Brake job

Maintenance advice to keep your Spider in shape.
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Brake job

Post by rjkoop »

I'm rebuilding the front brakes on my '81.

Image

I was looking at this guide.

http://repair-manuals.blogspot.ca/2013/ ... guide.html

When I took my brake apart I was missing one of the cotter pins but I also didn't have the locking spring (Figure. 5 in the link above) on either side. Should I have these on my '81 brakes or at there some years that didn't have these?

Also even after lubing everything up I found it really hard/impossible to fit the brake pads back in with the spring clips attached on each end of the brake pad (see my picture above). If I don't use the clips on the brake pads they fit in fine but not tight. Is there a trick? I assume I need 2 springs per pad... one on each end? Althought I did see this - https://www.autoricambi.us/product/BR0- ... ---1980on/ - and was wondering if there should be 1 spring per pad which seems weird to me. Or maybe I have to file down the slide points and the brake pad itself. Are these clips necessary on the brake pads? I've never used these before on other cars.
User avatar
rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: Brake job

Post by rjkoop »

Alright. After some more reading figured out that...
1. There is only one spring per pad on the lower side - the PO installed 2 per pad - must have been really tight!
2. I don't need these - https://www.autoricambi.us/product/BR0- ... --1968-79/ - because I have an '81.
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81SPIDERMATT
Posts: 1239
Joined: Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:10 pm
Your car is a: 1981 spider 2000
Location: FORT COLLINS, CO

Re: Brake job

Post by 81SPIDERMATT »

that is correct.... smaller springs..one per pad ... you should find a replacement cotter pin though ....
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rjkoop
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:45 am
Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Re: Brake job

Post by rjkoop »

Done front brakes. Wasn't too bad once I realized that only one clip was required on brake pad although PO used 2 per pad. Also the clips were a bit of a pain to get back in. I essentially inserted one side and pushed the other side in with a punch and then pushed it back until the ends went through the proper holes.

I'll post a few pics in case it helps others when doing theirs.

Image

Image

Now to the back brakes while I'm still waiting for proper sized timing belt.
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