Update on 128 brake pedal travel

carl

True Classic
In previous posts I had wondered about the long pedal travel of my brake pedal. As noted by some of you, rear brake bedding in and adjustment has a big effect. I have yet to drive it on the street (no tags yet) but did notice the handbrake lever was set with six or seven clicks and the manual calls for no more than four. I tightened up the cable to four clicks and it seems to make a noticeable difference. Also, I didn't think the 128 rear drums had any adjustment mechanism like the star wheels on most other drum brakes but the manual set forth that those fiber washers are what holds the shoes in the proper adjusted position.

I sold one of my spiders and this allows me to register and tag the little beast so I can get her on the road in a week or so.

carl
 
Adjusting the handbrake affected pedal travel?

Nice! I'm glad you're on the way to a normal pedal feel.

I'm also glad to know there's a shoe adjustment in the rear brakes. :)

Good news all around, Carl. Congrats!
 
128 rear brakes

If the brake shoes are worn, then the rear brake cylinders have to push their pistons out that much further before the shoes engage the drum during braking. The shoe auto-adjusters (same as on 850's) then hold the shoes out at/near that "new" location. With this happening, the small handbrake engagement levers (1 per drum) also have to be pulled out further before they contact the brake shoes & then engage the drum, which is why you need to pull up more on the handbrake lever before it will hold the car in place.

You can make up for this extra "slack" by adjusting the nut/s on the e-brake cable center link where the cable hooks up with the handbrake lever rod under the car. Those extra 2-3 clicks needed on your handbrake lever are simply due to the brake shoes being worn down enough to warrant cable/rod adjustment - that's just regular maintenance. Or...replace the shoes if needed. :)
 
rear brakes

Actually, on my car, it's a case of totally rebuilt brakes, new drums, shoes and hardware but no road time so bedding in is the problem...I think.

carl
 
I just sorted the rear brakes on my 128 wagon, the adjusters were all effed up, friction washers in wrong, circlips bent, worn pads, etc. Got it all right and it's perfect. I recall this from my first 850 in 1975; its adjusters were screwed up too, but once I got the right parts it works, exactly as Fiat intended. It looks to the casual eye like it shouldn't work, but it does.

Andrew
 
Just takes some miles

Now that I have started driving the car the brakes are acting more normal without excessive pedal travel. Apparently the pads and shoes just needed bedding in.

carl
 
Back
Top