Everything you never wanted to know about working on your MkV VW.

DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors

March 29th, 2008 Posted in Jetta/GLI, Rabbit/GTI

All typical disclaimers apply, do at your own risk, blah blah blah… I’m not responsible if you drop the car on your head and kill yourself.

Tools/Materials:
18″ breaker bar, 1/2″ drive
1/2″ drive socket wrench
3/8″ drive socket wrench
15mm box wrench
13mm box wrench
21mm socket
13mm socket
7mm allen socket (or 7mm allen key)
14mm triple square socket (German Auto Parts)
large flathead screwdriver
needle nose pliers
T30 torx socket (or T30 torx key)
rear piston tool (borrow one from autozone for free, or buy it here: German Auto Parts)
large clamp
jack
jack stands
tire wrench&key
blue threadlock
antiseize
anti-squeal paste
penetrating grease (pb blaster)
grease (I prefer moly fortified)

Step 1:
Loosen front lug bolts while car is on the ground (just get them started). Jack up the front end of the car and secure on stands. Remove front wheels and set aside.

Step 2:
Spray some penetrating grease on the caliper carrier bolts (there are two per caliper).
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 3:
Use the flathead screwdriver to remove the anti-vibration clip.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 4:
Remove the plastic caps covering the caliper pins. Then remove the pins using the 7mm socket.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 5:
(for the front driver’s side only) Unclip the wear sensor.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 6:
Using the 21mm socket (and you will likely need the 18″ breaker bar), loosen the caliper carrier bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 7:
Slide the caliper off the rotor, and support it so there’s no stress on the brake line (I usually wheel the jack over and use it to hold the brake caliper up while I work).
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 8:
Remove the old brake pads from the caliper, and caliper carrier.

Step 9:
Before going further, let’s put some anti-squeal paste on the new pads… it needs a few minutes to dry, and since we still have work to do it should be dry by the time we need to install them.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 10:
Remove the two caliper carrier bolts (21mm); set them and the caliper carrier asside.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 11:
Using the clamp, compress the piston in the caliper.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 12:
Using the T30 torx, remove the set screw from the rotor.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 13:
Remove the old rotor and set aside.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 14:
Notice the rust on the wheel hub? The rotors were pretty stuck to the car. To prevent this in the future, apply some antiseize…
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 15:
Install the new rotor, with the original T30 set screw.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 16:
Re-install the caliper carrier with the two 21mm bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 17:
Clean and grease your caliper carrier pins (using moly foritified or other high quality grease).
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 18:
Install the inboard pad on the caliper.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 19:
Install outboard pad on the caliper carrier.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 20:
Slide the caliper back onto the caliper carrier. Re-secure with the caliper carrier pins. Be sure to replace the black plastic covers on the caliper carrier pins, and reconnect the wear sensor if your new pads have one.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 21:
Re-install the anti-vibration clip.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 22:
Put some antiseize on your lugs. And re-install your wheel.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 23:
Pump your brakes until they feel firm.

Step 24:
Repeat steps 2-23 for other front wheel.

Step 25:
Take car off jack stands and tighten all lugs to spec.

Rear Brakes

Step 1:
Loosen lugs nuts (just get them started). Make sure the car is in 1st gear (MT ppl) or park (DSG/Auto ppl). Chock your front wheel (put something in front of it so it won’t roll) and release your parking brake. Jack up the rear end of the car and secure on jackstands. Remove wheels and set aside.

Step 2:
Loosen 13mm caliper bolts. The upper one is easier to reach with the box wrench, but the lower one you can fit the socket.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 3:
The counterhold for the caliper bolts is a VERY tight fit. Most 15mm box wrenches won’t fit. So for the first few turns I used a pair of needle nose pliers to hole the counterhold nut.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 4:
Then use the 15mm wrench with the 13mm wrench to remove the caliper bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 5:
Put some anti-squeal paste on the new pads.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 6:
Slide the caliper off the carrier. Remove the pads from the carrier. The rear calipers are pretty well supported by the parking brake assembly, so you can let it hang.

Step 7:
Using the 18″ breaker bar and 14mm triple square bit, remove the two caliper carrier bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 8:
Remove the caliper carrier.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 9:
Remove the T30 set screw.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 10:
Remove the old rotor, set aside. Apply antiseize to the hub.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 11:
Install the new rotor with the original T30 set screw.

Step 12:
Re-install the caliper carrier with the two 14mm triple square bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 13:
Use the rear piston tool to retract the caliper.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 14:
Install the new pads on the caliper carrier.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 15:
Slide the caliper back onto the carrier.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 16:
Apply blue threadlock to the caliper bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 17:
Install caliper carrier bolts.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 18:
There’s a trick to tightening the bolts (if you don’t have a thin 15mm wrench). As it starts to clamp down, pull the 15mm wrench half way off the bolt. Give the 13mm wrench a couple more turns… then wiggle the 15mm wrench out. Now tighten the 13mm the rest of the way.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 19:
Apply antiseize to your lugs and reinstall the wheel.
 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Step 20:
Pump brakes until firm.

Step 21:
Repeat steps 2-20 on other side.

Step 22:
Take car off jackstands. Tighten all lugs.

Step 23:
Pull and release your parking brake lever 3-4 times to re-adjust the cables. Pump the brake pedal again to be sure its firm.

Now its time to go bed in your new setup! Enjoy!

Disabling the wear sensor (ghetto way)

This is the ghetto, cheapass method… but it gets the job done. Before finishing reassembly on the front driver’s side… ball up a piece of aluminum foil and push it into the OEM connector. Push it far enough back to make contact with the two pins inside, then wrap with electrical tape to secure. Cheap, dirty, but hey…. it works :D

Disabling the wear sensor (vag-com way)

Open VAG-COM, click “Select”
vagcom1 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Click “17 – Instruments”
vagcom2 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Click “Coding”
vagcom3 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Look at the 3rd and 4th digits from the left (in my case “07″)
vagcom4 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Subtract one from that number
vagcom5 DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors golfmkv roflwagens

Click “Do It”, “Close Controller, Go Back”, “Go Back”, “Exit”

Done and done :D :D

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  1. 8 Responses to “DIY: Changing brake pads & rotors”

  2. By Mendezinc on Mar 26, 2010

    . . . thanks for the details, Great job on the photos too !

  3. By Britishav8tor on May 5, 2010

    Excuse my ignorance but why do you just use a different clamp on the front caliper than you do on the back? Is the back caliper threaded so it has to be rotated as it retracts or does it just push in ? or does the front just push in without retracting and could I use the rear retracting tool on the front caliper?

    Thanks for the great write up.

  4. By tbadera on May 7, 2010

    Yes, the rear piston is threaded (because of the parking brake adjuster) and must be twisted back in. Front just pushes in. I doubt the rear piston tool will fit the front calipers… just use a c-clamp.

  5. By Britishav8tor on May 20, 2010

    Thanks for the advice I bought a caliper retracting kit online and it was well worth the money. I guess on the 2007 model the splash guard is a little different and the retaining nut for the caliper is normal sized and easy to get a hold of with a regular 15mm wrench. Also for those that don’t have an 18in breaker bar I found that I could slide my 3/8 ratchet into the lug nut breaker bar (that comes with the car) and that works just as as well! (of course there is 500 ways to skin a dead cat … or rabbit;).

    One question my drivers side rears were the ones causing the problems they were completely gone the passenger side however still had a lot of pad left on them … this worried me, am I dragging on the drivers side? If so any ideas why or how I could fix it? Thanks.

  6. By tbadera on May 24, 2010

    You could have a problem with the parking brake. I recall some MkVs having issues with the rear brakes dragging.

  7. By ama269 on Aug 8, 2010

    Really awesome tutorial – helped me save about $250 vs. the dealership. Thanks!

    A couple of notes for anyone else that may be doing this themselves:

    - 14mm triple square socket – not easy to find locally (Autozone/O’Reilly only carries up to 12 mm). DO NOT try to use a star bit/torx. You will strip it. I had to go to the dealership and borrow one (they are nice in Austin)… make sure to order it online before you start the job.

    - Instead of using a needle nose pliers to take off the rear caliper bolts counterhold I used one of these (they are used to take the pedals off of a road bike, and are also 15 mm):

    http://www.bikesomewhere.com/bikesomewhere.cfm/product/58/308/7037

  8. By Adam M. on Aug 17, 2010

    Yeah, this one definitely helped out for me this weekend. BTW, Metalnerd has a basic thin 15mm wrench for a whole $3.00 (part # MN15BT). I’d also recommend their 14mm triple-square bit as it’s shorter than most (part # MNT10099). The rears are a pain because of the small working space. BTW, thanks to the guy above that mentioned using the lug bar from the trunk — worked perfect! All I had was a 25in breaker bar and that’s way too long.

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