Mk4 Brake Replacement

Rear Brakes

The rear brakes work a little differently, you'll have to take the calipers apart to get the pads out.

Step 1: Take the caliper apart, hold the nut with a 15mm wrench, the wrench may be a little wide, but that can be fixed.

Step 2: With the caliper apart you can easily get the pads out and remove and replace the rotor. It doesn't hurt to clean things up a little.

Step 3: Compress the rear piston, this is quite the job. Again you must make sure the cap is off the brake reservoir, and keep an eye on the level as it will back up and possibily overflow. Use the turkey baster trick if this is about to happen.You need a VW special tool or this little thingy The Wizard picked up at Princess Auto (it's also available at Parts Source on Merivale). You turn the piston clockwise while pushing in, you'll eventually feel it catch on some threads and move in. If after a few turns it hasn't caught, back it out 1/4 to 1/2 a turn and try again. Push really hard and it'll eventually go.

Step 4: Put the new rotor on, and reattach the rotor screw.

Step 5: Apply the brake be quiet on the pads.

Step 6: Place the pad clips in place on the caliper and place the pads in their positions.

Step 7: Swing the back half of the caliper up and into place. The springs on the back edge of the pads should be pushing the pads away from the calipers. You can see in this pic one of the springs popped out the back of the caliper, just open it up again and position it properly.

Step 8: Work the handbrake until the rear pistons have adjusted, keep spinning the rotor until the pads are slightly making contact without the brake on.

Step 9: Pump the brakes a few times to make sure the pads a sitting right.

Finish >