Dobbin
Faithful Steed
I just had occasion to do this on my 2003 VW Golf. What I describe here is my experience with this necessary, but not necessarily technically involved procedure.
Note that this procedure is for the FRONT only on this car. The rear is similar except you need a way beyond a C-clamp to compress the caliper (the piston needs to be rotated in addition to compression to release the emergency brake ratchet as you compress/retract the piston.)
You'll need some way to jack up a wheel at a time on your car. A regular bumper jack MIGHT be enough to make it happen, but you may feel more secure with a more substantial jack or hoist (or better a pair of them.)
Never EVER get under a car with a single point of support. A recent death of a retired major league ballplayer after he was pinned under his pickup serves as example of the hazard of this sort of activity - and the foolishness of doing so, since the solution may be as simple as putting the removed tire/wheel "underneath" the car to stop the car from coming down on top of you.
First of all, you'll want to go to an auto parts store ahead of time and purchase rotors and pads to fit your car. Mostly you can just go into the store and tell them the brand and year and he can pick off the shelf what you'll need to complete the job. VWs have played some games with rotor/pad combinations and he sold them to me with the disclaimer - trust, but verify. But he also said bring them back if they're not right and we'll set you up.
Most retailers have two or three levels of "quality" for rotors and pads. Top echelon (and price) is frequently OEM. Middle is a nearly equivalent aftermarket (and frequently a reboxed OEM) and the lowest quality and price are the El cheapo - which are likely sourced from China and are marketed for the "used car" aftermarket where the used car dealer puts the minimum into the car before the sale. I recommend the middle or upper tier of parts quality. You're already saving on the labor - and who wants to do the job twice when your first el cheapo disk warps almost immediately and you get vibration or thumping on stop? My experience with the VW was that the original disks were made in Mexico - and got 80K miles. The new Federal Mogul disks were made in the US and appeared to be a much better product.
Cars today can be either "wear sensing" pads or "non-wear sensing." The difference for the wear sensing pads is one of the pads contains a wire which connects via a small jack to your car computer. When the pad wears down to the point were the electrical connection is "broken" inside the pad, this is when the computer tells you need new pads. Get the proper pads. "Wear sensing" pads are perhaps a dollar above non-sensing pads.
Also get a can of "BrakeKleen" which is a spray can of a solvent which cuts oil and grease, and yet dries "clean." You'll use this to clean the pads and rotors to get your grubby fingerprints off them as you assemble the units. Chatter of brake pads begins at DAY ONE when you leave grease on the pad. A little slippage causes localized wear which causes a little slippage - you see the snowballing. Start out clean and grease free.
Also get a small tube of "caliper brake grease" which is very tacky adhesive waterproof grease. Each of the 'touch points' of the pads into their caliper will be greased with this along with the studs the caliper rides on. (keeps everything "moving" and supposedly doesn't attract abrasive dust from the pads than can make the caliper hang up.
Also get a small tube of "Red LockTite" which will glue your safety critical fasteners in place so they can't come undone while you drive.
Now to start. I'll describe one wheel but you can do both at once (more time effective) if you can jack up both sides at once.
Jack up your car a smidge to lift the wheel, but not remove it from the ground.
Using your lug nut wrench, loosen the lug nuts.
Now raise the wheel off the ground and continue removing the lug nuts and wheel.
Once the brake disk is exposed, find two plastic "covers" which cover the mounting studs for the brake caliper. Remove these covers. (you may find grease underneath them so don't get them dirty - put them somewhere clean and out of the way.)
Using a 7mm allen wrench, remove the two studs holding the caliper to the backing plate. As the second stud is removed, be prepared to "catch" the caliper before it heads to the ground and tears itself off of the hydraulic hose.
With the caliper removed and still attached to its hose, find a way to fasten the caliper up so it won't be in your way, and won't start heading for the floor again.
If the pads are the ones with the wear sensor, disconnect the wires by unplugging the connector. You need to be careful to not pull too hard on the wires. A small screwdriver in "pry" mode may help the connector come apart. Clean the exterior of the connector.
Once the caliper is off the backing plate and the rotor is fully exposed, you can remove the rotor. Usually rotors either just slip on over the wheel studs or are possibly held with one rather small phillips or allen headed screw. Remove and save the screw, then remove the rotor.
Unbox your new rotor and VERIFY to be sure it seems the same as the old one. Check diameter, number of holes for wheel studs, depression configuration of the center hole, etc. Examine carefully. Now is the time to stop, put it all back together again and get the right rotor at the store.
Meanwhile, be CAREFUL of that new rotor. It's newly machined and all the edges are SHARP and can cut you. Use a pair of work gloves if you're so inclined.
Now turn your attention to the caliper.
First thing is to use a large C-clamp to "retract" the caliper (widen the space between the pads) The C-clamp can reach from the inner surface of one pad, over the cylinder, to the outside of the cylinder opposite.
Failing in having a large C-clamp, some VERY strong people may be able to "push" the hydraulic piston back into the housing by hand. Two pry-bars used "back to back" may work also. The object being simply to move the operating piston back as far as it will go.
Once the piston is retracted, remove the old pads by pulling them away from the stationary and moving parts of the caliper. You'll see the pads are held by small metal clips on the backsides.
Once the pads are removed, CHECK and COMPARE the old pads to the new pads to be sure you have bought the right thing. Notice there may be different metal clips between the "inner" pad and the "outer" pad. Your new pads should show a similar (or equivalent) difference. Also note that the pad wear detector wires are quite slender and can break if you're not careful.
Clean the new pads using the BrakeKleen and a rag. You'll see a dark stain flush off the pad from the manufacturiing process as you flush it with the BrakeKleen.
Without touching the pad surfaces with your bare fingers, put the new pads in place as you removed the old ones except you'll have to "guide" the metal tabs into place with your fingers. (They don't push in without a little help - and this is easier said than done. You can re-clean the pad faces once in place if you touched them.)
Now get an electric drill with a wire brush, or a "real" grinder/brush, or a hand brush to clean the rust off of the backing plate/housing horns where the caliper/pads touch it. Get it pretty clean and use a putty knife, chisel or other means to remove loose flakes of rust or dirt. Anywhere those pads OR the caliper touch the frame should be cleaned off.
You now want to apply some of the grease/lubricant to each part of the caliper frame where you cleaned.
Also clean up the two studs that hold the caliper to the backing plate and give them a coat of grease on the parts where the caliper slides. Don't get grease on the threaded portion though, as you want to give them a small dab of LockTite or other thread adhesive just prior to assembly.
Now mount the brake rotor to the hub using the single small bolt (if you have one) Clean the rotor when in place or before using the BrakeKleen and a rag. (leave no fingerprints!)
Put the caliper over the rotor and guide the "lower" ears of the caliper/pad onto the lowermost horn of the backing plate/frame. Then "tilt in" the caliper so the upper pad/caliper touches it's upper horn. At this point you should be able to put in the studs (don't forget the Locktite) and screw them home.
Put the caps back on the rubber plugs covering the caliper studs. Refasten any hydraulic line restraints or clips. Plug the wear sensor into it's plug/harness and make sure this is all back in it's restraints or clips (you don't want to leave this wire "flapping" in the breeze to fatigue the wire and cause premature indication of brake wear.)
Once everything is back in place, and the car is on the ground, get in and start it. (I start it because of the ABS interaction.) Then "pump" the brakes a few times until you get a "solid" feel from the brake pedal. Two or three pumps should do it. If not you have more serious problems - like a brake fluid leak.
Now back the car out of the garage keeping in mind you haven't tested these brakes - yet. Carefully drive it out onto the road and VERIFY that your brakes work consistantly before you totally rely on them. If you see the brake wear indicator light "off" then you have a clue that you perhaps have done this thing correctly.
If you don't get consistant performance of the brakes, don't bother to drive home. Simply drive CAREFULLY to the nearest garage you trust, park it, and expect to pay them to straighten things out. If you've followed these instructions and saw no other issues during execution, the corrections should be pretty easy and probably amount to a cocked pad/caliper, or something easily corrected. Even a hydraulic leak is not a big deal for the garage, as long as it isn't the caliper itself. If it is the caliper, expect to buy a new or rebuilt caliper (less than $100 normally) and have them install it if you're not up to bleeding brakes. (which is a challenge of a different - but not insurmountable sort.)
Now the reward. For me, the pads and rotors and supplies cost about $90. Labor, expect 4 hours to do the job but it will take less if you've done it before (I hadn't.)
From VW, parts were quoted at $189 and labor would have been $325.
So I did for less than a hundred what VW would have wanted $514.
Pretty satisfactory afternoon's work, I'd say.
Joe
Note that this procedure is for the FRONT only on this car. The rear is similar except you need a way beyond a C-clamp to compress the caliper (the piston needs to be rotated in addition to compression to release the emergency brake ratchet as you compress/retract the piston.)
You'll need some way to jack up a wheel at a time on your car. A regular bumper jack MIGHT be enough to make it happen, but you may feel more secure with a more substantial jack or hoist (or better a pair of them.)
Never EVER get under a car with a single point of support. A recent death of a retired major league ballplayer after he was pinned under his pickup serves as example of the hazard of this sort of activity - and the foolishness of doing so, since the solution may be as simple as putting the removed tire/wheel "underneath" the car to stop the car from coming down on top of you.
First of all, you'll want to go to an auto parts store ahead of time and purchase rotors and pads to fit your car. Mostly you can just go into the store and tell them the brand and year and he can pick off the shelf what you'll need to complete the job. VWs have played some games with rotor/pad combinations and he sold them to me with the disclaimer - trust, but verify. But he also said bring them back if they're not right and we'll set you up.
Most retailers have two or three levels of "quality" for rotors and pads. Top echelon (and price) is frequently OEM. Middle is a nearly equivalent aftermarket (and frequently a reboxed OEM) and the lowest quality and price are the El cheapo - which are likely sourced from China and are marketed for the "used car" aftermarket where the used car dealer puts the minimum into the car before the sale. I recommend the middle or upper tier of parts quality. You're already saving on the labor - and who wants to do the job twice when your first el cheapo disk warps almost immediately and you get vibration or thumping on stop? My experience with the VW was that the original disks were made in Mexico - and got 80K miles. The new Federal Mogul disks were made in the US and appeared to be a much better product.
Cars today can be either "wear sensing" pads or "non-wear sensing." The difference for the wear sensing pads is one of the pads contains a wire which connects via a small jack to your car computer. When the pad wears down to the point were the electrical connection is "broken" inside the pad, this is when the computer tells you need new pads. Get the proper pads. "Wear sensing" pads are perhaps a dollar above non-sensing pads.
Also get a can of "BrakeKleen" which is a spray can of a solvent which cuts oil and grease, and yet dries "clean." You'll use this to clean the pads and rotors to get your grubby fingerprints off them as you assemble the units. Chatter of brake pads begins at DAY ONE when you leave grease on the pad. A little slippage causes localized wear which causes a little slippage - you see the snowballing. Start out clean and grease free.
Also get a small tube of "caliper brake grease" which is very tacky adhesive waterproof grease. Each of the 'touch points' of the pads into their caliper will be greased with this along with the studs the caliper rides on. (keeps everything "moving" and supposedly doesn't attract abrasive dust from the pads than can make the caliper hang up.
Also get a small tube of "Red LockTite" which will glue your safety critical fasteners in place so they can't come undone while you drive.
Now to start. I'll describe one wheel but you can do both at once (more time effective) if you can jack up both sides at once.
Jack up your car a smidge to lift the wheel, but not remove it from the ground.
Using your lug nut wrench, loosen the lug nuts.
Now raise the wheel off the ground and continue removing the lug nuts and wheel.
Once the brake disk is exposed, find two plastic "covers" which cover the mounting studs for the brake caliper. Remove these covers. (you may find grease underneath them so don't get them dirty - put them somewhere clean and out of the way.)
Using a 7mm allen wrench, remove the two studs holding the caliper to the backing plate. As the second stud is removed, be prepared to "catch" the caliper before it heads to the ground and tears itself off of the hydraulic hose.
With the caliper removed and still attached to its hose, find a way to fasten the caliper up so it won't be in your way, and won't start heading for the floor again.
If the pads are the ones with the wear sensor, disconnect the wires by unplugging the connector. You need to be careful to not pull too hard on the wires. A small screwdriver in "pry" mode may help the connector come apart. Clean the exterior of the connector.
Once the caliper is off the backing plate and the rotor is fully exposed, you can remove the rotor. Usually rotors either just slip on over the wheel studs or are possibly held with one rather small phillips or allen headed screw. Remove and save the screw, then remove the rotor.
Unbox your new rotor and VERIFY to be sure it seems the same as the old one. Check diameter, number of holes for wheel studs, depression configuration of the center hole, etc. Examine carefully. Now is the time to stop, put it all back together again and get the right rotor at the store.
Meanwhile, be CAREFUL of that new rotor. It's newly machined and all the edges are SHARP and can cut you. Use a pair of work gloves if you're so inclined.
Now turn your attention to the caliper.
First thing is to use a large C-clamp to "retract" the caliper (widen the space between the pads) The C-clamp can reach from the inner surface of one pad, over the cylinder, to the outside of the cylinder opposite.
Failing in having a large C-clamp, some VERY strong people may be able to "push" the hydraulic piston back into the housing by hand. Two pry-bars used "back to back" may work also. The object being simply to move the operating piston back as far as it will go.
Once the piston is retracted, remove the old pads by pulling them away from the stationary and moving parts of the caliper. You'll see the pads are held by small metal clips on the backsides.
Once the pads are removed, CHECK and COMPARE the old pads to the new pads to be sure you have bought the right thing. Notice there may be different metal clips between the "inner" pad and the "outer" pad. Your new pads should show a similar (or equivalent) difference. Also note that the pad wear detector wires are quite slender and can break if you're not careful.
Clean the new pads using the BrakeKleen and a rag. You'll see a dark stain flush off the pad from the manufacturiing process as you flush it with the BrakeKleen.
Without touching the pad surfaces with your bare fingers, put the new pads in place as you removed the old ones except you'll have to "guide" the metal tabs into place with your fingers. (They don't push in without a little help - and this is easier said than done. You can re-clean the pad faces once in place if you touched them.)
Now get an electric drill with a wire brush, or a "real" grinder/brush, or a hand brush to clean the rust off of the backing plate/housing horns where the caliper/pads touch it. Get it pretty clean and use a putty knife, chisel or other means to remove loose flakes of rust or dirt. Anywhere those pads OR the caliper touch the frame should be cleaned off.
You now want to apply some of the grease/lubricant to each part of the caliper frame where you cleaned.
Also clean up the two studs that hold the caliper to the backing plate and give them a coat of grease on the parts where the caliper slides. Don't get grease on the threaded portion though, as you want to give them a small dab of LockTite or other thread adhesive just prior to assembly.
Now mount the brake rotor to the hub using the single small bolt (if you have one) Clean the rotor when in place or before using the BrakeKleen and a rag. (leave no fingerprints!)
Put the caliper over the rotor and guide the "lower" ears of the caliper/pad onto the lowermost horn of the backing plate/frame. Then "tilt in" the caliper so the upper pad/caliper touches it's upper horn. At this point you should be able to put in the studs (don't forget the Locktite) and screw them home.
Put the caps back on the rubber plugs covering the caliper studs. Refasten any hydraulic line restraints or clips. Plug the wear sensor into it's plug/harness and make sure this is all back in it's restraints or clips (you don't want to leave this wire "flapping" in the breeze to fatigue the wire and cause premature indication of brake wear.)
Once everything is back in place, and the car is on the ground, get in and start it. (I start it because of the ABS interaction.) Then "pump" the brakes a few times until you get a "solid" feel from the brake pedal. Two or three pumps should do it. If not you have more serious problems - like a brake fluid leak.
Now back the car out of the garage keeping in mind you haven't tested these brakes - yet. Carefully drive it out onto the road and VERIFY that your brakes work consistantly before you totally rely on them. If you see the brake wear indicator light "off" then you have a clue that you perhaps have done this thing correctly.
If you don't get consistant performance of the brakes, don't bother to drive home. Simply drive CAREFULLY to the nearest garage you trust, park it, and expect to pay them to straighten things out. If you've followed these instructions and saw no other issues during execution, the corrections should be pretty easy and probably amount to a cocked pad/caliper, or something easily corrected. Even a hydraulic leak is not a big deal for the garage, as long as it isn't the caliper itself. If it is the caliper, expect to buy a new or rebuilt caliper (less than $100 normally) and have them install it if you're not up to bleeding brakes. (which is a challenge of a different - but not insurmountable sort.)
Now the reward. For me, the pads and rotors and supplies cost about $90. Labor, expect 4 hours to do the job but it will take less if you've done it before (I hadn't.)
From VW, parts were quoted at $189 and labor would have been $325.
So I did for less than a hundred what VW would have wanted $514.
Pretty satisfactory afternoon's work, I'd say.
Joe
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