Rear Brake disc change

[enigma]

Attempted to change my rear brake discs today , but for the life of me i cant see how to remove the caliper bracket , i unbolted the calipers bolts and got that free but the bolts that hold the bracket on just seem to be weird round ones not hex ones , so having failed i have put the caliper back on and now the hand brake feels a touch more slack than before any ideas as i only removed the caliper briefly and didn't touch the pads.


Cheers

 

[GlanzaV]

You will need allen head sockets to remove those IIRC. Does the bolt look like:

 

[GlanzaV]

Thinking back to when I did mine - I thought they were normal hex bolts?? The front FSIII calipers are held onto the hub by Allen Head bolts though?

 

[Slimy]

My worry would be that they USED to be hex bolts, until the previous owner decided to use the wrong tool and has left them nicely rounded for you.

See if you can get a mirror in there and have a look, see if there is still some sign of it being hex shaped. If so, use the correct hex tool and get them undone.

As for the handbrake being slack, pump the brakes a bit to get everything settled in place then try again. You may not have deliberately moved the pads, but you're likely to have pushed the piston in a tiny bit when you removed the caliper off the disc.

 

[enigma]

yeah could well be allen key style ones , couldn't quite get my head inside the arch enough to see. I did think maybe some chimp had rounded them off but both sides are exactly the same so i would guess not. ill have to have another look tomorrow.

Also i couldnt see how to get the pads off to be honest seem pretty much stuck to the disc or something, am i correct in thinking i need to remove the caliper , pads and caliper bracket to change the disc or is it doable without removing the lot as im planning to use the old set of pads with new discs for the time being.

yeah i did pump the brake pedal a fair bit to reseat the piston and pad still feels a touch slacker than it was.

 

[Slimy]

I managed to remove the discs without removing the bracket, but it's so easy to put an ugly dent on the braking surface. If you're only replacing the disc, you can just undo the caliper bracket where it bolts to the strut, and take the whole thing off in one piece.

 

[enigma]

ah right , cheers for that do you know if the caliper brackets are indeed allen key style bolts?.

 

[darkhorse]

I'm pretty sure mine were 18mm hex heads. My guess is they used a 19mm spanner and rounded them as 18mm isn't a common size.

Depending on the disc, you can change them without taking the caliper bracket off. Managed it on my ibiza on one side and a passat

 

[enigma]

really doesn't look to me like rounded bolts as you would still see some of the sharp edges of a hex bolt, this feels completely round and has a recess in it, i assume im looking at the correct bolts

 

[Martin_FR]

It could have been replaced with a spline type bolt like whats in the front hubs for the suspension. Or could be a torx head. Try and get in with a light and have a look to ser what type it is as thats the only way you'll find out. Jack the car up and go in from the back of the car for a better look

 

[enigma]

they feel the same as these fitted to a fabia Vrs , which are allen key style ones are they not?

http://briskoda.net/forums/uploads/9/1/0/7/30614.attach


the caliper mounting bracket bolts i mean not anything to do with the handbrake mech

 

[Martin_FR]

Aye their allen key bolts. Best off getting a socket allen key as the bolts will likely be tight to come off. 7mm rings a bell with brake calipers but I think thats the size of the caliper pins on vauxhalls lol

 

[enigma]

haha spent four bl**dy hours messing about with them today, and there were mere allen key bolts , shall try to replace the discs again tomorrow after ive had the new tyres sorted, using the old pads will be ok for the time being i assume guys?

 

[GlanzaV]

haha spent four bl**dy hours messing about with them today, and there were mere allen key bolts , shall try to replace the discs again tomorrow after ive had the new tyres sorted, using the old pads will be ok for the time being i assume guys?

A bit of advice - The allen head bolts tend to get a lot of crap stuck in the recess. You may think it's a smaller Hex and end up rounding the inside of the bolt! I try and spray in some brake cleaner (since it's handy when changing brakes) and a small wire brush/screwdriver to get all the gunk out first.

I am fairly certain however that the caliper brackets on mine were normal hex bolts and not the allen head type! Because one of mine was slightly rounded and a pig to get off.

 

[Bondiblu]

I replaced a rear wheel bearing a few weeks ago, and mine are defo Allen key bolts, and same with a mates MK1 Fabia, removed rear brakes on Monday and the same, Allen key bolts.

Edited!!! Sorry was early morning!

 

[enigma]

very strange , shall have to have another look , seems odd vag seem to fit different bolts across the ranges dont see why a polo would be different. ill try and post a photo up so i can be sure and don't foobar it up.

 

[Bondiblu]

Edited my previous post!! Allen key style bolts I meant

 

[enigma]

the circled ones are what i have they are the caliper mounting bolts aren't they?

and are allen key not rounded hex as they have a recess

 

[Bondiblu]

Yip, those are the bolts that hold the carrier.

 

[enigma]

ah good , im not just being a mechanical spaz then haha, any thoughts on using the same brake pads on the new discs/ how they remove?. Also do i need to disconnect the handbrake cable atall?.

Cheers for the help so far guys , much appreciated