Rear brake caliper

[aussieg60]

One of the rear brake calipers has seized to return the lever to its stop for the hand brake. Any one know whats invovled to refurb it ?

[ausgolfer]

One of the rear brake calipers has seized to return the lever to its stop for the hand brake. Any one know whats invovled to refurb it ?

It's a very common problem, haven't heard of them being refurbished though, you can put mk3 or 4 rear calipers on as a direct replacement. Fairly pricey from VW dealers but.....

http://www.bildon.com/catalog/DetailsList.cfm?ID=1J0.698.423/424&Nav=4&SubNav=none

They crap on about these being "super special light weight" when they are infact mk4 stardard rear calipers.

[Oneofthegreats]

The lever shouldn't return all the way back to it's stop.
It can only return back as far as the handbrake lever/cable will allow. Otherwise there will be a heap of slack in the cable.

Released



Handbrake on



Or if it does have a problem pull the caliper off, strip it & see.

Probably just corrosion. If it is corroded I'd recommend overhauling both side's

[h100vw]

One of the rear brake calipers has seized to return the lever to its stop for the hand brake. Any one know whats invovled to refurb it ?

I would go with the MK3 caliper as a replacement, over refurbing the std ones. They fit great and don't fill with water like the MK2 ones do.

Important point to note. You need to swap the flexy pipe around, as the access to the caliper is on the other side on a mk3 caliper.

IIRC cos it has been a while since I did one, you need to remake the rigid line that runs along the rear beam. It needs to be shortened a little.

Gavin

[aussieg60]

Dont really know whats happening as I thought the spring load would return the lever back, hence the brake cable for 1 side is real slack. It looks different to my 90 spec Mk2.

Are the late spec MK2 same as MK3's ?

Cheers guys for your help

Voy

[h100vw]

Dont really know whats happening as I thought the spring load would return the lever back, hence the brake cable for 1 side is real slack. It looks different to my 90 spec Mk2.

Are the late spec MK2 same as MK3's ?

Cheers guys for your help

Voy

Nah, mk2s are mk2s and 3s are 3s.

The MK3 caliper has the handbrake mech on the bottom so that water doesn't run into it, therefore it doesn't seize up.

You could take it off and work a bit of wd40 or something into it but it'll go sticky again soon enough.

Gavin

[aussieg60]

I think theres 2 different types for Mk2's. Early and late. Its the 88 GTI I got has the problem with the handbrake. Not real clear to me from the Bentley manual. To get another its pretty pricey. I sprayed some WD to work in over the night.

[h100vw]

The later mk2 caliper is better and it has 2 cutouts in the rim of the piston to wind it back in. The early one needs a big allen key to wind back the piston.

Gavin

[Golf Loon]

Just chuck em and put Mk3 caliprs on. Easier to get and cheaper.

Pm me if you cant get one local.

[86gti]

Yea, Mk3 ones are the way to go...Ive read about this happening a fair bit in mk2s... most ppl ditch em n slot mk3 ones on...some one would have some second hand ones on here I recon.

[aussieg60]

Q1. Do they have to match as pairs or can you exchange 1 caliper for a later type ? Only 1 is stuffed, where the spring doesnt return effectively.

Q2. Hand brake lever is also different, can the later MK2 hand brake lever fit into the earlier types ? Anyone got a spare hand brake lever ?

[Jmac]

Pm Loon and get the set mate , problem will be solved never to be revisited , one of the best things Vw done was alter that set up , and H100Vw mentions the older pre88 calipers with the Allen key OMG what a friggin **** fight.
Go the MK3 set bud
Jmac

[aussieg60]

Fitted the MK3 rear calipers thanks to GolfLoon.

Bled the brakes, and now there seems to be something else wrong. I have to pump the brakes to get them to work. I hear air down where the pedal is when you pump the brake pedal. Bentleigh manual suggests air in the brake lines or failed master cyl. I re-bled the brakes again, and its got worse, I have to pump the brake pedal more than once now to get it to stop.

Any ideas what it is ?

[86gti]

Sounds as if you still have air in the lines....
I'd go around every wheel and rebleed the old fashon way.2 ppl..one on the prake pedal pumping and the other on the bleeder.

if the pedal felt hard before and now it needs pumping after the calipers have gone in ...I'd say it just needs to be re bleeded...
(if there is no leaking)...

how are you bleeding them? silly question I know.......
start from the furtherst bleed nipple from the mater cyl and pump em up, bleed. do up the nipple ...let brake off......
continue that at least 10-15 times on each.
work your way to the closest niple last...(driver front)..
I had trouble with mine a while back...had to go over and over again..they fine now...the squish noise from the padal is normal...sounds like air...but if it was there would be brake fluid everywhere.

[aussieg60]

Myself and I as 2 people

I bleed first the furthest away working towards the front closest to the m/c. It was ok before I changed the rear calipers, and on my other GTI.

Possibly I need the helper then pre pumping before I open the valve and holding the brake pedal down before I close the bleeder valve.
Looks like I will have to get the wife out then, she loves helping, not.

Any other way finding out if it is the m/c ?