Changing Cupra front pads/discs (AP Racing)

I set out to do this today with my bro...got a nice set of Ferodo DS2500 pads and some EBC discs. I was going to put up a guide for anyone else who wanted to do it but my advice is don't bother, take it to a garage!

The annoying thing is getting the 2 pad retaining pins out of each caliper. We eventually managed to get the ones on the passenger side out and replaced disc and pads then put it all back together. But doing the drivers side, one of the pins just won't budge. Spent about 3 hours spraying with penetrating oil and trying to hammer it out, drilling it out, dremeling it etc. It looks like it is proper seized in.

So by this time it was getting to dark and had to make a decision what to do as obviously I now had one wheel with brand new discs and the other without. So we decided to put the new disc on the drivers' side (as the old ones were scratched and dirty by now) and keep the old pads in. We then went back to the other wheel and removed the new pads and put the old ones back in. I know using old pads on new discs isn't advised at all, but it was the only way to be able to get the car back on the road. The car brakes ok, just not as well as it used to and I will try and source some new pins and try and figure out how to get the stuck one out!

I thought they would be quite easy, but typically I proabbly should have taken it to a stealer and paid the £100-£200 labour . So something to bear in mind if anyone else is thinking about doing their APs...

Yea back ones look easier on my car. I've found a replacement pin kit on ETKA but looks like its going to be around £50 Lucky I didn't go for the really expensive discs I suppose!

Yea it would have been very easy if I didnt have the stuck pin! The car's only done 19k so thought it would be straightforward compared to older cars I have worked on

I used a centre punch and hammer to get the other ones out, but this last one isn't moving no matter how big a hammer etc I use!

I phoned stealer this morning and they said they had the attachment parts in stoc, but turns out someone has pinched the pins and springs from the box and there's just some pads in there. So they are ordering me some more

yea i might try and get hold of a dead blow hammer. I'm in two minds about using heat as I don't want to damage the pistons/seals. Will try adn get some new punches or drifts as I bent the Halfords one trying to get the pin out,

Tried the dead blow hammer but still it ain't budging. I emailed AP Racing yesterday and they just now got back to me and said they would send out replacement pins for me ...Now to phone Seat and tell them I don't want the £70 pad and fitting kit..

The pin that I am hitting is definitley solid..its like it has mushroomed or bedded itself into the outside of the caliper which is where you hit it to remove it and there is no gap between the outside of the pin and the inside of the caliper hole.

I see what you are saying about the pinata etc. I can't move the caliper much when its unbolted from the hub becasue of the brake line - I don't really want to disconnect this and have more hassle. But I'll try and rest it on something on its' side and get someone to support the punch with molegrips, then just give it a good downward blow.

Otherwise I will just drill it out now I have my free replacement pins on their way

I got them from Badger5. Ask Bill about them in the Badger5 section.