Hi,

Yesterday I noticed that the back end of the car was dipping slightly when setting off, as if the handbrake was binding.

When I returned home I found the passenger side wheel and drum was red hot! Is this a common fault? I'll take the wheel off and have a better look this weekend.

Cheers.

Yes very common take drums off and the handbrake elbow is seized unsieze and grease. Worth putting new shoes on it and removing the lip off the drum and properly adjusting the shoes

Cheers, I'll have a go at that this weekend. I think the Cinq Haynes manual that I have got will be coming in handy with this little Fiat.

eddt1 said:

Cheers, I'll have a go at that this weekend. I think the Cinq Haynes manual that I have got will be coming in handy with this little Fiat.

Click to expand...

Alas it will be useful
The drums need service once a year
Shoes need to be removed to service manual actuators
When the actuators spin like tops apply trace of copperslip to pivot
If you don't remove the wear ridge the drums won't come off next year
if you don't have 3mm of linings replace shoes there is an inspection hole check all four shoes before you start.
there is a guide.

as above, its very common. I generally have to clean them up every year. Clean them properly and bit of coppaslip on the joint and you may just get away with 2 years (if your lucky).

Worth pointing out though that the heat from it being stuck on will kill wheel bearings pretty quickly so check the bearing doesn't have any play in it and isn't noisy. It will be alot quicker to do both at the same time if it needs it (they cheap anyway and very easy to change). Also alot easier to get this seized actuator bit mentioned above off to free it up if you have the hub/bearing assembly off too

Wish I had read this post first just had exact problem, drum off and seized handbrake pivot ....wd40 and a few gentle taps with hammer and free again.......but needs new shoes and not got any uneven wear and down to about 1mm at lowest point.....car feels like its been set free now though must have been stuck on since I got it .... Passed mot last week

Cheers Blu, I'm hoping I'll have time to have a look tomorrow. I didn't really enjoy commuting on my road bike 30 miles in the rain today because I couldn't use the car.

Is there a guide in here, I've had a look but couldn't find it?

see Grande Punto guides

i don't think there is a guide actually, surprisingly. Feel free to take a few photo's and write a guide up when you done. Its not hard though.

In brief, jack up whichever side you having the issue with.
Take the wheel off and the 2 bolts that secure the drum.
With handbrake off remove the drum, can be stubborn but keep pulling and wiggling and tapping with hammer, it will come off.
Working at the rear of the brake, remove split pin holding handbrake cable to the actuator lever, and remove the cable from the lever.
I find it easiest to just remove the brake shoes and everything to get the thing out although it supposedly possible to do it without i just don't bother attempting it. Can be quite hard to get them out when they are seized solid just due to angles; if you really can't manage popping the hub assembly off makes it alot easier to retract it but you should really replace the hubnut if you remove it and its mighty tight bolt too, decent breaker bar required really for that one unless your are hercules.

Once off soak it in WD for a bit, wire brush it til its properly clean and moves without restriction. And then a bit of copper slip on the joint to help it stay free moving. And refit, everything i just said in reverse.

And if you can be bothered at that point, may as well do the other side as well.

the two holes in the drum are threaded to allow the drum to be pushed off thr hub if you have two bolts to hand.

on mine you need the shoes off to get the actuators out.

you need to file off the wear lip if you are fitting new shoes.

if you are going to remove the hub loosen the nut with the car on the ground.

apply some copper slip to the spigot surface of the drum.

ah cool trick with the drum, never thought of that but not ever had problem getting them off.

Also that hubnut undo it so your pushing down rather than pulling up. You just end up picking the car up off the floor otherwise

yea on ground with front wheels checked and brake on.

when you get top spring off thread I large tie wrap to hold I slave cylinder, then syphon out b fluid fron master cylindet with chicken baster that has been stood in clean meths

if thr bottom spring is tight put two wheel bolts back in hub and use long bar to turn it first having clamped mole grips to spring and wedged in pliers into the hub cut out to capture the mole grips as you rotate the hub... this is clearer if you can't get the bottom spring back...

Got the Sei in the garage last night and jacked her up, it was a bit of an effort to even turn the wheel so it must be binding quite badly. Got the first hub bolt out easy enough, but the second has been rounded quite badly so I packed my tools away and went back inside.

Before I make a mess of this bolt can any one tell me where to get a replacement from? It's the one with out the "prong".

Are you talking about the ones holding the drums I might have one/ ill cut the top off the other style and send that out pm me

The term is "spire bolt". It's only there to (the prong bit) to help you pop the wheel back on -- doesn't actually hold anything. Penetrating oil will help, as will using a 6 sided 12mm socket. If it won't shift, weld a peice of scrap bar to it and encourage it with a hammer.

Eurocarcare in Derby will have new ones, give Big Mick a call. In the interim, any old 6mm bolt will do the job.

cycles of butane torch and then plus gas A after you put the torch out.

use impact driver and hex socket as abovementioned

trace of copper slip on threads when you reassemble.

sounds like not seen much maintenance

Pep0 said:

cycles of butane torch and then plus gas A after you put the torch out.

use impact driver and hex socket as abovementioned

trace of copper slip on threads when you reassemble.

sounds like not seen much maintenance

Click to expand...

Cheers for the replies guys, I'll have another look tomorrow evening.

It has been very well maintained over the years though, it is a very tidy example that has been looked after. For example I've got a receipt for a recent cambelt change that was done at a well established Fiat/Lancia dealer for over £250. The owner knew it could have been done cheaper but he wanted it done properly.

recent cambelt change that was done at a well established Fiat/Lancia dealer for over £250

Click to expand...

That really is so far OTT (for just doing the cambelt) that I fell off my chair!

fingers99 said:

That really is so far OTT (for just doing the cambelt) that I fell off my chair!

Click to expand...

confirmed...

the op will need soft faced hammer or two bolts to get the drum off...

and a lotta filing for the wear lip.

and several cups of tea of course.