Rear Brake Caliper Rebuild

[jammy86]

Mr MOT tester has identified a leaking rear caliper. Anyone rebuilt one? I'm assuming I can get a kit to do it from VW/TPS? Can I do it myself or are special tools needed?

Cheers
JAmes.

[martin1810]

Unless you are pretty good at this I would buy a new caliper. Get one from eurocar spars or GSF. It will be a recon exchange, but it will have been tested. A lot safer.

[snapdragon]

I replaced the rubber seal in one of mine because I had two new ones which came with the dust boots I bought, I didn't bother with the other side.
The dust boot was ripped and I went to the dealer for a new one, but the dustboots only came in pairs with new seals too and some red lubricant you had to soak the new seal in first for 4 hours. The kit was rather expensive and hard to fit (get piston back into calliper with seal bulging) but not impossible.

[vwcabriolet1971]

I don't think you can get a build kit these days. I would buy a VW re-manufactured caliper ( exchange for your old unit ) . They may be a little dearer than other suppliers but the quality is guaranteed. the last ones I bought a few years ago were £75 ea. It is vital that re-con calipers are properly pressure tested . Many are not and the Hose fine threads/ bleed nipple threads/seating area may well be damaged . I know of only one re-manufacturer ( Swedish ) that issues a pressure test certificate with each sealed unit .
I once tried to buy front calipers for peugeot 106 from a reputable European/UK wide spare parts co. After checking 5 calipers, couldn't find one that had undamaged hose threads . tried a few and they leaked ! How do they pressure test when you can't screw in a new hose fitting by hand because the threads are damaged ? . Looked at some other re-manufacturer's calipers and found that the hard chromed guide pins had been re-manufactured with Zinc plated items which were seized in their guide bushes !
You will need a piston wind-back tool for rear calipers.

[scotty33]

Caliper seal kit available from here:

http://www.biggred.co.uk/vwshop.html

I think Passat would be the same as Golf 4? Best to check with them.

Other option for new calipers is:

http://sites.internet.lu/folders/cus...RS2.htm#BRAKES

They are offering the modern alloy caliper as an upgrade for retrofitting to old audi's, which use a full cast steel caliper with a more vulnerable handbrake mechanism

[jammy86]

Thanks for the help guys.

I've decided that I'll just buy a new caliper as its only twice the price of a rebuild kit and less than half the hassle.

Cheers
JAmes.

[vwcabriolet1971]

Thanks for the help guys.

I've decided that I'll just buy a new caliper as its only twice the price of a rebuild kit and less than half the hassle.

Cheers
JAmes.

Good choice