Chage Rear Pads on 02 POLO

[gyprgy]

Hi need to chagne rear pads on my 02 polo tdi..Is it easy to do?? just needing some step by step pointers !
Cheers ;)
Do i need a windback tool to push back the piston or can i DIY it back myself??
Thread virgin..first thread i have done

[vwjoe]

you can do it yourself but you need to take a couple of things into account:
First: is the disc worn enough so it has to be resurfaced? you can determine this by running the tip of your finger accross the surface where the brake pad comes into contact with the disc. If it feels wavy, irregular and with a noticeable bump near the outer edge of the disc then you need to get them resurfaced.

Second: if you need to get them resurfaced you can pull off the discs from the bearing assembly in relatively easy way, but some others are kind of complicated. Take a look, and if they look difficult to take off from the assembly, you´d better take the car to a shop or get a six pack of beer, roll up your sleeves, play some music and get ready to spend most of the day doing it yourself.

Installing the pads is the easiest part, just follow the reverse steps you took to take them off, get a "C" clamp to push the piston back (once you have loosen the bleeders, of course), and make a double check on everything you just have done just to be sure everything is tight and well done.

In complex disc brake assemblies I usually take a couple of photos just to make sure everything is put back on the way it was.

[gyprgy]

Cheers mate will try with the clamp.
do u have to lloosen the bleeders all the way...?
cheers

[vwjoe]

Not necessarily, I think 1/2 or 3/4 a turn is enough to get the piston back into the caliper. As soon as you finish getting the piston back tighten the bleeders so air doesn't get into the system. Once you're done, get someone to press the brake pedal with the engine on while you make a little bleeding on each caliper to make sure there's no air in the system and that you get fresh, clear fluid to that part of the system. Watch the fluid reservoir after each bleeding so the level doesn't get too low. Refill if necessary with new brake fluid after each bleeding or at the end of the procedure.
Good luck , man!

[gyprgy]

cHEERS MATE..
WENT FOR MOT SAYS I NEED NEW REAR DISKS ANY INFO ON HOW TO CHAGE THESE..GARAGE IS GOING TO CHARGE ME THE EARTH.
DO I NEEED TO CHANGE THE CV BOOT WHEN I CHANGE THE DISKS .
:beerchug:

[mluton]

A different car, but might be good for reference, i used it when i did all of my pads and discs.
http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179518

[gyprgy]

Cheers for the info quys. I have chaged the disks on my polo al last:biglaugh::biglaugh:. How ever when i trying to retract the caliper piston with the tool, the piston spirngs back out when i take the too, away , leaving no space to fits my pads. Do i need to open the brake fulid resevoir( i have left the hand brake off). Frustrating or what, i have new disk but still the old pads on!!!!:confused:
Cheers

[mluton]

Cheers for the info quys. I have chaged the disks on my polo al last:biglaugh::biglaugh:. How ever when i trying to retract the caliper piston with the tool, the piston spirngs back out when i take the too, away , leaving no space to fits my pads. Do i need to open the brake fulid resevoir( i have left the hand brake off). Frustrating or what, i have new disk but still the old pads on!!!!:confused:
Cheers

Yep open the resevior mate and keep an eye on the level twisting the piston back.

[jsmith]

I came to change the rear pads on an 02 (2002) Polo and can make the following observations:

1/ It is just possible to remove the disks (rotors) without taking off the calliper mounts. However, the little stainless steel clips top and bottom of the pads need to be pried out first.

2/ I assume the disks were original and would not come off, even though the little retaining screw had been removed. The only way to get them off was to remove the calliper mounts too and it took a heavy beating with a nylon hammer to get them to come unstuck (rusted to the hub). (Front ones can be forced off by making a wedge with two big flat bladed screwdrivers)

3/ The handbrake cable is adjusted from inside the car. Lift the cover round the handbrake lever vertically and it reveals the end of the cables connected by a yoke. A 10mm wrench will slacken off the cables. This makes disconnecting the cable at the calliper end very much easier.

4/ The advice that all you have to do is wind the piston back in did not work for me. I could turn the piston round (clockwise is correct) but the internal ratchet mechanism clicked round instead of the piston retracting. Undoing the bleed nipple did not help.

5/ So, I went out and bought one of these:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/tool-connection-tc3835-brake-caliper-wind-back
which worked like a charm, using the no. 4 adapter.

6/ You need to turn the thrust bolt clockwise while at the same time turning the nut anti-clockwise. Easier to do than describe. The pitch of the thread inside the calliper is much greater than the wind-back tool, so as the piston retracts you have to tighten the nut up again to keep pressure on the piston.

Other notes:
7/ The cast slides that guide/hold the pads had minor surface rust. This had caused the stainless steel shims to move closer together and the result was that the pads had seized into place, causing excess noise (a scraping sound from time to time) and uneven wear (the inner edge of the pad was worn more than the outer edge). To remedy this, I used a scraper to remove all flaky rust and I used a wire brush to clean the stainless shims to bright surface. I lubricated the slide surfaces with tiny amounts of copper grease. When done and in place, the pads were firm in their slides but moved in and out easily. (The pads had to be hammered out of the slides to start with!)

8/ I always slacken the bleed nipple before I undertake brake work. That way if it is frozen, I can stop and come back to it later (like with a spare calliper). Also, you need to undo the bleed nipple before you undo the two retaining bolts (or there is nothing to turn against).

9/ You need an open ended 15mm wrench to hold the slide mechanism while you undo the 13mm bolts. The bolts use thread-lock too.

10/ Pull off the clip underneath that retains the handbrake cable, pop the cable off the lever and then withdraw from underneath. You need this to create enough working room.

11/ The wear sensor is only fitted to one side (off-side in UK).

12/ When you take the callipers off, always support them. I use picture wire, which is a flexible easy to handle wire. This takes the weight of the calliper and stops the mechanism hanging off the flexible brake hose. I note that the original fit flexible hoses are part of the metal brake line, presumably to save costs. So, when they come to be replaced, it will require a new fitting to be formed on the metal line. Sounds like a lot of work.