FSI/TDI90 Rear caliper replacement... tips

I have been having problems with my driver's side rear caliper. Thought it was originally cables, replaced them. Turns out to be the caliper. The handrake cable lever wasn;t retuning properly. Oiled, lubricated, helped a little, but finally, this week it just go so bad, I couldn't physically move the lever. I've had a replacement caliper for a few months but never the time to replace it. So with 3 weeks off, i have time.

Easy job I thought. yes and NO.

2 bolts, remove the slider pins. Check
1 bolt, undo the brake line, Ah, looks like this banjo bolt has had a bit of attention before. Managed to get it off with a socket, however it was fairly rounded. Not going back on.



OK i think. I'll just get one from Audi.... NO. You have to buy the entire line £37 odd + VAT.

Surely, I must be able to get a bolt for less than £40

Ebay came up trumps. Not an A2 part, but the calipers are a fairly standard Lucas part, so I bought a pair of banjo bolts and crush washers for £6.99. Identical to the original bolt.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261716780013?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT



Now fitted.





I didn't do the pads as they has only been on a few months, and paint? well...no.

The old one looks in bad shape, and as I say, the HB lever is really stiff, but if anyone wants to refurb it. Let me know.



So my tip is...
When you are replacing calipers, you might well want to get some banjo bolts, at the very least you will probably need new crush washers.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Just ordered from the link provided as my drivers side rear calliper on the FSI has had similar attention. I could undo it the bolt but when doing it up I cannot get it tight enough to stop it seeping. I tried all types of tools and have rounded it even more. New banjo bolts not he way.

Kind regards,

Tom

I think that when you undo the hose, the crush washers have been crushed. On balance a new set of these would be advisable and always replace the washers. Just like a new sump washer.

Hope it goes well.

Chris

KekseKaempfer said:

I have been having problems with my driver's side rear caliper. Thought it was originally cables, replaced them. Turns out to be the caliper. The handrake cable lever wasn;t retuning properly. Oiled, lubricated, helped a little, but finally, this week it just go so bad, I couldn't physically move the lever. I've had a replacement caliper for a few months but never the time to replace it. So with 3 weeks off, i have time.

Easy job I thought. yes and NO.

2 bolts, remove the slider pins. Check
1 bolt, undo the brake line, Ah, looks like this banjo bolt has had a bit of attention before. Managed to get it off with a socket, however it was fairly rounded. Not going back on.

OK i think. I'll just get one from Audi.... NO. You have to buy the entire line £37 odd + VAT.

Surely, I must be able to get a bolt for less than £40

Ebay came up trumps. Not an A2 part, but the calipers are a fairly standard Lucas part, so I bought a pair of banjo bolts and crush washers for £6.99. Identical to the original bolt.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261716780013?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Now fitted.

I didn't do the pads as they has only been on a few months, and paint? well...no.

The old one looks in bad shape, and as I say, the HB lever is really stiff, but if anyone wants to refurb it. Let me know.

So my tip is...
When you are replacing calipers, you might well want to get some banjo bolts, at the very least you will probably need new crush washers.

Chris

Click to expand...

Made the awful mistake of forgetting to order new banjo bolts for fitting of refurbed calipers yesterday. Thankfully found a couple of old good bolts in the garage that was fitting but wanted to check the link here still points to the correct bolts? As usual ebay says they are incompatible with my car but they do look correct.

Plan is to order up new and swap over hopefully not being too much air in the brakes on the process

I am a bit puzzled. When I took my banjo bolts off my 02 plate FSI rear callipers I was most surprised that they were M12 x 1.0mm, yes 1.0!! I am not convinced those banjos look to have a thread pitch of 1.0mm. I can only think Audi changed the calliper/banjo spec. In your shoes I would determine the thread spec of your banjo thread with a known nut spec and drop the seller a message asking the pitch and diameter of their banjos or research the Bremtech banjos.

Maybe it's my car that is odd!

Interested in the outcome.

Andy

Not m10 Andy?

cheechy said:

Not m10 Andy?

Click to expand...

Just checked with my digital vernier and my rear banjos are M12 without a doubt. (My front banjos are M10).

I am suspicious of mine, are your rear banjos crimped to a flexible rubber brake line, about 6" long, which is then crimped to the normal metal brake line?

Andy

Andrew said:

Just checked with my digital vernier and my rear banjos are M12 without a doubt. (My front banjos are M10).

I am suspicious of mine, are your rear banjos crimped to a flexible rubber brake line, about 6" long, which is then crimped to the normal metal brake line?

Andy

Click to expand...

Yes. However the banjos on mine are the same back and front as far as I can tell.

You think larger banjos have been made to "fit" on the rear?

cheechy said:

Yes. However the banjos on mine are the same back and front as far as I can tell.

You think larger banjos have been made to "fit" on the rear?

Click to expand...

No, my M12 banjos clearly fit my calipers. I think we must have different calipers. Because the banjo bolt comes with the brake line it is not listed as a seperate item on 7zap and thus no banjo spec to help. Need help from somebody who knows the spec on the rear banjos - ANYBODY.

Andy

Is it possible that at some point your calipers have been replaced by a different type or maybe even drilled and tapped? Do you have a pic of the caliper? And yes, the brake line, banjo and washers were all one part on mine, hence buying the banjo bolt on its own.

I don't really know what to suggest. The ones in the link for the A3 fitted mine perfectly. I just did a visual comparison and checked an online schematic of the caliper IIRC.

I can't recall the size of the front banjo bolts, but I did replace the front calipers too recently.

KekseKaempfer said:

Is it possible that at some point your calipers have been replaced by a different type or maybe even drilled and tapped? Do you have a pic of the caliper? And yes, the brake line, banjo and washers were all one part on mine, hence buying the banjo bolt on its own.

I don't really know what to suggest. The ones in the link for the A3 fitted mine perfectly. I just did a visual comparison and checked an online schematic of the caliper IIRC.

I can't recall the size of the front banjo bolts, but I did replace the front calipers too recently.

Click to expand...

Hi All,

The rear driver side brake caliper appears to be seized. I have attempted to clean up and reseat the piston which had sorted it for a while but my alloy wheel has started to feel warm to the touch compared to my other wheels and the whining noise is returning. Therefore, I am wondering if it would be good to refurbish the caliper with a new piston, seals and handbrake return spring or to replace the whole unit? I've read this post with interest and look forward to your advice.


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fhl said:

Hi All,

The rear driver side brake caliper appears to be seized.

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Click to expand...

This is the reason I replaced mine. The handbrake just stopped releasing properly and the pads were being held on the disk. I chose the replace option. I needed the car back on the road asap and I don't recall the caliper being too expensive.

Many thanks for your reply. Do you remember how much you paid for your caliper and what brand you bought?

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It was a TRW I think. The part itself looked like an original with the Audi VW logo ground off. £35 rings a bell.

KekseKaempfer said:

It was a TRW I think. The part itself looked like an original with the Audi VW logo ground off. £35 rings a bell.

Click to expand...

Thanks again


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I think the originals were all Lucas made.
According to my eBay history is was marked as A2 OEM rear calliper and was £57.50 in 2016. The link is dead so I can't give you the seller immediately. I'll check my feedback.

Edit: Looks like it was from p.w.europarts

I recently had a new rear calliper fitted by Noble's Garage in Langwathby for about £100 all in, so they're not dear. It was ~50/50 parts & labour.

Merlin3046 said:

I recently had a new rear calliper fitted by Noble's Garage in Langwathby for about £100 all in, so they're not dear. It was ~50/50 parts & labour.

Click to expand...

I decided to buy the part and fit it. I bought the part 6Q0615424A and dot 4 brake fluid for around £40. Your price looks reasonable too.



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fhl said:

I decided to buy the part and fit it. I bought the part 6Q0615424A and dot 4 brake fluid for around £40. Your price looks reasonable too.



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Click to expand...

Brand new caliper was a bargain and good quality with 2 year warranty and now replaced. Also changed the original OEM pads and discs with Brembo from GSF.

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Excellent choice with Brembo, have fitted Brembo to a couple of my cars and on the A4 tdi they outlasted gen Audi discs at least 3 to 1

On holiday last week having a curry in Lyme Regis as you do, got speaking to the table next to us all retired. One of the guys had a 3 year old BMW with only 27k miles he bought new, and it already needs new discs because they are worn below the limit. OEM nowadays for brake discs and pads is terrible compared to how they used to be.