Technical Fiat 500 N/S Handbrake not working

[Dave500]

Hi, The Offside (drivers side), handbrake (drum brakes), on my Fiat 500 do not work. Adjusted cable inside car, still not working, N/S does work. Removed o/s drum, all was clean, shoes loads of thickness left. Removed brake shoes, and adjuster, this was working fine. The cable pulls when handbrake lever operated. Put back together and still not working �� I wonder if someone has any ideas what issue can be, if it were stretched cable, then would think n/ s would have stretched first if only working on that side. Just for info, the equaliser bar inside car is square to cable, so does not look off set.
Would really appreciate if this is a common fault, and if anyone knows how to fix.
Kind regards
Dave

 

[John202020]

Hand wind the adjuster until the hub just drags pressing the foot brake several times inbetween this at require many off on s of the hub to get it right then try hand brake ?
I have a new rear bar adjuster and the adjusters seem not to work but a bit manual turning and all good I've also replace one of the two cables.

 

[Ralf S.]

If you disconnect the cable from the actuation lever and pull the handbrake on, the inner cable should move into the outer sheath. The inner cables have a plastic coating these days so rarely rust or seize unless the outer sheath has been damaged or compressed in some way (e.g. if it rubbed against the wheel rim somehow). If it moves, then it's not the cable. If it doesn't move, then it is the cable.

Remove the actuating arm front the drum and make sure the pivot isn't seized up. If it's remotely stiff, clean it up, spray it with penetrating oil/WD40 to loosen it up completely and then stuff some grease into the pivot. It has to move around like a floppy arm.. if you can hold it vertically and the lower half doesn't always point to the ground then it's sticky.

How old are the shoes and did you fit them recently, or have they been in there ages? Some shoes might not be that well made and the central sprung pivot might just be jammed on the drum plate spindle or just too stiff and not moving. If the shoes are easy on/off and you can move them in and out then that's good. If they don't want to know and you need a huge pry bar to get them off then they could need working to make them fit properly.

Ralf S.

 

[Dave500]

Thank you Ralph, all is working, inner cable moves when disconnected, lever arm is free, all parts clean, nothing seized, took all to pieces and all was good. Can only think two things, firstly stretched cable, but not sure, and secondly I might try and manually turn the adjuster mechanism until shoe is closer to drum, perhaps the adjuster is not setting properly.

 

[Dave500]

Thank you, will take drum off and turn adjuster mechanism a few clicks at a time, put drum back on and press foot brake a few times, see if that improves handbrake. If it works better, I will just turn adjuster a few clicks at a time hope this works.

 

[John202020]

Thank you, will take drum off and turn adjuster mechanism a few clicks at a time, put drum back on and press foot brake a few times, see if that improves handbrake. If it works better, I will just turn adjuster a few clicks at a time hope this works.

Since replacing the shoes and drums the adjusters have not worked, I cannot see why they don't, so just manually wind them on a few clicks every now and again, a long brake pedal also shows incorrectly adjusted, adjusters.

 

[jrkitching]

Since replacing the shoes and drums the adjusters have not worked, I cannot see why they don't

One common reason is because the handbrake cable has been adjusted too tightly, though given your experience, I doubt that would be a mistake you'd make.

 

[wardpaa]

Dave, I have just replaced the drums, shoes and cylinders on mine and had one faulty self adjuster which did not work due to a missing part.
After winding them all the way back in and adjusting out 3 clicks at a time (handbrake adjustments slackened off) until the drum just about binded on the brakes once fitted after a few presses on the pedal.
I called the Fiat dealers and they wanted £127 for a new pair of self adjusters but you can get them on Amazon for around £30.
I adjusted the handbrake cable last so the brakes are applied after a couple of clicks.

 

[Dave500]

Thank you everyone, I did fix this, not with a new cable, but had to take off rear drum and manually turn the self adjuster Wheel with a screwdriver, lastly checked and adjusted the cable adjusting nut by handbrake, all was fine after that, not a brilliant handbrake though.

 

[John202020]

Thank you everyone, I did fix this, not with a new cable, but had to take off rear drum and manually turn the self adjuster Wheel with a screwdriver, lastly checked and adjusted the cable adjusting nut by handbrake, all was fine after that, not a brilliant handbrake though.

I replaced the cable one side and shoes and fitting kit(non abs type) now the auto adjusters don't work, I've now got but not fitted a new fitting kit(for cars with abs) and new shoes(for cars with abs, there are shoes for cars without) and a new cable for the other side.