General Sylvia's maintenance thread

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General Sylvia's maintenance thread

Stuartl

Maranellohouse.com
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Been looking for an old thread I thought I'd started on ongoing reports of Sylvia but I can't find the one I'm looking for so I'll start a new one for 09. Jim and myself were possible will try to keep it up to date. Won't we Jim.

Her brakes have been very poorly and to be honest I'm amazed Jim hasn't arrived at the house needing a new front bumper.

So we got everything to replace all the braking system apart from a handbrake cable as I don't think she needs one. I'll be able to tell better once I have al the new brakes on.

Sylvia ready to have the old stuff taken off. Actually in that photo the new calipers are already on because Jim needed Sylvia for a photo shoot last weekend.

sylviareadyfrnewbrakes.jpg


All the new stuff ready to go on. I hope to get stuck in on Monday.

sylvianewcalipersandpipes.jpg


sylvianewbrakeparts2009.jpg
 
Looking forward to reading more about Sylvia's makeover Stu (y)

One thing would be nice if it's not prying too much, but could you mention how much the parts cost and where you got them from? I'm sure Jim mentioned in another thread about new (recon?) calipers costing only £20 each? I'm tempted to replace most of the brakes on one of my Unos rather than fiddle around with old stuff, and being similar to Panda brakes the prices should be similar too.

Anyway, good luck and hope to see Sylvia back to good health again very soon (y)
 
Don't see why we can't add prices. Need to check with Jim though first.

A lot of the parts come from my local Motor factors. I've been using them for over 20 years so they try to get me the best stuff available but at the right price were possible.

Main dealer parts come from our local dealer Mervyn Stewarts. As Jim and I are members of the NIIMC we get (most of the time) up to a 15% discount on parts and labour. So save a few £££'s there to all being well.
 
Changing rear brake shoes.

Make sure the car is up on blocks and it helps if the cars level as this means the handbrake should be equal on both sides when adjusting it later.

Step 1. The handbrake should be released off a few turns on the screw to allow for the new shoes and drums if they are being fitted. I haven't the photo yet but will add it later.

Step 2. Removing the rear brake drum. To do this the 2 12mm bolts have to be taken off. one of them is a locator but for the road wheel. A quick tap with a hammer will have them off. The photo shows the front disc but the bolts are the same front or rear.

sylviaremovingbrakedisc.jpg


More than likely if the drums have been on for a while they will have developed a groove on the inside. You may need to tap the drum off with a hammer. Make sure you tap it off equally all round as you hammer it off or it will stick and you'll have to hammer it back on and start again.
Having said that most of them fall out in your hand.

Step 3. Removing the shoes. They are held on with 2 spring, one at the top and one at the bottom, and a clip on each shoe. Also behind the large metal circles on the shoes there is a spring which locates onto a stud.

sylviaremovingbrakeshoeclips.jpg


From years of experience I have found the best way to take the shoes off is to first remove the 2 retaining clips (the ones I'm pointing to). This will let the springs start to pull the shoes out towards you a bit. Now get a strong screwdriver and gently at the bottom of one of the shoes were it goes in behind the retaining plate put the screwdriver and prise the shoe from behind the plate. It's a strong spring so be careful. It's also the thinner of the 2 springs. If you can get both shoes from behind the retaining plate it makes it a little easier to get the spring off but I use long nose grips to hook the spring out for no other reason than I can get better leverage and it can't fly off somewere round the garage.
You can do the same for the top spring but it is a stronger on and harder to lever out.

Step 4. Taking off the shoe off. Look at the hubs edge. you will see as you turn it the there are 2 narrow recess' on it. (You can see it in photo)

sylviaremovingbrakeshoehubrecess.jpg


You have to make sure it lines up with the metal disc on the shoe or it will never come out because this is how you get the spring behind over it's stud.
If you haven't already got the top spring off then nows the time to prise it off with the grips if you have them.

Couple of things to do since to have everything off. Gently twist and push the pistons of the cylinder in (but be sure to hold one while pushing the other otherwise one will pop out and you'll have fluid everywere)!
Also get some copperease and grease handbrake arm were the pivot is. Believe me it helps the brakes long term.

That's it to taking the shoes off. Now putting the new ones on.

Step 1. Putting on the new shoes.
Put the shoes on the same way you took them off but you have to work the spring of them over the stub while guiding them through the groove of the hub.
Once you have the 2 shoes on don't put their spring clips in ans you need them to move as much as possible to get the top and bottom springs on.
Line up the handbrake arm into the grooves on the shoes at this point to.

Step 2. fitting the top and bottom springs. Hold the top one up and look at it. With the hooks of it pointing towards the car you will see that the spring runs flat at one side and bulks out at the other. I'm not explaining it well but look at it and you'll see what I mean. The bulky side should be pointing towards the hub otherwise it won't fit. And it also has to slide though behind the hub.
Fitting the spring back on is fun and were the grips come in. That a strong screwdriver and a strong hand come in because your going to have to do a good bit of pulling to hook it on.

Step 3. Bottom spring. This is the thinner of the 2 springs and it has the same flat side and bulky side. Again bulky side towards the hub and it has to slide in behind the hub.

Step 4. once you have both springs on you now prise the bottom ends of the shoes back under their retainer. Then it's a matter of locating the retaining clips and placing them back on.
When putting the drum back on and assuming the handbrake has been let off enough, the drum should slide back on easily. Only when you have both sides done should you adjust the handbrake back up.

sylvianewbrakeshoeson.jpg


I'm sure other people have a better way of doing the brakes but this is my tried and tested way.

Front brakes next.
 
Ok the price of the parts.

Brake pads..£12.45
Brake shoes...£14.95
Brake discs...£10.56 each
Brake drums...£21.63 each
Brake Calipers...£27.72 each. Old unit surcharge £10
Brake flexi hoses...£11.04 each

Please note all these prices are probably a little cheaper than normal as I've been using the same motor factors for years.
 
Dave the photo's are spot on, I don't understand what your on about :confused:

no here they fine, was talking about for the guides section https://www.fiatforum.com/guides/, ben likes them all attached, your the panda doctor you dont have time to worry about that, let craig do it you just do the panda fixing, you done your bit (y)
 
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