Take parking brake off rear brakes.

[clarkedj]

After rounding the bleeding screw on the passenger rear wheel on my sons 1978 Fiat 124 and fighting the screw with a pair of vice grips. I am assuming that the Italians do unscrew things counter clockwise. I have bled the brakes before so I was a little surprised that the screw is so seized. I have decided to replace the rear brakes. I can not figure out how to disconnect the e-brake from the MC. If anyone has this procedure I sure would appreciate the info.

Thanks

Ed Clark

[Curly]

Loosen the cable adjustment (or completely remove it) at the point where the the short cable from the handbrake lever connects with the long cable that connects to the calipers. You'll find it under the car beneath the centre of the rear seat area. You will then have enough slack in the long cable to pull the cable ends out of the levers on the back of the calipers and then you can remove the outer cable ends from the socket they sit in as well.
Anti-clockwise is the correct direction to undo the bleeders .

[ventura ace]

After rounding the bleeding screw on the passenger rear wheel on my sons 1978 Fiat 124 and fighting the screw with a pair of vice grips. I am assuming that the Italians do unscrew things counter clockwise. . . .

After getting bit with this scenario a few times back in my earlier years, I always use a correct size 6-point socket to loosen the bleeder screws before swapping to a closed end wrench for bleeding. The 6-point socket is less likely to round off the six-sided bleeder valve, and by using a socket and ratchet, I'm less likely to side load and break the bleeder valve off. I haven't rounded or broken one off in 30 years since I started using this technique.

Good luck with your project!

A

[mbouse]

agreed alvon. six point sockets and wrenches used to be the norm. lots less likely to slip on a worn fitting.

i prefer to use tubing wrenches whenever working on brakes. (five point wrenches). i think they are called flare nut wrenches.

[clarkedj]

Guys,

Thanks for the responses. I agree with the six point socket and that is what I use on the other three bleeders. This was the first screw I attempted ( i.e furthest from the MC ) and only thought of a socket wrench when the flat wrench would not work. Actually used a socket on this bleeder also after the initial incident. I just think it is really gunked up and therefore when I applied the socket this time there was not enough to grab and hold and continued to round.

Thanks for the e-brake should have thought of that last night when I was under.


Ed