Author Topic: Putting on new discs & brake pads-easy enough for the ne (Read 5778 times)

RustyRabbit · « **on:** January 14, 2006, 10:30:11 pm »

I'm a Rabbit newbie and have ordered brake pads and discs, now I'm worried I won't have what it takes to put them on by myself...

How difficult is it?

52 horses · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2006, 07:24:23 am »

Quote from: "RustyRabbit"

I'm a Rabbit newbie and have ordered brake pads and discs, now I'm worried I won't have what it takes to put them on by myself...

How difficult is it?

It really isn't at all difficult you should get yourself a manual like bentley or if your in Canada go to Canadian Tire and pick yourself up a haynes... The haynes is not as good but it does the trick... Hope this helps...

RustyRabbit · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2006, 03:26:59 pm »

Thanks for the encouragement. Are there any tools I need other than a socket wrench?

jon

52 horses · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2006, 06:56:10 pm »

You are going to need a 7 mm allen wrench myself I went and purchsed a allen socket adapter.... And I find that using a C-clamp to push the caliper back in helpful as well.. It is alot easier to replace the front brakes than the back drums... just remember witch side goes towards the discs.. and witch side is up.. You will do fine... Good luck..

RustyRabbit · « **Reply #4 on:** January 19, 2006, 07:36:45 pm »

Thanks! One last question: How big should the C clamp be?

52 horses · « **Reply #5 on:** January 19, 2006, 07:44:17 pm »

Just big enough to go around the caliper... prob. about 6" would do... I use a big one about a foot long.... A little over kill...

mortskeg · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2006, 10:08:02 pm »

Hey guys,
Just thought I'd throw my $.02 in-
I just have a 3" clamp- works great. Since you'll have the calipers off you might want to replace the caliper bushings and rubber boots. Usually the old ones are cracked and falling out. I think I got mine at Halsey or probably Bartosh up here. They're easy to put in, just push 'em in.

Hopefully you're going to the 83/84 gti vented rotors and corresponding pads as they are a direct swap over. It is nice to have a little extra margin in the braking system. Since you'll have the discs off you'll probably want to replace the single set screw as I've seen old ones brake off at the head. Parkrose has the right size screw if the parts store doesn't.

Hope this helps.

RustyRabbit · « **Reply #7 on:** January 19, 2006, 10:21:22 pm »

Thanks for the heads up on those rubber boots and the set screw. My bentley's manual mentions using a wire hanger to suspend the caliper while doing the disc swap. Does this make sense to you guys?

Is this what the C-clamp is used for, or is that to push the rods back while i'm monkeying around down there.

Last but not least, how big does the diameter of the c-clamp foot have to be? As big as a nickel? or a dime?

Gracias.

mortskeg · « **Reply #8 on:** January 19, 2006, 10:48:17 pm »

Rusty-
Wire works. I've used just string in the past and tied the calipers up to the spring, or I have just dangled them carefully (don't put too much stress on the brake hose).

The C clamp is just to help push the piston back into the caliper, since it will be further out with the worn pads then where it needs to be with the new (thicker) pads. If you grab it good you can usually just press it in with your thumbs, but the clamp make it easier.

I don't think the clamp diameter matters that much, if I'm going to be using it on a more fragile surface than I'll use a block of wood between the item and the clamp to help distrubute the pressure.

Good luck!

52 horses · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2006, 05:49:29 am »

Quote

mortskeg; Hopefully you're going to the 83/84 gti vented rotors and corresponding pads as they are a direct swap over.

I thought if you went to the vented discs you had to change the calipers to the wider calipers too... Is there enough room with the original claipers for the vented rotors???

mortskeg · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2006, 08:46:57 am »

Thanks 52 horses,
I should have prefaced that with "if your Rabbit has the Kelsey-Hayes calipers" then it is a good idea to switch over to the vented discs. I'm not sure if it works with the girlings/teves calipers. I think that most of the rabbits did come with kelsey-hayes calipers and probably all the american made rabbits. (correct me if I'm wrong).

Anyhow, if you have Kelsey-Hayes calipers like my '81 pickup does, then you can swap over to vented front discs without changing anything else but the pads. The calipers on the Rabbit GTi's were the same, they just made up for the thicker disc by using a thinner pad. So if the long life of your pads is your ultimate goal, then you are better off with the solid discs since the pad is thicker; however, the vented discs will dissapate the heat better and reduce the chance of brake fade.

Rusty- make sure that you also still have all 4 anti-rattle springs. (2 per side) If not they are available at the dealer, but they have superceeded them with a newer style.

Hope this helps.

RustyRabbit · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2006, 09:10:57 am »

Crap! It looks like my "brake kit" I ordered only has 2 anti rattle springs total. I'm not sure what kind of calipurs I have, and they didn't ask when I ordered... does this matter what for what kind of pads they should have sent me? The pads I have are square in shape.. I hope they fit!

BlackTieTD · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2006, 09:52:51 am »

Quote from: "mortskeg"

I think that most of the rabbits did come with kelsey-hayes calipers and probably all the american made rabbits. (correct me if I'm wrong).

you are close if not dead on... its everything after a certain date, i think its around '80 or '81. i believe that some of the early US cars (79s, 80s) still had girlings/teves. everything '82-'84 has kelsey-hayes for sure.

RustyRabbit · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2006, 07:34:46 pm »

One last question (I promise): Do you guys loosen the lug nuts first and then raise the jack, or do you lift up the car and loosen the lugnuts while she's in the air?

Grasias.

mortskeg · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:07:00 pm »

Yeah, if you're talking about the 4 wheel bolts (lug nuts), they should always be broken (loosened) with the vehicle safely on the ground. Then jack the car up and remove the bolts and the wheel. The car should also be back on the ground before the final tourque is applied.

Hope this helps.