Where to get good quality brake pistons?

[PAULF]

I'm having more fun with my two 2.5TDi Qs, and their constantly sticking brakes.

On the Avant, I replaced both rear calipers using Audi bits, and both front calipers using bits from Brake Parts Superstore. This was over 6 months or so (as each one stuck!), completing the job about a year and a half ago. On my saloon, I replaced the two front calipers early this year.

Both cars had more issues with the front calipers sticking, in about May, and the saloon again now. I felt a little aggrieved that hers were failing after a year, and mine barely made six months!

Investigation showed the pistons on all four calipers had varying amounts of corrosion under the chroming, causing it the piston to stick. I did speak to the vendor, but to be fair, I had had them on too long to be able to blame the piston manufacture definitively, but I suspect his supplier is not chroming the pistons properly.
I've cleaned them up as best I can, but really I just want to change the pistons for good ones before I warp yet another set of discs, or ****** the good bearings I fitted to hers!.

Having had issues with other 'good' non-Audi parts that turn out to be cheap Chinese chocolate, who makes good quality brake pistons?

 

[aragorn]

I got mine from BiggRed. Cant comment on the quality as they've only been on for a month or two, but they seemed fine.

 

[PAULF]

That's the problem - they can look fine, and then six months to a year later, corrosion under the cheap plating comes through.

It's starting to look like All German and a new set of calipers - much to my annoyance!

 

[spartacus 68]

That's the problem - they can look fine, and then six months to a year later, corrosion under the cheap plating comes through.

It's starting to look like All German and a new set of calipers - much to my annoyance!

What's Audi main stealer like for exchange units?

I take it you used a little red grease under the dust sleeve before inserting the piston bore and pressing home? If the plating is poor, then there's probably not much you can do but replace them.

If you're in the market to upgrade... then this beauty is at Culloden Car Sales. I'm sure it's the same car that was at A96 Autostation a few weeks earlier.
Used Audi A4 Estate 1.9 Tdi 130 Quattro Sport 5dr | Culloden Car Sales

 

[PAULF]

Thanks, Spartacus,

I did grease them before fitment, I think it is just poor plating.

I got the rears from Aberdeen Audi, can't remember the price - around £150 each IIRC. The two sets of front ones were not cheap, but I can't remember now the price.

Jason, at All German has Bendix units at a good price but I'm loath to replace what is essentially 4 reasonably new front calipers - hence the search for pistons! (Been in Aberdeen too long!)

We were around your neck of the woods the other week - a weekend at Kildrummy Castle Hotel, and a run to the Alford Transport Museum. (The MkV Cortina with 93 miles on the clock nearly had me in tears - especially when one of the staff expressed interest in the three MkVs and 2-3 tons of spare I just binned)