Suspension questions

[shmoky]

I am new to this Fiat world. So please bear with me. I've been looking at the suspension and would like some clarification on one part and some of your expert knowledge on the other.
In this first picture is this the Panhard bar? I just want a clarification as I'm pretty sure it is.


In this pic what is the item I put the red line on? And what does it do?


Thank you and I WILL have a lot more questions later.

shmoky

[micbrody]

1) blue is pan hard rod

2) red bar is bar that actuates brake compensator device close to the rear right wheel. There are huge discussions of brake compensator; but the simple explanation is under hard braking, the car's weight shifts to the front wheels, and weight is taken off of the rear wheels. Without compensator, all wheels would be locked up; with compensator, as weight on rear axle is diminished during hard braking, the rear axle will functionally sag relative to the frame of car; this sag moves the "red bar" which actuates the brake compensator, cutting off hydralic pressure to rear calipers, allowing rear wheels to spin, thus maintaining contact with road . This will theoretically lesson the chance of loosing control of the rear end


If everything is functioning, be sure to jack up rear axle when bleeding rear brake lines. If you lift car just by acorn (differential), the axle will sag, causing the hydraulic line to be shut off (no bleeding of brake fluids possible).

Mine was disconnected by previous owner and bypassed. Many people have bypassed this compensator valve. Many differing opinions as to how important this device is.

[shmoky]

Thanks for the reply. That helps a lot. Guess I will just leave it alone for now.

shmoky

[vandor]

"red bar is bar that actuates brake compensator device on rear right wheel."

He meant to say that it is close to the right wheel. It is mounted on the body by the rear wheel, above the panhard rod mount.

[DieselSpider]

And if you do not lift the car by the differential and place jack stands on either end of the axle tube you will have trouble bleeding the rear brakes. You do not want to lift the car so that its supported by the body and the rear axle is just hanging. In that situation the brake compensator will be basically in the airborn position shutting off fluid flow to the rear brakes. The thinking is that you don't want to jump over a heave in the road and land with the rear brakes locked up or have the weight transfer to the front during heavy braking and have the rear end skid on locked brakes and swing around past you.

Never get under the car with just a floor jack supporting it. A member of another forum I frequent just lost his father that way. Something he had done many times so it was a quick fix so he skipped the jack stands since it was only going to take a moment and then he was gone.

[v6spider]

The brake compensator adjusts braking pressure according to load on the rear axle. These are very minor adjustments btw..by design the rear calipers are smaller than the front calipers and most vehicles are designed in this way..too much braking power in the rear will cause the rear end to slide around to the forward direction in a lock up situation..

Rob