Technical Fiat 500 Brake drum removal

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I liked small engined British bikes. Biggest I ever had was a 350 single pot AJS (a "leg breaker!) and I shared a Triumph 350 twin with a friend. I also had various BSA Bantams, a James, a Francis (Fanny) Barnet, a BSA Dandy, maybe 10 Mobylettes, A wee Honda with the engine in the back wheel, an NSU Quickly and several others. All gone now, I kept the NSU till last because it was quite a rare 2 speed (most for sale now a days are the later 3 speed).

 

[steveras57]

I liked small engined British bikes. Biggest I ever had was a 350 single pot AJS (a "leg breaker!) and I shared a Triumph 350 twin with a friend. I also had various BSA Bantams, a James, a Francis (Fanny) Barnet, a BSA Dandy, maybe 10 Mobylettes, A wee Honda with the engine in the back wheel, an NSU Quickly and several others. All gone now, I kept the NSU till last because it was quite a rare 2 speed (most for sale now a days are the later 3 speed).

yep i learnt on a three speed "square" shape tank dual seat green frame white body work! yer never forget yer first ride!

 

[Tropicalmike]

I can remember taking front and rear drums off my mk1 ford escort in the late 1970s . Pretty sure the brake linings were rivetted to the carriers then. That is how you knew when to change the linings when they got near the rivets . I still have the little square spanner for the bleed nipples or maybe it was for the eccentric manual adjusters of the hand brake . No brake servo either and no power steering . Ferodo brakes if I remember, hopefully no asbestos in them but I do recall a lot of dust

The drum extractor threads on my wife's 69 plate 500 sport are in fact standard M10 thread not the metric fine thread. but no chance yet to go back on my daughter's car where the drums are seized on the hubs.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

yep i learnt on a three speed "square" shape tank dual seat green frame white body work! yer never forget yer first ride!

Was that a Bantam? A lot of the "civilian" ones were a sort of olive green - as was my first one. I prefer old British bikes because I never got used to when they swapped the gear shift over to the left foot! Bikes from the far east have a lot to answer for!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I can remember taking front and rear drums off my mk1 ford escort in the late 1970s . Pretty sure the brake linings were rivetted to the carriers then. That is how you knew when to change the linings when they got near the rivets . I still have the little square spanner for the bleed nipples or maybe it was for the eccentric manual adjusters of the hand brake . No brake servo either and no power steering . Ferodo brakes if I remember, hopefully no asbestos in them but I do recall a lot of dust

The drum extractor threads on my wife's 69 plate 500 sport are in fact standard M10 thread not the metric fine thread. but no chance yet to go back on my daughter's car where the drums are seized on the hubs.

I still have the punch for doing those rivets and also a collection of specialist adjuster spanners. The one for the Mini ("proper Mini" that is) had one end with a square hole for doing the rear and bottom front adjuster with an open ender on the other end to let you get at the top one which was hidden behind the steering arm. One has a hex end for doing the rear cylinder nipples which were quite small and prone to snapping off - but don't they all if you're not careful! Those were happy days when you could quite cheaply sort just about anything on your vehicle and scrappies were your best friend.

Edit. PS. I am of the impression that the drums I've tried have a standard M8 thread in those holes?

 

[Tropicalmike]

This the photo of the 69 plate with the drum off. Not sure what make the mechanism is. But can see the retaining clips are different from photos posted on other threads about brake drums. Casting of drum has Fiat and Lancia. Extractor thread in drum is definitely M10 . Not that I needed it on these as I had smeared copperslip at previous inspection.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

This the photo of the 69 plate with the drum off. Not sure what make theView attachment 466035 mechanism is. But can see the retaining clips are different from photos posted on other threads about brake drums. Casting of drum has Fiat and Lancia. Extractor thread in drum is definitely M10 . Not that I needed it on these as I had smeared copperslip at previous inspection.

Good picture which illustrates the relationship between the wheel bolt threaded hole and the position of the adjuster pawl. trouble is you need to hold the pawl "finger" back to free the pawl if you want to turn it back and slacken the adjustment - and that's not easy working through the bolt hole when the drum is in place.

Retaining clips are of either this type, which have no spring (the clip itself is "springy") and is removed/fitted by sliding it under the end of the pin. Or the type which has a spring under it and a small dish shaped plate which has to be pushed over the pin whilst compressing the spring and then rotated a quarter turn. Much more difficult to do with something like a pair of pliers but can de quite easily done with a length of tube pushed against the dished plate. In fact you can buy tools for this quite cheaply on line. https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637204750/double-end-brake-spring-washer-tool

 

[jrkitching]

A wee Honda with the engine in the back wheel

I had one of those too!

Bought it used for £5, used it to get to college in the winter of '71, and sold it for £28 in spring '72.

Thanks for reviving a nice memory!!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I had one of those too!

Bought it used for £5, used it to get to college in the winter of '71, and sold it for £28 in spring '72.

Thanks for reviving a nice memory!!

I think it was the slowest of the many mopeds I had but very reliable. I seem to remember it was a 4 stroke? whereas all the rest were 2 strokes - mopeds that is - the AJS and Triumph were, of course 4 strokers.

 

[steveras57]

yep 4 stroke Honda p 50 half gallon tank behind seat under carrier rack cost 20p to fill from empty in 73 also so light at front if you hit a bump at full chat(28mph) you got a death wobble!.

 

[Lounge lizard]

Interesting to see the drum has the maximum permitted diameter in both imperial and metric...

 

[varesecrazy]

That's why I'm not allowed to ride motor cycles any more - Mrs J says that at my age I won't bounce any more if I fall off!

Ditto, although they could probably see where I landed