Brake Pad

Replacing Vw Ceramic Brake Pads, Removing Calipers

Bringing your VW car to a mechanic will give you less hustle in labor. Replacing your deteriorated brake part may be very labor intensive. But for car owners who want to save money for an auto repair, doing it yourself is the answer, regardless of the labor and time it will incur you.

A guide, like this, for replacing your VW ceramic brake pads and removing calipers will help.

First, you will need materials such as wrenches, jack, jack stands, wire brush, screwdriver or pry bar, pliers or vise grips, hammer, large C-clamp, high-temperature lubricant, latex gloves, and of course, new brake pads.

Gather together all those mentioned tools and supplies before you begin. Allow plenty of time to do the job so you don not have to hurry and cram. Safety is important whenever you are working around machinery. So, beware of hot objects, sharp instruments and hazardous materials. Though economizing in terms of money is your goal, do not substitute tools unless you are sure you will not compromise either your safety or the performance of your vehicle. Say for instance, never work on a vehicle that is only supported by a jack. Use jack stands to support the vehicle while you are working. Work on a solid and level surface. Never jack a car up on dirt or grass. Do one wheel at a time so you can use the other wheel as a reference in case you get confused. Check for any fluid leaks or cracked brake lines. If there is any, replace them as necessary.

Brake linings contain asbestos. Avoid creating or breathing dust when changing the linings or cleaning the parts. Use water to wash down the brakes before starting and wear gloves to avoid prolonged contact with your skin. Any contact of these materials to your skin may have bad effects.

To finally start, remove about half the brake fluid from the master cylinder and put it into a sealed container. Dispose it off properly. Do not reuse old brake fluid. Always use fresh brake fluid from a sealed container. Brake fluid messes up with paint so do not get it on your vehicles finish. If you do, wash it off with plenty of water. After all, brake fluid is water soluble.

Using a lug wrench, crack the wheel lugs. You need to loose one or two turns. Do not remove them completely. Jack one side of the vehicle up and support it with a jack stand. Do the same for the opposite side. Remove the lugs and then take the wheels off.

You might ask yourself how to remove the calipers. Listed are the steps on how to.

For the floating caliper, remove the two caliper guide pins or bolts. Look at the locations and positions of any bushings or guides so that they can be reinstalled properly. Rock the caliper back and forth to push the piston back enough to slide the caliper off. The floating caliper is now ready to be removed. By using a large C-clamp, push on the inboard pad to move the piston back into the caliper. Do it slow and steady. If you did not remove half the brake fluid, make an appointment to have your vehicle repainted.

Another type is the sliding caliper.

A support key or retaining clip holds the caliper to the caliper bridge. Remove the retaining bolt or screw holding the key. Then, drive the key out with an appropriate tool. Note the position of any springs or clips before you remove them. The retainers will simply lift off. Observe and note the position of the retainers before you remove them. After this, the sliding caliper is now ready to be removed. Through the use of a large C-clamp, push on the inboard pad to move the piston back into the caliper. Do it slow and steady. If you did not remove half the brake fluid, make an appointment to have your vehicle repainted.

The sliding caliper can also be removed by separating the pads from the caliper. The inner pad must be clipped to the piston. The outer pad may be pinned, clipped or pressed tightly on the caliper. Some pads may remain on the adapter or anchor when the caliper is already removed.

Clean the caliper mounting surfaces with a wire brush and remove all the rust and dirt. The sliding surfaces must be as clean as possible for proper brake operation. You need to wet down the area with water to prevent dust from sticking. Allow parts to dry.

Fixed Caliper, on the other hand, can be removed by removing the caliper mounting bolts only if the pads will not come out the back of the caliper. Push back the piston before removing the old pads. Again, if half the brake fluid was not removed, make an appointment to have your vehicle repainted.

Check the rotor or disc for scores, rusting or pitting. It is recommended that the rotors be resurfaced to remove any imperfections and true up the braking surface to prevent brake pulsations. Then, remove the pads from the calipers and remove any pins or retainers. Push pads back and pull them out.

You are done replacing your VW ceramic brake pads and removing calipers. Labor intensive, but money saving.

About the Author

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

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