Renewing rear brake pads. What size spanners? Do you have to remove console?

[Taff D]

Hi

I have to replace rear brake pads and it seems straight forward except for a few things. Haynes says you have to release the handbrake and therefore remove centre console, do you really have to do this? Apart from that it seems okay, but I only have a 15mm brake pipe spanner which seems rather thick. Online suggests you need a thin 15mm to hold guide pins still and 13mm to remove guide pin bolts. Also I only have a pair of circlip pliers to adjust caliper, I hope this hayne hint works.

Regards

Taff

 

[sportquattro]

I think youll find when they say release the hand brake they mean just that i.e. not have the handbrake lever in the up positon as opposed to disconnecting the hand brake, I've recently done my S3 rear brakes and used variety of spanners, allen keys and large lump hammer to get the disks off the hub

 

[Taff D]

Cheers sportquattro going to give it a go now.

Taff

 

[<tuffty/>]

You don't need to touch the handbrake cable to replace rear pads...

Just undo the two 13mm bolts holding the caliper to the carrier (leave the carrier attached to the beam), wind the pistin in using a suitable tool and plonk the pads on the carrier... replace the caliper, use new bolts (normally supplied with the pads) and job done..

<tuffty/>

 

[Paradox1]

You don't need to touch the handbrake cable to replace rear pads...

Just undo the two 13mm bolts holding the caliper to the carrier (leave the carrier attached to the beam), wind the pistin in using a suitable tool and plonk the pads on the carrier... replace the caliper, use new bolts (normally supplied with the pads) and job done..

<tuffty/>

open the brake fluid tank when winding the pistons back!!

 

[Taff D]

Cheers, have car up on axle stand but didn't get caliper tool. I thought I'd try haynes tip with circlip pliers. Doesn't work. Now I have to wait for the wife to get home so I can nip down to halfords to get a £35 tool. So much for saving money! And probably lose a whole days leave!

Taff

 

[Paradox1]

I got my caliper piston tool off ebay for about 15 quid. bit too late now but you know lol. or you could borrow one from a mate....

 

[<tuffty/>]

Yeah... seems the later VAG calipers don't like the pliers trick of winding in the piston... was sat on my **** for 30mins trying on my S3 before I borrowed the tool from Bill and it took less than a minute...

<tuffty/>

 

[Taff D]

Cheers, got tool last night, woke up this morning and it is ******* down! Will have to leave it until weather gets better. Could have got one off ebay. Will have to use the wife's car for work.

Oh well.

 

[Taff D]

All finished. o/s caliper extremely hard to get back in almost out all the way it was a real struggle to actually get the tool to fit in. n/s no problem at all took minutes.

Cheers all