Hi folks. Just buying a 2014 Panda 1.2 Lounge and looking through the alloy wheels I note that the rear drum brake housing is pretty rusted. What's the best way of cleaning these up to make them respectable and probably then paint them. What colour would be best - the cars metallic red. Thanks in advance.

Wheel off wire brush to clean the surface rust off then some heat resistant paint of them personally I'd stick with black paint

Did mine last year but just a basic tidy. Used the wire brush and then some spray gloss black. Started to reappear a few weeks ago due to all the salt on roads. So two weeks ago on a really dry sunny day, I used a nice new wire brush and scraper to remove all the old paint and rust. Then a good coat of kurust left to dry with the help of a hairdryer and finally two liberal coats of black hammerite. Don't paint the middle of the drum as the wheel will stick. I smear a light coat of copper grease on the back of the alloys to aid removal. Recheck the wheel bolts a few days after completing the job.
I have to say mine look the business.

This is a job I have to do on my daily driver. For me, I will be removing the drums & using a drill & wire brush attachment, easier,quicker & making a better finish removing more rust than by hand. There are a number of paints you can use, I will firstly use red oxide primer then rustoleum paint, two coats of each in rattlecan form.

Your average driver really doesn't need heat resistant paint, not unless they do track days or driving style is over braking. Colour is your choice, but as said stick to black, you could go silver to match alloys.

Forgot to mention, using etch primer initially will help greatly as well.

MuddyPaws said:

Hi folks. Just buying a 2014 Panda 1.2 Lounge and looking through the alloy wheels I note that the rear drum brake housing is pretty rusted. What's the best way of cleaning these up to make them respectable and probably then paint them. What colour would be best - the cars metallic red. Thanks in advance.

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Black Hammerite.

Thanks! Thats some really helpful advice. I was wondering if it needed to be heat resistant paint but it seems not from what has been said here. I've got a wire brush attachment on an angle grinder but is it easy to get the drums off, and will the brakes need re-adjustment if I do take them off? If I don't take them off will bits of rust get inside and cause damage?

I would not take the drums off.

Agreed.
Leave the drums on. Any small flakes of rust are unlikely to get into the shoes, if any does it will centrifuge out in a few hundred meters.

Ah, each to their own & all that, amusing comments taken into account....

MuddyPaws said:

is it easy to get the drums off

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Yes, if you know the trick. The holes through which the two wheel locating pins pass are threaded; use a pair of bolts the next size up from the locating pin as extractors.

MuddyPaws said:

will the brakes need re-adjustment if I do take them off?

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No. If you don't disturb anything, you can just put them straight back; the brake shoes won't even know you've done it. If you accidentally knock a brake shoe to the side, you may have to manually slacken off the auto adjuster to get the drum back on, but it'll readjust automatically afterwards.

Getting all the rust off will be the hard bit; Fiat use unpainted parts so they start rusting from the day they're built. Removing the drums helps to get the rust off and if you can get some concentrated fuming hydrochloric acid (try a swimming pool supplier if the local hardware store doesn't have any) it will remove it easily (but only with the drums off!) It'll remove your skin quite easily too, so you need decent gloves and eye protection.

Prime with this. You can also buy it in rattle cans from Halfords. If you just wirebrush and paint on some black Hammerite, it'll likely start flaking quite quickly.

Also remember new drums aren't that expensive and that might be easier than refurbishing the ones you've got.

Hi.
I'd agree the proper way to service the drums is off the car and if I was ten years younger then I'd have gone down that route. Two bad knees and heart troubles put paid to many jobs. If what I have done slows down the rusting process then I'm happy.

murphyv310 said:

Hi.
I'd agree the proper way to service the drums is off the car and if I was ten years younger then I'd have gone down that route. Two bad knees and heart troubles put paid to many jobs. If what I have done slows down the rusting process then I'm happy.

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Aye murphy, similar for me, I'm in my sixties & a relic from the oil yards welding, two shot knees & a metal hip joint... Trouble is I'm a nineteen year old in my head. I'm a thrawing old git & I still like to potter with my vehicles. I will wait for good weather, arm myself with painkillers, make myself comfortable as possible, I have a wee cut down seat that I use, knee pads & try to have all the needed tools close at hand. These tasks do take a lot longer these days, but I get satisfaction from my efforts.