I'm planning for my newly acquired 1981 Fiat 2000's first ever brake job. The brake system is entirely original, 56k miles. The mechanic has already told me I need new rotors and pads and lines; I've acquired those (including stainless lines). He thought the calipers looked OK, but I don't think he got a great look at them. He pretty much just said that "sliders are pretty bomb-proof." I am not sure I really know enough to have an opinion.
What else (if anything) brake-related should I have him look at and/or replace? The brakes felt very soft to me, though god knows when the last time the fluid was flushed. I am mostly wondering if there is anything I should count on replacing (and thus should order in advance) given that he is going to be replacing, at least, the rotors/pads/lines. Are there other parts of the system that I should just assume are bad (or that I should have him more carefully inspect), like brake booster, etc.?
First brake job--what do replace?
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Barjavel
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2021 12:43 pm
- Your car is a: 1981 Fiat 2000
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Online18Fiatsandcounting
- Posts: 3798
- Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:23 pm
- Your car is a: 1969 and 1971 124 spiders
- Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Re: First brake job--what do replace?
Given the age of the car, I'd recommend also putting new seals in all 4 calipers. When bleeding the brakes, use lots of new brake fluid to flush out the old stuff. At least a quart.
If it were me, I'd also replace the rear brake compensator (regulator). While a bit tricky to remove, new ones are pretty cheap.
Unless you have reason to believe that the brake booster is bad, I'd leave that alone for now.
As for the "sliders" (known as wedges), clean and polish those until the metal is bright and shiny and smooth and then put a light coat of brake caliper grease on them before reassembly. This is a special grease for this purpose, although some folks just apply regular wheel bearing grease. Any grease is better than none, but the special caliper grease lasts longer.
-Bryan
If it were me, I'd also replace the rear brake compensator (regulator). While a bit tricky to remove, new ones are pretty cheap.
Unless you have reason to believe that the brake booster is bad, I'd leave that alone for now.
As for the "sliders" (known as wedges), clean and polish those until the metal is bright and shiny and smooth and then put a light coat of brake caliper grease on them before reassembly. This is a special grease for this purpose, although some folks just apply regular wheel bearing grease. Any grease is better than none, but the special caliper grease lasts longer.
-Bryan