the small holes in the rear brake hubs.....Are they for adjusting the shoes without taking the hub off or just a fiat thing? one of my rear brakes are binding (not been right since it had some spring replaced and ABS sensor cleaned up at a local garage).....

t.i.a.....

Re: Rear brake adjustment

You'll have to peer inside with a torch and see if there's a little star wheel (end on). If so try flicking it round a notch at a time with a flat-blade screwdriver and you'll feel when the brake unbinds (or gets tighter if you choose the wrong way first!) as you rotate the hub between flicks.

Might be an idea to remove the hub and clean it as there could be rust causing the binding - or just clean it anyway as you're that far dismantled. Good opp to check the shoes too. They get little use of rotational contact with the brake hub so corrosion can build up. Occasional (careful, gentle) drawing on of the handbrake as you approach traffic lights on the level can mitigate rust build up.
If you notice the car clunks (in the rear) after a rainy drive, on releasing the handbrake when it's been parked overnight then the shoes are sticking to the hub with rust. The short bit of a moving 'rub' will clear that off the hub.

R-V-M

MTD said:

The small holes in the rear brake hubs.....Are they for adjusting the shoes without taking the hub off or just a Fiat thing? One of my rear brakes are binding (not been right since it had some spring replaced and ABS sensor cleaned up at a local garage).....

t.i.a.....

Click to expand...

MTD said:

the small holes in the rear brake hubs.....

Click to expand...

I use those holes to check the shoes without removing the wheel. You can roughly see the edge of the shoes if the hub and wheel is at the right angle.

I think they are too high up from the adjuster and it's much better to remove the hubs for a good check and cleaning rather than just adjusting them while under there...

Well that was a ball ache! finally got the bastard wheel off (either the garage lot over tightened the wheel nuts or the heat caused by the binding did it? ) then came trying to get them x2 pointed screws off that secures the hub on (what is their technical name ?) slightly rounded off the'noo..... got the hub off which was another ball ache as the edge is crumbly for the hub puller..... get the wife to test the brakes for me only to get a jet of brake fluid squirt out of the bastard brake cylinder rubber boot.....right in the face..... It has a large and old split in 1 boot and a small pin prick sized hole in the other..... I will try attaching a photo to show the innards, I'm not sure these ****ers are adjustable....:bang:

MTD said:

Well that was a ball ache! finally got the bastard wheel off (either the garage lot over tightened the wheel nuts or the heat caused by the binding did it? ) then came trying to get them x2 pointed screws off that secures the hub on (what is their technical name ?) slightly rounded off the'noo..... got the hub off which was another ball ache as the edge is crumbly for the hub puller..... get the wife to test the brakes for me only to get a jet of brake fluid squirt out of the bastard brake cylinder rubber boot.....right in the face..... It has a large and old split in 1 boot and a small pin prick sized hole in the other..... I will try attaching a photo to show the innards, I'm not sure these ****ers are adjustable....:bang:

Click to expand...

HUB..Dont you mean Drum????

MTD said:

Well that was a ball ache! finally got the bastard wheel off (either the garage lot over tightened the wheel nuts or the heat caused by the binding did it? ) then came trying to get them x2 pointed screws off that secures the hub on (what is their technical name ?) slightly rounded off the'noo..... got the hub off which was another ball ache as the edge is crumbly for the hub puller..... get the wife to test the brakes for me only to get a jet of brake fluid squirt out of the bastard brake cylinder rubber boot.....right in the face..... It has a large and old split in 1 boot and a small pin prick sized hole in the other..... I will try attaching a photo to show the innards, I'm not sure these ****ers are adjustable....:bang:

Click to expand...

That sounds like a typically horrible job.

I suggest new , wheel cylinders, self adjusters , shoes and springs.

I can see that hand brake cable adjustment looks ok don't tighten cable.

Good luck,

Jack

Ps they are called drum retaining cross head screws.

Got new brake cylinders, already had the springs kit due to previous issues, ordered new 'adjusters' although not sure how these would be adjusted as no 'star' part, new drums en-route.
I do have brake shoes that a previous garage ordered but I've never had them fitted but having just looked at the new n old and on thy internet I'm not sure if these are the correct ones..... the new boxed ones I have are 203x38mm SHU 697 (fits grande punto) 05-R from Apec braking but looking on their site it seems my Q (1.3Mj) needs 42mm SHU 698 and the shoe bodies have a slightly differing shape..... I think another set of shoes are needed, dag nam it!

are there any special tools needed for doing all this work? them large springs look like they are gonna be a pain to replace.....?

tar
M