Brake caliper wind back tool

[Malk]

Hi,

I have decided to change my rear discs myself after paying far too much to have the front ones done, but i need help with the correct wind back tool for the piston, theres so many different ones, i want to buy the correct tool.

Do i need 2 tools (a left thread & right thread) or does one tool work on both sides, also would i need a caliper key and what size 7mm or 8mm?

My car is a 2000reg 1.8vt sport, can you let me know if i need anything else also such as silicone grease ect.. thanks.

 

[dholdi]

1 tool ( right hand ) will do the job.
Not sure what you mean by caliper key, if you mean the allen key to remove the carrier I'm pretty sure its 8mm.
Bit of copper grease wouldnt go amiss.

 

[Malk]

1 tool ( right hand ) will do the job.
Not sure what you mean by caliper key, if you mean the allen key to remove the carrier I'm pretty sure its 8mm.
Bit of copper grease wouldnt go amiss.

Thanks, yes the key to remove carrier i was 80% it was a 8mm just needed to be sure, and i think i have some copper grease around somewhere.

1 more question, are all leon standard rear discs the same size solid 232mm diameter 5 studs.

 

[Muttley]

I used this one from Halfords

 

[Malk]

Would that be model 1314 laser wind back tool? have seen one on the popular auction site for only £17.95 looks pretty much identical.

 

[JPM]

I just use a G clamp while everything is still together to reset the piston. Done it plenty of times on plenty of different cars and never had any trouble...

 

[Slimy]

I just use a G clamp while everything is still together to reset the piston. Done it plenty of times on plenty of different cars and never had any trouble...

That's fine to apply the pressure, but how do you wind the piston in? The handbrake mechanism prevents you from simply compressing the piston, it has to be screwed into the caliper.

 

[offitmassive]

Thanks, yes the key to remove carrier i was 80% it was a 8mm just needed to be sure, and i think i have some copper grease around somewhere.

1 more question, are all leon standard rear discs the same size solid 232mm diameter 5 studs.

For the rears, its a 15mm spanner, and a 13mm socket on a ratchet(or 13mm spanner if no ratchet to hand). 15mm spanner holds the nut, whilst 13mm headed bolts are threaded into the nut... remove both bolts, and use a large screwdriver or preferably a lever bar to lever the caliper off the carrier...

 

[offitmassive]

Thanks, yes the key to remove carrier i was 80% it was a 8mm just needed to be sure, and i think i have some copper grease around somewhere.

1 more question, are all leon standard rear discs the same size solid 232mm diameter 5 studs.

7mm allen key is for the fronts

 

[dholdi]

That's fine to apply the pressure, but how do you wind the piston in? The handbrake mechanism prevents you from simply compressing the piston, it has to be screwed into the caliper.

Thats right Slimy, it can be done with a combination of pressure and turning and can be improvised as I did here http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=304514&highlight=improvise
Obviously for someone who hasnt got all the tools required to improvise, the windback tool would be the better option.

 

[dholdi]

For the rears, its a 15mm spanner, and a 13mm socket on a ratchet(or 13mm spanner if no ratchet to hand). 15mm spanner holds the nut, whilst 13mm headed bolts are threaded into the nut... remove both bolts, and use a large screwdriver or preferably a lever bar to lever the caliper off the carrier...

Yep, thats what you need to split the caliper from the carrier. I'm not 100% sure as i havnt tried it personally, but to remove the disc I think you may also need to remove the carrier which is an 8mm allen key.

 

[Malk]

Thanks all, i am ordering the parts tomorrow, lets hope it all goes to plan

 

[Malk]

Parts are ordered, just had another query, before i start to wind the piston back in, do i open the brake fluid cap or the brake bleed valve or both?

Also ordered the wind back tool, hope it does both sides, some people say it does some say it only does driver side

 

[iSamKing]

Don't worry about opening the cap or bleed, when you push both pistons back you may have some fluid dribble out of the reservoir and once you finished the job pump the pedal and then check the fluid.

 

[Muttley]

Open the brake fluid cap and see how full it is. If it's close to the top you'll need to get some out or it will leak all down the inside of the engine bay and strip the paint off. Very sloppy practice, iSamKing.

Keep an eye on it as you go. I had to take some out before I could do the second caliper.

 

[Slimy]

In theory the fluid should be close to the bottom due to the thickness of the pads, it 'should' only overflow if someone has topped it up while it was wearing down. Still worth a check though.

 

[offitmassive]

Parts are ordered, just had another query, before i start to wind the piston back in, do i open the brake fluid cap or the brake bleed valve or both?

Also ordered the wind back tool, hope it does both sides, some people say it does some say it only does driver side

They are both right hand threads on vag cars, wind them in clockwise, apply a small amount of copper grease where the pad touches/slides along the carrier both top and bottom.

you may have to club the old disc off the hub, but its no dramas

 

[STdemoniac]

wind back tool i buy at halfords long time ago, and works fine for most cars
caliper key, i think be 7mm course i my tool set i have only 6 and 8mm, but for remove calipers i buy separet 7mm key

 

[iSamKing]

Open the brake fluid cap and see how full it is. If it's close to the top you'll need to get some out or it will leak all down the inside of the engine bay and strip the paint off. Very sloppy practice, iSamKing.

What? I clean It off afterwards, with brake cleaner, thought that would go without saying