Hi, I've had a search and I think I know the problem.

When I first got the car I noticed that it had problems pulling off as if the handbrake was stuck on. I have a feeling somewhere the rear brakes are seized as it needs a bit of hardcore revving to push it past the bite so it wont stall.

Anyone know where exactly the problem might be, I heard before that sometimes the rear actuators? or something seize partially.

I don't know, I'm just guessing, but it this a hard job to sort out? How long would it take a garage normally?

Cheers, Luke.

First, check that it is the handbrake by feeling the drums after a run. If it is the rears, then the drum will be hot!

It may not be the handbrake, but that's as good a place to start as any. By no means a technically difficult job, more awkward.

It also has the problem when you clutch control, the car will dip, I mean a lot more than average.

Cheers fingers, will take it on a run in a bit and post results.

Luke.

What is 'dip' please?

Cheers

PD

SuicideUK said:

It also has the problem when you clutch control, the car will dip, I mean a lot more than average.

Cheers fingers, will take it on a run in a bit and post results.

Luke.

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you mean the back end dipping because the hand brake is on?

custard said:

you mean the back end dipping because the hand brake is on?

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Yeah, thats where I was heading too.

Cheers

PD

Yeah, sorry that's what I meant. It does get quite annoying, the whole squat =/

Luke.

Mine had this problem ,and I found it was the handbrake cable that had seized. Also if the actuaters are seized its not a big job to do, but its better to change them rather than trying to free them up.

If you find its the cable. Make sure you get a Proper Fiat one if you replace it. I wasted a lot of time with a crappy one from a 'Italian car/fiat specialist' which was about 2 inches too long! The fiat part was cheaper too about £20 with postage from ebay!

purf said:

If you find its the cable. Make sure you get a Proper Fiat one if you replace it. I wasted a lot of time with a crappy one from a 'Italian car/fiat specialist' which was about 2 inches too long! The fiat part was cheaper too about £20 with postage from ebay!

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Probably got the wrong one: if the car is a Cinq with Sei stalks (as fitted by the factory!) get a Sei one, otherwise a Cinq one.

It's always a good (but messy!) idea to lubricate the cables (I like motorcycle chain spray) before fitting. Just poke the straw thing in past the rubbers on the outer and blast away. (Don't do it in the house!)

Thanks guys, I'll have to take it down the garage and see what they say. I'm not sure about the cable, I live on a massive hill and the handbrake has to be up to it's max to keep me there. It'll stay but I prefer to keep it in gear :/

Luke.

Let everyone know what the garage said, chances are it will be a siezed cross lever, easy fix - you should give it a go yourself before paying an expensive garage bill

SuicideUK said:

Thanks guys, I'll have to take it down the garage and see what they say. I'm not sure about the cable, I live on a massive hill and the handbrake has to be up to it's max to keep me there. It'll stay but I prefer to keep it in gear :/

Luke.

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Start buying tools instead of paying the garage, then you can begin to work on your own car.

Cheers

PD

Hmmm, I'm just not very confident in replacing the shoes and cylinders. Maybe when I get a bit older, or join that motorsport engineering course next year heh.

Luke.

Through breaking stuff you learn alot

Lucky for me, my brother had most of the tools i need.

Ming

My brother has tools to get the drums off, I just need the know how and body strength to change the rear drums and cylinders :/

Luke.

Don't replace the cylinders unless they're seized/leaking: they have bugger all effect on the handbrake, anyway!

The only hard(ish) bit is replacing/removing the springs a tool like this will cost you less than a tenner from your friendly local factor.

Do one side at a time, replace the shoes if they have less than 1.5mm of material left. Otherwise, very straightforward.

The reason for doing one side at a time is in case you forget what it looks like as you are putting one side back together, you can pop round to the other side and make sure it looks right.

Cheers

PD

Just so: reality is worth a thousand diagrams!

Most common mistake seems to be putting the springs on and getting top and bottom muddled up.

rallycinq said:

What is 'dip' please?

Cheers

PD

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Sorry could not resist