rear brake calipers

**mark281** · 30-01-2010,08:33 PM

hi All
My rear brakes were binding on last MOT, the man at garage noticed i had no handbrake return springs on brake caliper, he thinks maybe this is problem, i just assumed it never had any, is this right? or have they fell out? i have slots for springs but i think they never been there...

**Crasher** · 30-01-2010,10:32 PM

They were never there, he is thinking F0*d, but they can be fitted which may help, it may not as the problem is often a split caliper boot, seized carrier pins or pads stuck in the carrier. I would just have a new pair of calipers fitted (the hoses MUST also be replaced as the aluminium banjo bolt seals are one time only) and that at the same time the pads and slider pins can be checked. Be very careful where you buy the calipers from, certain large and well known VW parts specialists sell new ones in white boxes which are utter and complete crap and have never worked for me, the handbrake being worse than the failed unit I was taking off, they simply do not work. Others are available in blue boxes that look like proper ATE boxes but are not and are made in India; they sometimes work, often not. I would also stay clear of recon exchange units as these are often produced from heavily corroded originals with corrosion damage to the all important banjo bolt seal face and heavy pitting on the outer pad contact surface which prevents the caliper sticky pad for working so you end of with groaning rear brakes. I try to get my customers to have new genuine items from VW, they are about £80 each but are the real thing with a two year parts and labour warranty. IF you can get genuine Lucas (the original manufacturer) units in their distinctive green box then fine but we are currently embroiled in an argument with one supplier who sent out a flier showing a good price on specifically Lucas units. We ordered a few and they came as white box one side, blue box the other and none worked. They won’t take them back and it is getting rather bitter.

**mark281** · 01-02-2010,07:00 PM

Thanks for that crasher.
the car is a 53 reg 46000m and its never had pads yet, they look really corroded, hopyfully it will just need disc and pads. cheers

**Crasher** · 01-02-2010,11:22 PM

They are very prone to split piston boots on the right hand caliper.

**mark281** · 02-02-2010,08:36 PM

Just replaced disc and pads, piston boots ok, the problem was corrosion under the stainless steel shim thingys, they were rotton, anyway the cast iron carrier cleaned up ok and i put new shim thingys in and we back on track, but i just looked at front discs and they are looking pretty poor, not sure what size disc to get? the car is a 53 reg golf 150 gttdi, they look like normal size...

**Crasher** · 03-02-2010,02:21 PM

They are 288's. Think about buying some 312 carriers and doing a 312 conversion, the discs are not much more and the pads are the same plus you can use your original calipers; you don't even have to bleed the brakes.

**mark281** · 05-02-2010,08:37 PM

cheers crasher,
brake upgrade sounds like a good idea, but do i need new back plates as well? also have you any part numbers for 312 carriers or where to get carriers from?? are 16" wheels big enough to clear caliper??

**Crasher** · 05-02-2010,10:59 PM

Yes, the back plates for 312’s are larger but this may break the bank at £6 odd each and ten minuets to fit, 1J0 615 311 B left and 1J0 615 312 B right. The caliper carriers I use are 1J0 615 125 A (both sides). In theory the calipers are different but it is very common to do this without changing the calipers. The Golf 4, 4 Motion came with 312 brakes and 16” wheels.

**mark281** · 07-02-2010,08:10 PM

cheers crasher for last post,
i think im up to speed now, just one last question about spacers, do i need to use some kind of spacer to line up caliper carrier to disc? i read it on another thread he used 5mm bar

p.s where's best place to get bits?

**producedapples** · 11-02-2010,10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Crasher

the aluminium banjo bolt seals are one time only.

Really??? I ATTEMPTED to change my rear pads at the weekend (sunday) with no luck as i didnt have a tool to rotate and push the piston back at the same time, so i got a rage on, removed the caliper clamped the rear flexi with a caliper clamp and tried to rotate and push then still no joy, so thought (s0d it) caliper back on, and ive now bought me a tool so im doing it this weekend, no leaks from the caliper tho at the banjo bolt seal....