B8 S4 Front Brakes

[plev72]

Posted this in the tech thread, but I think it would have better here.

Haven't replaced brakes in years - but don't remember it being all too complicated.

Bought new rotors, pads, fluid, steel cables for my 2012 Audi S4.

Was hoping to buy a hard copy of a Chiltons or Bentleys, but there don't seem to be any for my car, nor did I find a youtube video.

So - for the folks that have done the replacement, anything I need to be aware of? I know for the rears it requires the VAG (which I purchased) to disable the emergency brake.

Are the fronts fairly straight forward? Anything to watch out for?

Anyone have links for a step-by-step instructions?

Appreciate the help,

Thanks,
Paul

[Zackb911]

I just searched "DIY" and this came up in 2 seconds:

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...?highlight=diy

[plev72]

thanks, apparently I need to a DIY to my search vocabulary. Appreciate the link.

[djt81185]

Posted this in the tech thread, but I think it would have better here.

Haven't replaced brakes in years - but don't remember it being all too complicated.

Bought new rotors, pads, fluid, steel cables for my 2012 Audi S4.

Was hoping to buy a hard copy of a Chiltons or Bentleys, but there don't seem to be any for my car, nor did I find a youtube video.

So - for the folks that have done the replacement, anything I need to be aware of? I know for the rears it requires the VAG (which I purchased) to disable the emergency brake.

Are the fronts fairly straight forward? Anything to watch out for?

Anyone have links for a step-by-step instructions?

Appreciate the help,

Thanks,
Paul

I used that DIY when doing mine and it worked great. Only thing I will say is I don't believe the compound on the back of the pads is needed (the antisqueal) the retaining spring for the front pads on the outside of the caliper will go flying when you pry it off (both hit the wall in the front of my garage) and is a bit of a whore to put back on. Also my normal caliper retractor wouldn't work for the fronts so I used a handheld quick grip/vise to retract the piston. Also turn the wheel towards the opposite of the side you are working on to get a impact in there if using one. Lastly, I did all 4 corners and the first time I slammed on the brakes to seat them I got ABS to activate and I lost my brakes for a second (seems there was a tiny bit of air in the abs module). After it cycled it was fine for all the seating cycles after it if I went a little too hard on the brakes. Overall very easy job. Getting the stuck wheels off and working on the rears was def harder than the fronts.

[cspcrx]

Did they add torque specs to that DIY, dont think i saw them. You will need those if your doing pads and rotors.

[dizzlesizzle]

Fastener Tightening Specifications

Brake Pedal Bracket to Body Nut - 8 nm
Brake Pedal Mounting Pin to Bracket Bolt - 8 nm
Electromechanical Parking Brake Control Module Nut - 3 nm
Electromechanical Parking Brake Motor to Rear Brake Caliper Bolt - 12 nm
Front Brake Caliper to Brake Carrier Bolt - 30 nm
Front Brake Carrier to Wheel Bearing Housing Bolt 1 - 196 nm
Front Brake Line Connection to Brake Caliper - 20 nm
Front Brake Pad Bolt - 5 nm
Front Cover Plate Bolt - 10 nm
Gas Pedal Module to Brake Pedal Bracket Bolt - 8 nm
Rear Brake Caliper to Brake Carrier Bolt 1 - 35 nm
Rear Brake Carrier to Wheel Bearing Housing Bolt - 100 nm + 90 degrees
Rear Brake Hose in Brake Caliper - 19 nm
Rear Brake Hose to Brake Pipe Line - 12 nm
Rear Brake Pad Bolt - 5 nm

• 1 Always replace after removal.

[plev72]

I bought steel lines and fresh fluid as well, thus planning to drain the brake fluid completely (or as completely as I can). Should make the calipers pretty easy to handle.

Is there a wear sensor on our brakes? The local Audi dealership, in whom I have no confidence, told me 3+ months ago that my front pads (at ~43k miles) were down to 4 mm and needed to be replaced... three months later the brakes work fine and I've yet to hear a squeal beyond the usual periodic Audi dust annoyance.

[onlyaudis]

there is a wear sensor on the fronts--its on the driver's side.

[carlosvjr92]

I bought steel lines and fresh fluid as well, thus planning to drain the brake fluid completely (or as completely as I can). Should make the calipers pretty easy to handle.

Is there a wear sensor on our brakes? The local Audi dealership, in whom I have no confidence, told me 3+ months ago that my front pads (at ~43k miles) were down to 4 mm and needed to be replaced... three months later the brakes work fine and I've yet to hear a squeal beyond the usual periodic Audi dust annoyance.

Yep there's a wear sensor, but according to the service advisor that last worked on my car you should disregard it and change your brakes before the sensor goes off. He said if you wait until the sensor goes off you'll need to get rotors and pads. If you get it done before hand you might not need rotors too. Not sure how right he is on that though so don't quote me lol

[plev72]

thanks, that sounds about right the idea being that the wear sensor will gauge the disk. I bought new front disks for the car as I'd been told folks don't really turn the rotors for our cars. Not sure the truth in that though. Figured it was a good opportunity to put on performance pads and rotors.

[djt81185]

Did they add torque specs to that DIY, dont think i saw them. You will need those if your doing pads and rotors.

I just torqued em to tight. I'm a big guy so my tight is pretty tight. Normally do all my brake jobs that way and no issues lol. I do tq lug nuts however since my tq wrench actually fits. So hard to get em in a wheel well esp the rears

[sacandagaD]

I just torqued em to tight. I'm a big guy so my tight is pretty tight. Normally do all my brake jobs that way and no issues lol. I do tq lug nuts however since my tq wrench actually fits. So hard to get em in a wheel well esp the rears

The toughest bolts to loosen are the caliper carrier bolts, and technically I think they recommend replacing them, but most folks don't do that and haven't had any problems.

[cspcrx]

I just torqued em to tight. I'm a big guy so my tight is pretty tight. Normally do all my brake jobs that way and no issues lol. I do tq lug nuts however since my tq wrench actually fits. So hard to get em in a wheel well esp the rears

I used to do that until I snapped a bolt and it cost twice as much as a torque wrench to fix it. I have multiple wrenches of different sizes so I do not run into that issue. But I understand your position.