Surprisingly the 95 1.3 with more torque than the 1.4 petrol and almost as much power still has drum brakes......
General Rear Discs
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General Rear Discs
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The majority of braking on every car is done through the front wheels (80/90% I'm sure), and most cars would get away with front discs/rear drums. The fact is, having discs on the rear looks 'sporty' - that's why the 1.4 sport has them, not for their superior stopping power :yum:
ahmett
Prominent member
But it does have superior stopping power. I have a 1.4 and i test drove a twinair that had rear drums and was actually lighter than my 1.4, and i immediately felt that the brakes were worse. It took longer to stop in all situations.
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That's because the 1.4 has uprated front discs, not because it has discs on the rear.
The price you pay for the bigger front discs is that the turning circle is substantially worse.
To the OP, putting discs on the rear is not as scary an exercise as you'd think. Actually, its probably easier than just changing a set of rear discs because you can unbolt the whole carrier.
Buy a rear axle from a breakers with the calipers, hubs, etc. Virtually plug and play. I can send you some detail pictures of the rear assembly on my 1.4 Lounge with discs if you want to see how it fits together.
Buy a rear axle from a breakers with the calipers, hubs, etc. Virtually plug and play. I can send you some detail pictures of the rear assembly on my 1.4 Lounge with discs if you want to see how it fits together.
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Is the poor turning circle on the 1.4 due to the 6 speed gearbox ? if it is the front discs I would stand corrected on that.
It is also surprising that the rear discs on the 1.4 are the same size and type (240) on the front discs for both the 1.2 and the TA but I'm unsure if there are the exact same (they might be).
One of the 'nice' things about discs all round for the 1.4 is that you have the option to upgrade to the 284 front discs from the Abarth from the standard 257 ventilated fronts on the 1.4. Having drums on the back would hamper upgradeability.
I would agree that on the standard 1.4 setup the rear discs are kinda for show but even the MINI has the discs all round on basic ONE model.
That would make more sense.
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I did do a doubletake when you said that bigger discs = bigger turning circle.
ahmett
Prominent member
That cant be. I have a duallogic 5 speed and my turning circle is no better on the 1.4 Perhaps the heavy engine? I cant see how bigger discs = worse turning circle, that would mean that cars with big discs cant turn at all!!! (i am not saying i am right but just a thought)
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Raised a good point ahmett. I'm now unsure if it is the actual gearbox that is restricting the 'circle'. Although for consistency they may have all the 1.4s with the same turning circle.
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus.../500-hatchback/46372/technical-data/?4810N930
1.4 Manual 10.8 metres
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus.../500-hatchback/46366/technical-data/?4810N447
1.2 Manual 9.3 metres
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus.../500-hatchback/46373/technical-data/?4810N930
1.4 Dualogic 10.8 metres
Gearbox being a robotised manual of the 6 speed 1.4 has probably lost a cog since it can't use the lighter 5 speed from the 1.2 because of the extra torque from the bigger engine. Only having 5 speeds does not meet the gearbox is smaller.
Although if I check the turning circle on the 1.4 Multi-air in the North America I get 9.32m (30.6ft).
http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/06/2012-fiat-500-turning-circle.html
NA 500 uses a 6 speed 'proper' automatic or a 5 speed manual (C514)
http://www.fiat500usa.com/2011/01/fiat-500-complete-vehicle.html
In NA they couldn't use a 6 speed gearbox because it wouldn't fit due to extra crash re-enforcement.
If you compare the European 500 1.4 against the MINI at 10.7 meters it's still market competitive.
http://www.calculateme.com/Length/Feet/ToMeters.htm
ahmett
Prominent member
Raised a good point ahmett. I'm now unsure if it is the actual gearbox that is restricting the 'circle'. Although for consistency they may have all the 1.4s with the same turning circle.
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus.../500-hatchback/46372/technical-data/?4810N930
1.4 Manual 10.8 metres
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus.../500-hatchback/46366/technical-data/?4810N447
1.2 Manual 9.3 metres
http://carleasingmadesimple.com/bus.../500-hatchback/46373/technical-data/?4810N930
1.4 Dualogic 10.8 metres
Gearbox being a robotised manual of the 6 speed 1.4 has probably lost a cog since it can't use the lighter 5 speed from the 1.2 because of the extra torque from the bigger engine. Only having 5 speeds does not meet the gearbox is smaller.
Although if I check the turning circle on the 1.4 Multi-air in the North America I get 9.32m (30.6ft).
http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2011/06/2012-fiat-500-turning-circle.html
NA 500 uses a 6 speed 'proper' automatic or a 5 speed manual (C514)
http://www.fiat500usa.com/2011/01/fiat-500-complete-vehicle.html
In NA they couldn't use a 6 speed gearbox because it wouldn't fit due to extra crash re-enforcement.
If you compare the European 500 1.4 against the MINI at 10.7 meters it's still market competitive.
[URL="http://www.calculateme.com/Length/Feet/ToMeters.htm"]http://www.calculateme.com/Length/Feet/ToMeters.htm[/URL]
Yes it basically means i get the chance to practice my three point turns quite often as in just before i got home! A short turning circle is handy i must admit!
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The US might have insisted on a tight turning circle. For me personally the 10.8 meters on the ex 1.4 made no difference since I'm used to 'turning' an Estate.
IIRC the turnning circle on the A500 assetto corse which has the M32 gearbox off the GPA has an even worse turning circle. (guessing 11.25 meters based on a similar car with the same gearbox
)
And if you are lucky you might get a post 2010 part that will have the better suspension as well.
No worries. She's up on the hoist this week getting the coilovers done. I'll snap some better pics and post them up. Essentially there is a welded on vertical tab at each side. The entire assembly bolts to these with 4 bolts that - annoyingly - you have to go through the spring to get access to. Multiple U joint extensions for the socket can come in handy here. Undo them and the whole upright, hub, bearing, brake etc comes off. Straight swap over.
Or as Maxi says, buy a 2010 onwards axle from a 1.4 and you get the whole shebang plus the arb chucked in for free
More pics to follow when I have her up on the hoist this week.
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Car or girlfriend?
No worries. She's up on the hoist this week getting the coilovers done. I'll snap some better pics and post them up. Essentially there is a welded on vertical tab at each side. The entire assembly bolts to these with 4 bolts that - annoyingly - you have to go through the spring to get access to. Multiple U joint extensions for the socket can come in handy here. Undo them and the whole upright, hub, bearing, brake etc comes off. Straight swap over.
Or as Maxi says, buy a 2010 onwards axle from a 1.4 and you get the whole shebang plus the arb chucked in for free
More pics to follow when I have her up on the hoist this week.
I've got the ARB
8 Bolts and changing the h/brake cables sounds very dooable though!
