Replacing Brake Pads
03-29-2007, 05:45 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Replacing Brake Pads
I'm looking into replacing my brake pads, so I'm just reviewing the Bentley manual.
It talks about setting caliper piston cutout alignment using special tool (which looks like some kind of flat plat with a 20 degree angle on it.
Can someone explain what this is and what they are talking about. They don't give any other detail on it.
It talks about setting caliper piston cutout alignment using special tool (which looks like some kind of flat plat with a 20 degree angle on it.
Can someone explain what this is and what they are talking about. They don't give any other detail on it.
03-29-2007, 06:11 PM
#2
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I believe what you are talking about would be used for replacing the caliper piston not the pads.
Changing pads just requires taking off the retaining clip and removing the old pads. Then replacing your new pads. AFAIK
Changing pads just requires taking off the retaining clip and removing the old pads. Then replacing your new pads. AFAIK
03-29-2007, 08:26 PM
#3
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Piston Rotation
I dealt with this issue when I was deciding what to do about my brakes. I removed and disassembled the calipers to rebuild them (many guys do) and then decided to get rebuilds. First of all, you do not need a special angle gauge tool. Just cut a piece of heavy paper to the angle specified, and once it's snug against the flats of the caliper it will show what your angle of rotation is. Below are three photos of what I mean, which were taken of three rebuilt A1 Cardone calipers I purchased through CarQuest. The first shows the correct angle on a front piston, the second shows an incorrect angle, and the third is of a starkly incorrect rear piston. 
I ended up returning them and getting four new ATE calipers, which all had perfect rotation angles. I asked ATE if there was a way to rotate pistons in the calipers, and they said to check with a VW dealer because Golf mechanics had been using expanding pliers with internal grips that fit into the recesses in the pistons, and they used them to tweak the rotation angles on apparently similar pistons at pad changeout time. I sent a message to my nearest VW dealer (360 miles away) who never responded. The parts stores around here never heard of the pliers I mentioned, but I remember seeing a set years ago. I let it drop because my new pistons were all dead-on. Otherwise the only way I know of to rotate the pistons would be to remove them and replace the seals, and you may not even want to go there. Most guys just R & R pads and don't worry about it. It's harder for we obsessive-compulsive types. Good luck!
I ended up returning them and getting four new ATE calipers, which all had perfect rotation angles. I asked ATE if there was a way to rotate pistons in the calipers, and they said to check with a VW dealer because Golf mechanics had been using expanding pliers with internal grips that fit into the recesses in the pistons, and they used them to tweak the rotation angles on apparently similar pistons at pad changeout time. I sent a message to my nearest VW dealer (360 miles away) who never responded. The parts stores around here never heard of the pliers I mentioned, but I remember seeing a set years ago. I let it drop because my new pistons were all dead-on. Otherwise the only way I know of to rotate the pistons would be to remove them and replace the seals, and you may not even want to go there. Most guys just R & R pads and don't worry about it. It's harder for we obsessive-compulsive types. Good luck!
03-30-2007, 09:59 AM
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Both replies are dead on. If just replacing your pads, nothing to be done regarding the angle.
On a complete caliper rebuild (pistons removed), you do need to set the piston back in at the correct angle.
On a complete caliper rebuild (pistons removed), you do need to set the piston back in at the correct angle.
