Maintenance

Maintenance

Brake adjustment {Station Wagon)

Jack each wheel in turn after first chocking the remaining three wheels and releasing the handbrake. Depress the brake pedal so as to force the brake shoes against the drum and keeping the shoes in this position turn the adjuster nuts until they contact the shoes and then back the nuts 20 deg. This will correctly set the shoe to drum clearance which should be checked for binding by releasing the brake pedal and ensuring that the road wheel revolves freely. The operation should then be repeated on the other wheels. This adjustment will automatically set the handbrake.

Preventative maintenance

1. Thoroughly inspect the metal hydraulic fluid lines for rusting, cracking or flattening and that they are located away from any sharp edges which could cause a failure.

2. Check that the hydraulic flexible hoses are not contaminated with oil or grease which would destroy the rubber.
3. Ensure that all pipeline fastening clips are secure otherwise hydraulic line failure could occur due to cracking caused by excessive vibration.
4. Carefully clean all connections and inspect for hydraulic fluid leaks. Should any leaks be detected then the connections should be tightened taking very great care not to twist the pipes during this operation.
5. Ensure that the hydraulic fluid level in the reservoir is correctly filled up to the top of the filter using Fiat special 'Blue Label' brake fluid. Extra care must be taken to ensure that no fluid is spilled over the body paintwork, as this acts as a strong solvent.
6. Ensure that the play between the brake pedal pushrod and the master cylinder plunger is .019 inch. This will correspond to approximately .098 inch free pedal travel.

Never use any fluid but the recommended hydraulic fluid. Do not leave it in unsealed containers as it will absorb moisture which can be dangerous. It is best to discard fluid drained from the system or after a bleeding operation. Observe absolute cleanliness when working on all parts of the hydraulic system.