closely matched, as it left the caliper closer to one side of the disc than the other. This meant that one pad was in constant contact with disc. It may be down to different tolerances between vehicles, but I suspect not as it was the same on both sides. Not an issue in operation, I just felt that brackets could have been more accurately designed.

Thanks, Steve

Hi Pete

I used this product and it works fine. I chose it as it is similar / the same as the original disc upgrades at the time, however there was a little fettling required for the adaptor plates required for them to fit on snuggly.

One word of warning, the packaging was very poor for such heavy items which resulted in one pad falling out. I had quite a job getting another replacement pad sent to me which I had to contribute half of the cost.

I would say overall a good product but poor service.

I hope this helps.

Peter

I also had problems with this supplier.
My five speed conversion arrived damaged and i had to get ebay to intervene.
They sent a five speed conversion with new front cadting for gearbox in a plastic bag - airfreight
They wanted me to pay to send the ruined casting back upon receipt of a replacement - yeah right.....

Thanks for the advice. I've ordered them, so fingers crossed they arrive in one piece. Just thinking ahead, are the replacement pads not a standard/easy to source part?

Pete

They probaly are if you know what make / type they are. I persued the seller as I thought that would be the correct thing to do.

Hopefully somone on the forum knows what they are as I think the same seller was asking 50 Euros for a full set which I thought was a little steep.

Any one know what they are?

Cheers

Peter

Andrew & Peter - which supplier are you talking about? The one in Pete's first link or the one he actually ordered with?

Cheers, Steve

Italian supplier Ricambi500

stevehg said:

Andrew & Peter - which supplier are you talking about? The one in Pete's first link or the one he actually ordered with?



Cheers, Steve

Click to expand...

I ordered this kit, and it looks like exactly the same kit as the first one to me!?

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-500-F-...O-ORIGINALE-/261625727549?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

AndrewHarvey said:

Italian supplier Ricambi500

Click to expand...

There's ricambi500.it and 500ricambi.it and both sell via eBay too, to help the confusion

I've only dealt with 500ricambi.it, ordered directly, two shipments and all ok, so didn't get to test their post sales service customer service to see if it was good or bad.

Pete145 said:

I ordered this kit, and it looks like exactly the same kit as the first one to me!?

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-500-F-...O-ORIGINALE-/261625727549?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

Click to expand...

Yes it will be identical, it's also the same kit that Axel Gerstl sell for ~€500. Normally AG are price competitive with Italian suppliers, but on a few of items they seem to be 25-30% more.

You can see it on the left of this pic of the original Abarth optional extras for 695's & 595's...



Cheers, Steve

Ahh your right! 500ricambi were the problem sellers

AndrewHarvey said:

Ahh your right! 500ricambi were the problem sellers

Click to expand...

Fingers crossed! I'll keep everyone posted (no pun intended).

So the pads, are they a common, easily available item to source here in the UK?