About 2 months ago i noticed that the car had problems with the rear right wheel brakes, the car wouldn't brake well the first few times, and it seemed like only the rear right brake was working. Okay, so we changed the brake fluid, bleeded the system and it was better. It seemed like the brake only braked periodically, or like it was braking half the wheel rotation and not the other half. My dad went to the garage and they changed our rear brake pads. After that, the condition worsened and it started squealing, squaking, screaming when braking, probably depending on the temperature.

So today i jacked up the car and disassembled the brake. It seems to me like the drum is warped. I'll replace it, but i'd still like to know what could have caused that? It's quite a piece of steel, imagine the force needed to do that. Thermal expansion/contraction?


Oh, also a good piece of advice for everyone doing something similar. It is usually a good idea to lift the handbrake when jacking up the car, but not when you want to remove the rear brakes, because you can't do it while the rear brakes are under pressure.

They can just wear oval. But warping does happen (and doesn't need a lot to make a big difference).

Might be worthwhile just checking that the slave cylinder on the dodgy brake works on both sides (that the pins come out when you gently squeeze the brake pedal).

fingers99 said:

They can just wear oval. But warping does happen (and doesn't need a lot to make a big difference).

Might be worthwhile just checking that the slave cylinder on the dodgy brake works on both sides (that the pins come out when you gently squeeze the brake pedal).

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the left one does go out a bit more (and doesn't fully retract, i had to hammer it back in to mount the drum again) Think it has served its time in my car?

Sounds like it's had it. They're very cheap.

Lots of penetrating oil (really worthwhile getting some plus gas) on the brake pipe thread where it joins the slave cylinder or you'll end up having to get a new brake pipe!

i'm wondering, what would be the procedure if i wanted to convert to rear discs? do only the punto gt rear brakes fit? i realize i'll need a handbrake, so i can't just bodge on a front brake from some car.

There's a whole thread by Kristian (kripit) on what fits, somewhere. Much of the recent(ish) Alfa and Fiat stuff will fit. You need:

a couple of suitable calipers (they're hydraulic, but incorporate a cable operated handbrake)
a pair of caliper mounts (talk to Tom (brooky))
Flexi hoses to replace the rigid ones
Cinq front disks
Modify the handbrake cable

yes, i think i read that thread/article somewhere on here, iirc i'd need to source a punto GT, alfa 155 or uno turbo rear calipers, that shouldn't be a problem hopefully, but why do i need cinq front disks on a seicento? I know i should upgrade the front brakes so i don't have rear brake bias, but aren't the cinq front brakes the same as sei?

Cinq and Sei ones are the same. The offset is right, etc.

Could well be that the rear 155, Punto GT, etc disks are the same as the Cinq/Sei front ones.

Anyhow, it means if your front disks are good and you're doing the whole brake upgrade thing, then you're sorted!

makes sense. If my front disks are good, then i need the front and rear calipers and new front disks. I'll investigate into it and will see. If i do the conversion, there'll be pics

EDIT: The calipers mount will need to be custom made, or?

nmrmak said:

The calipers mount will need to be custom made, or?

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Custom made. Should be possible by hand tools and drill press alone but Tom (Brooky) is doing a batch, water cut (better than flame, plasma or laser). PM him to be included.

Edit: on t'other hand, I'm not sure which ones J333EVO (Aaron) used on Blue (wasn't around at the time). He or Arc should know.

I live in serbia, postage would probably be more expensive than making them here. I suppose i should choose some front and rear calipers, and see what the mounts should look like, take that to a guy that can make it for me and do it that way.

okay, i'll try to make a list of things i need, and you correct me if i'm wrong:
- bigger front disks and calipers that go with those (sourced from an alfa 155, or a punto gt, or a uno turbo)
- custom made front caliper mounts and possibly some spacers
- rear calipers from an alfa 155, punto gt or a uno turbo
- can re-use the existing front disks and mount them on the rear
- custom made rear caliper mounts and possibly some spacers
- 14" alloys or steelies
- some flexi pipe (no idea how i'll connect that to my existing brake lines if it's a different diameter)
- front and rear pads

I gathered that from what i've managed to find on the forums so far.

- Any ideas if i could source the calipers from some other cars or if some other configuration would make my life easier?
- Did i miss something?

You don't need caliper mounts for the front: they just bolt on. The old front flexis are a straighr fit.

Somewhere on here there's a list of what fits. The best front calipers to go for are the later ones (identified by a spring). Think mine came off a Marea.

I think this is the article:
https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento-faqs/93835-brake-upgrades.html

If i figured correctly, it only mentions replacement front calipers? It does list marea, tempra, bravo, tipo, punto gt, alfa 155 and barchetta as possible options. The only thing i didn't get is if i can get the rear calipers from those models too. So the fronts from those cars should be bolt-on and and the rears will need a mount, i can cope with that.

EDIT: one more thing i don't understand. Clicking on that link will bring you to a sentence saying "this is also an ideal time to upgrade the flexi pipes to stainless steel goodridge type." But some people tell me that the pipes need to be flexi in the last 20-30 cm because the wheels move up and down with the suspension.

Stainless steel braided flexi lines, they don't give as much and so increase peddle feel and are less susceptible to bulging when the fluid gets hot.

Goodridge have a ready made kit for the 'centos which are direct replacements for the Fiat OE items.

The rears need to be flexi (rather than solid, or they'll snap!). Otherwise, no probs.

Useful post here but I still can't find kritip's list of suitable calipers (for the rear).

https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento-faqs/93835-brake-upgrades.html

^^^ that's a list of suitable front brake calipers, right? Could i just use the rear calipers from one of those cars (provided they have disks in the back)

nmrmak said:

https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecento-seicento-faqs/93835-brake-upgrades.html

^^^ that's a list of suitable front brake calipers, right? Could i just use the rear calipers from one of those cars (provided they have disks in the back)

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Probably. There's definately a list somewhere, I just can't find it. the only ones I'm sure about are the Alfa 155 rear ones.

When you find your front calipers, do make sure that they're the ones designed for a 25mm (ventilated) disk. The other calipers look the same, but the arms are shorter and will only take a non-vented disk.

I've just put Kristian's list of rear calipers in the Guides section (he's the only person who could find it where it was).

Didn't do the photos (that way lies madness) and think it really belongs in the FAQs (but I have no access).

Mods: we need a WiKi! :bang:

Thanks a lot mate, that will definitely help!
I'll be on my way to buy one of those calipers then