The infamous Rear Caliper challenge question, again!!

[Marmeister]

HELP PLEASE...

Replacing rear pads, rebuilding rear calipers, replacing rear rotors, master cylinder and emergency brake cable due to some braking problems - initially emergency cable barely stops one side and not the other (now doesn't stop either rear wheel), car pulls to the right under hard braking, and pedal seems to move slowly under constant pressure, then when quickly released and re-applied, the pedal pressure feels harder.

In any case.....really could use some help here.

Although referenced many times, the mirafiori article IS very helpful, but bypasses some specific (& essential) details. like how to remove the emergency cable off the caliper cam lever and more importantly, how to orient the plunger, the Pawl (metal wedge) and cam lever when re-assembling !! My comprehensive FIAT shop manual shows no better details...

And finally, the mirafiori article shows what appears to be 3 spring washers and a separate & different washer. The service manual shows 2 "disk springs" and 1 "thrust washer".

The one caliper I disassembled shows what appears to be 3 "spring"
or "disk" washers ( which look like 6 washers arranged as ...() () ().....and here's the kicker...NO THRUST WASHER !! So, 1) are they supposed to be 2 disk washers as per Service manual? Or 3 disk washers as per Miafiori article ? And
2) what happened to the THRUST WASHER on the caliper I disassembled - see pic?



Both rear calipers are supposed to have been purchased rebuilt before i got Luigi, but as I haven't removed other caliper, I don't know what the other caliper has in disk and thrust washers..
Can anyone answer my questions??

And does anyone have a pictorial or tutorial on how to re-assemble the rear calipers with all the important details???

Many thanks,

[4uall]

I feel your pain And to think I was going to replace my pads, rotors etc. Think I will wait until winter

This might help a little http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PqhlCwr584

[81SPIDERMATT]

the fact that you have only removed one is good... you can REALLY PAY ATTENTION to the second one and that will answer your question about orientation of the wedge....it is tricky but now you know what you are looking for when you take it apart. i did the same thing... the thrust washer was on one of mine and not the other also... just found one at the hardware store to match ...from your pic i think it goes all the way to the right of those spring washers. i think .... .. mine also had six on each.... the spring is not as bad as you think... it helps to slide the caliper up the cable and the spring is just sorta jammed in there .... i used a pair of pliers and grabbed one end of the spring and pulled it out.... hang in there .... walk away take a break have a smoke and then come back to it... you will be a rebuild pro on that particular caliper when you are done... all the stress will seem silly when it is back together.... hope this helps a little

[Marmeister]

Thanks Jay, Spidermatt,
Caliper rebuild on its own, I can handle. But its the ecable that complicates things and brings in the plunger, pawl, etc, etc. And there doesn't appear to be any videos on that! And although the other side wasn't removed yet, but since the emerg cable didn't work properly on that side too....I don't have a lot of confidence that it was done properly either!

Still need to sort out how many "disk"springs should be there and get a thrust washer- equivalent . Unfortunately won't know if its put together properly until its re-installed!!

Are there any mechanics in the Ottawa area that you guys know, are familiar with this step? I could just take the calipers for that part of the installation, if I don't get any further ahead.