Technical Rear Brake Drum Corrosion

[jrkitching]

The rear brake drums on my 500 lounge are looking very tatty indeed due to corrosion. This is because the parts used in the factory have absolutely no protective coating whatsoever - they're just raw castings. The picture tells all - this is a 2010 car with only a few hundred miles that's never even been driven in the rain yet.

Another example of penny pinching that, IMHO, shows this car is built to a price, not to a quality standard.

I've now removed the drums for derusting/painting - they were already starting to corrode onto the hub and I had to use extractor bolts to get them off.

Still love the car though - but it would seem it's going to need a lot of pampering if it's to keep its good looks.

 

[PandaLounge]

Strange. Mine are in perfect condition on a 2009 car and I drove in the sh**est winter weather we've had in many years.
Mine are painted black and still look like new.

Steve

 

[nebrog23]

March 2008 and ours are fine, painted black as well. BMW had this problem a couple of years ago until they upgraded calipers and hubs but it wasn't covered under warrenty soits not just Fiat

 

[306maxi]

March 2008 and ours are fine, painted black as well. BMW had this problem a couple of years ago until they upgraded calipers and hubs but it wasn't covered under warrenty soits not just Fiat

Ditto. At the end of the day they're just drums and you can replace them

You can get some nice shiny new Brembo ones for not much anyway and they'll have a decent anti-rust coating on them.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brembo-Rear-B...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3ef98a3575

 

[jrkitching]

A friend has also taken delivery of a 500 lounge recently and that one, too, has unpainted rear drums showing similar corrosion.

 

[306maxi]

A friend has also taken delivery of a 500 lounge recently and that one, too, has unpainted rear drums showing similar corrosion.

how many decades before this becomes a braking issue?

 

[catherinej]

Our brand new 500's rear drums are exactly the same and have been since we collected the car.

 

[trphil]

how many decades before this becomes a braking issue?

Well my TR7 is 30 years old this year and its rear drums are just the same (and original) and they still work as well as ever 160,000 miles on.

 

[RobW]

a complete non-issue

 

[zanes]

a complete non-issue

+1. On mine they're painted black and look ok. Wirebrush em and slap on some hammerite/HTP.

 

[306maxi]

Well my TR7 is 30 years old this year and its rear drums are just the same (and original) and they still work as well as ever 160,000 miles on.

Exactly. Like I said it's a cosmetic issue at best and one even one that most people will see especially on a lounge.

 

[Andy Monty]

well if your taking them off give them a coat of black heat resisting paint after cleaning the rust off with a wire brush if you want to tart them up...