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VW brake problems


Guest fooked

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Guest fooked

Hopefully you VW guys can help me out here.

 

I'm trying to replace my rear rotors and pads on a 96 Golf (not Vr6). I can't get the bolts off the back of the caliper assembly to save my life. They are round and take a 8mm hex head socket. Well, the bolt are so rusted and soft that I tore them up immediately. I have no idea how in the world I'm going to get them off of there.

 

In the mean time I figured I would at least put the new pads on there. I used a tool on a socket wrench to spin the piston back into the caliper. My Haynes manual say to either use a special tool or a set of needle nose pliers. Well, the piston just spins and spins, but the piston does not go back into the caliper. I turned the damn thing forever. I figured that maybe the caliper was damaged, so I put the whole thing back together and tried the other side. The was way more pad left on the other side, and it looked pretty good. I took the caliper off and tried to spin the piston back into it. Same deal. The thing spins and spins and will not thread back in. My service manual does not indicate that I have to do anything else. I had the cap off the resevoir and turned the piston clockwise.

 

Anyone have any idea what is going on? Or does anyone know of any good Volkswagen forums I could check?

 

Thanks.

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I've had that problem with stripped caliper bolts before...what I did to get it out was weld another bolt to the stripped bolt and turn the new one out. Basically what you need to do is find a bolt with threads that will fit inside the 8mm head head bolt, weld it up, and put your socket on the new one. A can of PB Blaster and a small propane torch are always good to have too. As far as the caliper goes, use a C-clamp to push the piston in. The piston should turn as it's going in.

Brent

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Guest powers

Well in respose to problem number one. If the bolt is completely stripped out it might be hard. They do stripp easily. Spray spme free all on there leave it over night. Next get a pair of vise grips and try to grt thrm off that way. When I do this job I go straight for the vise gips as well as the hex socket use them both at the same time. It should come off. If not tap them bad boys.

 

And for your second problem. The e-brack is integrated into the calliper using a locking action with the piston. You have to turn and push at the same time. I have the tool that fits into the grooves on a vw audi calliper. Can't get them at most parts stores thay just don't have the right one. If you need to use it let me know and we can hook up.

 

If you are in need of any thing else just pm me.

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Guest fooked

Thanks for the responses guys! I'll have to give that a shot later this week and see if I can get that piston back in. I see what you are talking about now, but in my service manual it never said anthing about pushing the piston in as well as turning it.

 

I guess now I have to figure out why my rear drivers side had absolutely no pad left left and the rotor is in really bad shape. The passenger side rotor isn't nearly as bad and the pad looked pretty good. Do you think I have a bad caliper on the drivers side? Can I just buy a caliper rebuild kit from Napa or someone?

 

Thanks again for the help.

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Guest powers
I don't belive that they sell a rubuild kit for the rears. If you have to replace it they are not cheap. It could be that the caliper is bad or your carrier could be hung up. Clean all contact surfaces between that caliper and the carrier between the pad's and the carrier. And use caliper grease on any place metal touches metal. Put it all back together apply the brake. Making sure that pressure has built back up in the caliper. Let off the brake and both sides should spin freely. Next apply the ebrake making sure that rears lock up. Release and check to make sure that they released. If every thing is cool you shouldn't have any problems. Just so you know rear caliper hanging is kinda common on a vw. It's the ebrake portion that usually is the culprit.
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what year vw is it that you are woking on? sometimes the rear brakes are just bastards. odds are your ebrake stuck on that rear caliper and it got hosed for a little while and thats why it is damn near gone. and as for cranking the back ones back in the others are right about turning and pushing. if you need the vw tool let me know i have one at my dads house. if you have any general questions on rebuild kits or any of that shit give Jim grossman over at midstate auto a call he's usually a big help. at least for me.

 

Kyle G.

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Guest fooked

Looks like I'm going to need that tool. If someone can still lend/rent me one I'd appreciate it. I gotta get this damn thing fixed!

 

Thanks!

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