Fiat Coupe 20v turbo rear brakes

[SBDJ]

Evening all,

Fiat failed it's MOT today on rear brakes (both foot and park) being ineffective. Thoughts so far:

• Car has been stood for a while, discs have mild surface rust but seem OK other than that
• Pads are low-ish, will be replacing them
• Rear compensator arm moves freely, spring is loose in the air and slightly tighter (but still loose) on the ground
• Have pulled pins out of calipers, checked and greased. Movement is smooth
• Have greased pad contact points
• Caliper pot moves out (seems slow, not sure how quickly it should move) when brake pedal pressed
• Caliper pot winds in OK although seems a little tighter in places
• Caliper bleed nipple presenting plenty of air-free brake fluid
• Jacking under rear trailing arm and applying handbrake is definitely much much stronger than the footbrake but neither are great

Any thoughts on where I should be looking? The Coupe forums are awash with people having rear brake issues!

Would like to get it in and passed the retest

Regards,

Scott

[magooagain]

There is a handbrake adjuster under the handbrake soft shroud in the car.
You should really put the question on fccuk.org

[Nigel_O]

Stick some new discs and pads on (standard is fine - won't need fancy grooved discs or high-performance pads) and get them hot for the brake test

Well worth posting on FCCUK, as you're right - rear brake MOT fails are common on Coupes.

[colin2296fs]

same calipers on a punto gt so try puntosports forum, although if the coupe forum chaps are stuck then there realy must be a problem, they usually know their stuff.

[colin2296fs]

i think it is the same calipers on my spider as well when i think about it,i've had it 7 years and it's the only thing that i would say is unreliable, every year i've had to faf about with them to get through the mot. i think the most successful time was when i drove to the mot station with the handbrake on a wee bit and got them really hot.

[Evoluzione]

The bias valve is probably seized.

[wrinx]

Possibly the way the pads and handbrake have been set up???

1. Slacken the handbrake from inside the car (nut underneath the handbrake).
2. Remove caliper and wind the piston back.
3. Replace caliper and use the footbrake to bring the pads to the disc.
4. Retension the handbrake from inside the car.

The surface rust won't be helping either...what are the discs like on the inside?

wrinx

[Coupe 20vt]

wrinx said:

Possibly the way the pads and handbrake have been set up???

1. Slacken the handbrake from inside the car (nut underneath the handbrake).
2. Remove caliper and wind the piston back.
3. Replace caliper and use the footbrake to bring the pads to the disc.
4. Retension the handbrake from inside the car.

The surface rust won't be helping either...what are the discs like on the inside?

wrinx

I'd add item 3a) Do not put the handbrake cable back on, but put the wheels back on and drop the car to the floor. Inside the car pump the brake pedal 10 times. Then reattach the brake cables. You can do this with the car on the ground if you are ok to lay on the floor and don't fancy jacking it up and removing the wheels.

[Liquid Knight]

Evoluzione said:

The bias valve is probably seized.

This an issue throughout the Fiat range especially if the car has been stood for six months or more. They're also only good for about a hundred thousand miles.

[Evoluzione]

Liquid Knight said:

This an issue throughout the Fiat range especially if the car has been stood for six months or more. They're also only good for about a hundred thousand miles.

Of course, it's the law.

[sumplug]

Fill the boot with around 100-150lb in weight. The rear suspension arms, need jacking, as though car is on wheels. Now adjust the compensator valve, until spring is slightly slack. Now adjust handbrake. Find a quiet road [private best], and reverse quickly, applying first footbrake, then handbrake. This will set rear brakes. Should all be well.
At MOT station, if needed, sit two adults in the back, this will put more brake bias to the rear. Not illegal, and a way to get a car through the MOT.

Andy.