Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

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VAG Fan
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Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

I'm about to change the rear brake pads on my Mk4 Golf (TDI, '04) - it's the first time I'm working on this specific brake.

Do the auto-adjusting pistons rewind clockwise on both sides of the car?
Can anyone give me the specified minimum thickness of the stock discs?
Mark R.
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2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by Carel040 »

VAG Fan wrote:I'm about to change the rear brake pads on my Mk4 Golf (TDI, '04) - it's the first time I'm working on this specific brake.

Do the auto-adjusting pistons rewind clockwise on both sides of the car?
Can anyone give me the specified minimum thickness of the stock discs?
Make u tool bro its the easiest way and a waterpump pliers ImageImage

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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by Torker »

We did my Son-in-Law's Polo GTi last weekend - found it impossible to wind the pistons in by hand so we made a tool - sacrificed an old G-clamp, found an old socket similar in size to the piston and cut that down to fit in the piston slots and welded it together. Worked fine with two sets of hands - one set to hold the clamp in position and the other to wind the piston back. Both sides goes back in clockwise.
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

Many thanks!

I have a few tool options and ideas, so I think I should get the pistons back in. Mainly, I wanted to confirm direction of rotation (thank you - the Mk4 is presumably the same), and if possible, minimum disc thickness, to make a judgement call on replacing them.
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by panic-mechanic »

Is there a ridge on the edge of the disc. If so how much. If less than a 2 mm or so leave them. If more replace.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

I'll only get stuck into the job this weekend, so I haven't measured yet; but I'll keep that as a rule of thumb. Thanks.
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by EX-DOHCTOR »

I normally use an angle grinder chuck and a g-clamp to turn the pistons back.

Top tip: make sure the vehicles hand brake is not engaged :lol:
2014 - VW Jetta 6 - 1.6 TDi DSG
2000 - VW Golf 3.5 Cabrio - 2.0
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

Now, if a had a ratcheting angle grinder key, that would be a home run...

And yes, thanks for the reminder, my handbrake will definitely be released. Once you've seen the inside construction of such a caliper, you realise why. When the rewinding is done, the handbrake lever must still be in its released position, yet the piston must be sufficiently retracted to fit the new pads.
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by Torker »

Just for info - Adendorff's sells a complete caliper rewind kit that should fit most vehicles for R345.00, got one for myself for next time...
https://www.adendorff.co.za/product/mac ... back-tool/
Current rides:

VW Golf - 83 GT 2.1 16V 2-door with throttles
VW Golf - 78 LS 2.0 8V 4-door (2.1 ABF with throttles in progress)
VW Golf - '08 Citi Storm - 1.4 for now
Hyundai - 1.4 Getz (daily)
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

Damn!!
I bought the clockwise-only version at AutoZone, for R355. Just my kind of luck...
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by OettingerTDi »

I see you are in Pretoria

I have a lovely 21 piece kit courtesy of Midas to rewind any brake piston you can think of. This after I tried every shortcut I could think of and decided to pay money to let the pain I was having go away.

If you are keen, we can hook up and you can sort it in minutes. I'm in Centurion
Anton van Graan

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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

That's very kind of you - but as I wrote, I already bought myself a kit from AutoZone. It worked very well, and the new brake pads are in. The one piston was rather tight, and I would never have managed with a normal clamp etc. If ever I should need to rewind a piston counter-clockwise, I'll keep you in mind. :)

I was just disappointed that the info about Adendorff's kit (with left-hand AND right-hand winder) came in, AFTER I had bought mine (right-hand only).

Such is life. Like any good joke, it's all about
...
...
...
...
...
... timing.
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by BIGMIG »

I used a cheap set of long nose pliers. Push and turn its that easy however you might need a bit more pushing force.
Goose was easy but my whordi not so much. I got blisters on both hands.
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

I think it depends very much on the condition of the caliper (piston and seal). The first caliper I did was easy. Pliers, possibly stuck into a wooden block, would have done the job nicely. The tool was almost a luxury, I thought.

But then, on the second caliper, the dust boot was broken. I didn't have the time nor part to fit a new one (Sunday night, had to be back on the road on Monday), so I carefully cleaned the piston before winding it back in. (Fortunately the piston had no rust, and only very minimal pitting.) Now this one was really, really tight to turn! I almost had to use an extension on the crank handle of the tool. I ended up doing short bits in reverse, then the next bit forward. In retrospect, I should have moistened the piston with a bit of brake fluid. That might have helped.
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by panic-mechanic »

Mmm not always.. It rusts on the bolt that you are turning back and no amount of outside lubrication will help that. Only a caliper disassemble , clean and grease would have helped. It's not the piston you are fighting. It's the handbrake mechanism.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

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Re: Rewinding brake caliper piston, Mk4

Post by VAG Fan »

Oh, I see.

I did notice that the pads on that tight caliper were not nearly as worn as the healthy side. They still had about 3-4mm left. Also the fluid that I bled out while rewinding the piston, was a bit darker than the healthy side. So maybe the time has come to do a proper strip and repair. But for now, the foot brakes work fine, and after the pads have seated, the handbrake is also improving.
Mark R.
- - - - - - - - - -
2004 VW Golf TDI, type 1J, AHF, 317k (2016-current) --- daily
1990 VW Fox, type 16, HM, 304k (2005-current) --- spare runaround
Previous:
1992 Audi 500 SE, type C4, AAR (2001-2020) --- nice while it lasted
1983 VW Golf GTS, type 17, FR (1992-2005) --- most fun car I've ever had
1978 Audi 100 GLS 5E, type 43, WC (1991-92) --- died in the side of a Rekord who cut me off
- - - - - - - - - -
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