Technical Rear Brakes on Multipla's

[Johnny Boy]

As there is a dirth of information or manuals on the Multipla, are there any mysteries to removing rear brake drums or replacing rear shoes. I have so far made a feeble attempt, but the drum does not want to pull away once centre nut and thrust washer have been removed. How can one slack off the adjusters when required to allow any ridge formed on the drum to pass over the shoes?

 

[D.White Motors]

Firstly leave the hub nut alone! loosen off the handbrake cables (slide the cover back on the lever, white plastic 13mm hex) On the rear drums there are two 12mm studs. remove these get a large hammer smack the face of the drum top, bottom. you will see it move a little if your lucky then prise them off. The difficulty of this will depend on the size of the lip on the drums, when you get them off take an angle grinder to the lip and they will be as good as new.

Secondly and most importantly don't f@#k with your brakes unless you are sure you know what your doing!

 

[bikeman]

I notice that you did not mention the autoadjusters. On other cars I have found that slackening the handbrake does not allow the shoes to move far enough from the drum for removal and have had to backoff the brake auto adjuster. However in typical Fiat style the adjusters are not accessable with the drums on.

In anycase I am not convinced the autoadjusters actually work on multiplas anyway. Normally auto adjusters are linked in some way to the brake shoes so that as the handbrake/foorbrake is operated the adjusters take up any slack. But on the Multipla the self adjusters have absolutely no connection to anything that could actuate them. To take up slack I have had to remove and adjust them manually.

Are the autoadjusters on Multiplas just for show or do they actually work? How?