Doing rear brakes, need some help!

[Waffles_s4]

Hi all,

Changing both rear discs and pads. I have 2 questions:

1. I retracted the rear parking brake with VCSD before I start taking anything apart. I would like to assemble the right side completely, and move the car around before I do the left side (for easier access in the garage). The caliper piston was also retracted to fir the new pads. Should I pump the brakes before or after closing the parking brake with VCSD?

2. What is the little clip on the brake pad retaining bracket (red arrow below)? Mine broke when I remove the retaining bracket. Do I need it or can I put it back without it? Should I get a new bracket instead?

clip.jpg

[Smac770]

If you're only doing one side and not the other, ok. But you need to do the complete process end to end twice then. open / pads on right, don't touch left / close; repeat doing left and not touching right. You have to hit the brake pedal to start the car, that's all the brake pedaling you need to do after replacing the rear pads.


You'll need new ones regardless. Pads should have come with them. From the workshop manual:

10 - Brake Pad Retaining Plate
❑ Always replace when pads are replaced.
The brake pads must be seated between both securing tabs on the pad retaining plate to provide the air gap between the brake disc and brake pad.


https://audi.7zap.com/en/usa/audi+a4...s+brakes+id-6/

You'll need to click on the correct link in the bottom row, either the 300x12 if this is an A4 or 330x22 if this is an S4 (A4 forum, but the name says S4, so not sure which you need). Both are the same design. You see the retaining plate has a separate p/n, but Audi pad set includes them. I believe my Akebono pad set included them too.

[Waffles_s4]

If you're only doing one side and not the other, ok. But you need to do the complete process end to end twice then. open / pads on right, don't touch left / close; repeat doing left and not touching right. You have to hit the brake pedal to start the car, that's all the brake pedaling you need to do after replacing the rear pads.


You'll need new ones regardless. Pads should have come with them. From the workshop manual:

10 - Brake Pad Retaining Plate
❑ Always replace when pads are replaced.
The brake pads must be seated between both securing tabs on the pad retaining plate to provide the air gap between the brake disc and brake pad.


https://audi.7zap.com/en/usa/audi+a4...s+brakes+id-6/

You'll need to click on the correct link in the bottom row, either the 300x12 if this is an A4 or 330x22 if this is an S4 (A4 forum, but the name says S4, so not sure which you need). Both are the same design. You see the retaining plate has a separate p/n, but Audi pad set includes them. I believe my Akebono pad set included them too.

The plan is to finish everything on one side, drive the car out for a day or two, and bring it back in to do the other side.

So I should finish the park motor process for the left side am working on, then pump brakes, start the car. When doing the other side in a couple of days, basically start everything over, right?

I got Brembo rotors and pads, they did come with the retaining bracket, but it does not fit flush for some reason on the carrier. OEM is $100 cad for all 4 retaining brackets...

[Smac770]

Yeah, you're basically looking at doing the task setup and closure twice, since you'll only be doing half the task each time.

Talking about where the plate sits over the hump on the caliper bracket? I had a lot of brush scrubbing on the rear caliper brackets to clean out a lot of dust / debris. Maybe there's build up there, or maybe the plates are made just a bit off.

[Waffles_s4]

Yeah, you're basically looking at doing the task setup and closure twice, since you'll only be doing half the task each time.

Talking about where the plate sits over the hump on the caliper bracket? I had a lot of brush scrubbing on the rear caliper brackets to clean out a lot of dust / debris. Maybe there's build up there, or maybe the plates are made just a bit off.

Thanks.

For the carrier bolts, do you add anything on them like anti-seize?

[Smac770]

I don't add anything to them; that would invalidate the torque spec. The bolts are TTY, so always replace if removed.

[Waffles_s4]

I don't add anything to them; that would invalidate the torque spec. The bolts are TTY, so always replace if removed.

Yeah I greabbed brand new ones for both side. The pads came with screws for the calipers as well, so everything is new. Thanks for the help!

[Waffles_s4]

I did 180 degrees instead of 90 degrees after 100 NM, should I pull it back (loosen it) by 90 degrees or just leave it as is?

[Smac770]

+180° means the bolt is technically overstretched. To set the bolt correctly now would require new bolts. To loosen it at all, unless you plan to replace the bolts, would likely be a worse state than as it is now. So the correct answer is new bolts; the "not buying new bolts" answer is leave it be.

[Waffles_s4]

Thanks, I think I will leave it as is. It is very very tight, if I loosen it I will need a new bolt. Everything is back together, and the rear parking motor was adapted to the new pads.