Performance Brake Callipers

[MA3TDIQ]

Hi,

Recently i have noticed a burning smell from my offside front wheel when I get out the car. Also when braking i notice a juddering vibration in the steering wheel - particularly when driving along the motorway. I have done some reading and it sounds like i need to replace my brake callipers. Any recommendations?

I am keen to have performance ones - i have bought vented brake discs and pads - already added to car. bought those on CP4L.

Red ones would look nice..

 

[paddy]

Why do people never say what they are driving ?

 

[MA3TDIQ]

Apologies - A3 2.0 TDI Quattro S line

 

[paddy]

If they are the floating caliper type like the S3 then you may just need a bush kit for them ? they slide on rubber bushes that dont last forever

 

[MA3TDIQ]

Don't think there is anything fancy on the car re the callipers- just the standard stock ones. All i did was upgrade the brake discs and pads to performance ones

 

[paddy]

You can get a tyrol brake stiffening kit from AKS tuning thats supposed to be good ?i think that covers the 2.0 tdi

 

[MA3TDIQ]

excuse my ignorance here but how does a stiffening set help with a calliper which may be rusty and stuck??

I get the burning smell from the wheel when is stop driving which makes me think something is rubbing where it shouldn't - would I there not be better off replacing the callipers?

 

[desertstorm]

Either the sliders are stuck or the piston in the caliper is sticking. The sliders are easily replaced I believe these are probably the correct items.
A quick check to see if a brake is binding is to feel the centre of the wheel hub where the wheels bolts are, after you have pulled up after a trip longer than say 10 miniutes. The front wheels will be warmer than the rears and the temperature should be similar between the front wheels.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-...slider-pin-kits-bolts-S7022PQ-2-/332198719507
If the piston is sticking then best to fit a new caliper. The seal will have probably let water in and the bore gets rusty.
Usually performance calipers have larger discs and different pads so if you were to fit anything other than the OE caliper you would need to be buying new discs and pads again.

 

[paddy]

As desert says except if the pistons are rusty they too can be replaced for a fraction of the cost of new calipers.
the tyrol stiffening set replaces the parts that stick on a sliding caliper..

on the left an original slide rod and rubber bush, on the right a new rod and brass bush to replace the rubber

 

[paddy]

Tha caliper slides on these pins




Brass bushes fitted in the caliper so caliper frame can slide




These are the pistons, easy to replace, about a tenner with seals, these were ok anyway, just a little pitting outside the seal



seal kit for pistons

 

[desertstorm]

I have tried replacing seized pistons in calipers with mixed results. Quite often if they are seized the corrosion pits the bore and they will never be 100% again. I would prefer to replace the caliper, I know it's cheaper to replace the piston and it may work OK but I try not to cut corners on brakes.
You can get new Brembo or ATE calipers for around £80 or cheaper if you go for after market items.

 

[paddy]

Yes but corrosion on the bore is not that important, . as the piston seals between the new piston and the new seal, the piston surface is important the bore surface , not so much. anyway the guy will be looking at £1000 minimum for a decent pair of performance calipers and i was just offering a way forward by curing his problem and stiffening up he brake pedal for £150.00

 

[ab1702]

Hi,

Recently i have noticed a burning smell from my offside front wheel when I get out the car. Also when braking i notice a juddering vibration in the steering wheel - particularly when driving along the motorway. I have done some reading and it sounds like i need to replace my brake callipers. Any recommendations?

I am keen to have performance ones - i have bought vented brake discs and pads - already added to car. bought those on CP4L.

Red ones would look nice..

If you’re wanting some better callipers then fair enough, but if you’re only doing it because of this problem then I wouldn’t bother straight away and I’d just clean the brakes first if I were you.
I have the same car as you and have done mine recently as my handbrake got stuck on and you’ll be surprised at the amount of muck that builds up around the brakes and the slider pins.
Buy some brake/clutch cleaner and get some silicone grease which is easily bought from any plumbers shop.
Clean everything possible with the brake cleaner and then take the sliding pins out which just pull out when the bolts are taken out. Clean these pins and clean the insides if possible and then put some silicone grease on them, this grease can deal with the heat and should last quite a while. If you use for example copper grease on the sliding pins this dries up after a while and prevents them from sliding which means the brakes don’t release as good.
It’s definately worth a try as my brakes are definately better now I’ve done them all and if that doesn’t work for the wheel in question then replace the caliper. I would say though that those slider pins will probably definately need a clean and some fresh grease on them unless they’ve been done recently.

 

[MA3TDIQ]

Thanks for the advice guys, so if I take the wheel off can I detach the disc without draining all the brake fluid?

 

[SootySport]

Thanks for the advice guys, so if I take the wheel off can I detach the disc without draining all the brake fluid?

Unbolt the calliper and hang it on the front strut so you don’t strain the flexi brake pipe. You’ll then be able to remove the disc, just a small torx screw holding the disc to the hub but these can be seized up if the disc has not been off for years.
I wouldn’t use silicone grease on the sliding pins as it rots rubber over time, just use any grease you would also use for wheel bearings.

 

[samisnake]

I wouldn’t use silicone grease on the sliding pins as it rots rubber over time, just use any grease you would also use for wheel bearings.

Silicone grease is fine na?

 

[MA3TDIQ]

I had new discs and pads put on the start of the year- does this mean the problem could be due to something else? Something loose perhaps?

 

[ab1702]

Unbolt the calliper and hang it on the front strut so you don’t strain the flexi brake pipe. You’ll then be able to remove the disc, just a small torx screw holding the disc to the hub but these can be seized up if the disc has not been off for years.
I wouldn’t use silicone grease on the sliding pins as it rots rubber over time, just use any grease you would also use for wheel bearings.

Plumbers use silicone grease to lubricate rubber O rings etc so no it doesn’t rot rubber over time as it’s water based. Also advising someone to just use any grease is definately the wrong advise. If you use just any grease then it dries up over time and stops the pins from sliding. If you do some research then Silicone grease is the best type to use.

 

[paddy]

I just got another Tyrol set for mine. It does away with the rubber bushes and comes with its own grease. I am hoping it will cure the brake judder.



Personally i think using this set or the rubber set, grease is just going to attract brake dust, both pad and disc, and turn the grease into a grinding paste.
For this reason i wouldnt use grease. Also remember the brake temps will melt most grease types.

 

[SootySport]

Plumbers use silicone grease to lubricate rubber O rings etc so no it doesn’t rot rubber over time as it’s water based. Also advising someone to just use any grease is definately the wrong advise. If you use just any grease then it dries up over time and stops the pins from sliding. If you do some research then Silicone grease is the best type to use.

Sorry you are right, it’s petroleum jelly I was thinking of. Use lithium grease for the sliding pins, doesn't melt or go hard

 

[gpan]

I just bought these. Hope it’s as good as advertised!

I just got another Tyrol set for mine. It does away with the rubber bushes and comes with its own grease. I am hoping it will cure the brake judder.



Personally i think using this set or the rubber set, grease is just going to attract brake dust, both pad and disc, and turn the grease into a grinding paste.
For this reason i wouldnt use grease. Also remember the brake temps will melt most grease types.

 

[gpan]

Just bought the Tyrolsport brake caliper stiffening kit from AKS Tuning, UK.
Decent price, lightning quick shipping speed. Took it only a week to reach me in Singapore!

Workshop took 45mins to get this fitted, with me butting in most of the time :wacky

Though I already have SS lines installed, brakes now feel stiffer, subtle improvement though.

After mulling over this for months, I’m glad I did it.

 

[paddy]

Well done