Hey Folks,

My Superb rear brakes (discs and pads) are ready for replacing, so I was wondering what anyone recommended?

cheers

Standard parts from GSF (German Swedish & French) - no problems at all and their Textar pads are OE fitment. You need a piston winding tool to reset the caliper - GSF sell these as well.

rotodiesel.

Do you happen to know the part numbers?

cheers

No, but they do.

rotodiesel.

Jurid ones have the wires on already, not an issue with the rears but you might wanna consider em for the front later, GSF again, yellow box.

got a quote from GSF (German Swedish & French) for textar rear pads..

cheaper from Skoda main dealer

how much did the whole lot set you back part wise inc the piston tool?

can't remember how much the pads were, but the difference was about £7 or £8 just for the pads,

the first time I changed the front pads, the aftermarket oned didn't fit the calipers correctly, too small by about 1mm so they clunked about in the caliper. They were changed for genuine pads asap, so I didn't risk that false economy again, and bought genuine pads for the rears

haven't changed rear discs yet, 152K and still going strong.

The caliper tool was a Halfords special, @ £15 ish?

dave

Hello

I have on rear,disc Brembo and brake-shoe lining Textar

Meanwhile I max content

Regarding the piston winding tool, a while ago, I changed the rear pads on my old 95 Passat, and encountered the same type of thing regarding winding the piston back in.

I never quite worked out what sort of screw thread there is inside the caliper piston, as I didn't have a proper tool, so used a pair of large circlip pliers to get a grip on the slots and was able to turn the piston in a clockwise manner. No matter how much I turned it, the piston refused to go back into the caliper, so I assumed I must be turning it the wrong way, and tried turning it anti-clockwise, at which point the piston rapidly moved out of the caliper, without actually leaving it.

At this point, I figured something was up, so removed the caliper, mounted in a vice a tried again in a clockwise direction, exerting some force onto the pliers. Now that the hydraulic fluid could easily leave the caliper, the piston very easily moved back into the caliper and the job was done. The other side of the car was exactly the same, and had to be taken off to get the piston to retract, which again it did very easily once the fluid could leave the caliper.

Bled the brakes, and all was well, but I was always puzzled about what screw thread was inside the piston. My understanding of a screw thread is that if you can turn it, then the piston must wind it's way in on the screw thread, but that doesn't seem to be the case with these as I could have turned it hundreds of times and it would never have moved, so I assume that it can't be a "real" thread inside there, but can't work out what it can be.

Anyone know?

The whole idea of the tool is that the piston is compressed back into the caliper whilst winding in at the same time.

Dead easy with the correct tool.

The whole idea of the tool is that the piston is compressed back into the caliper whilst winding in at the same time.

Dead easy with the correct tool.

So is there a thread in there, do you think?

And why is it not necessary to wind in the front pistons which can easily be retracted without any winding at all, just a G cramp and a bit of pressure takes them nicely back in.

I assume it must be something to do with the hand brake actuation, but I'm not sure.

The thread is there as part of the handbrake auto-adjust system. Hydraulic disk service brakes adjust by the pistons advancing as the pads wear - the seals being designed to allow this whilst having sufficient elasticity to retract the pistons slightly when the brakes are released.

Vehicle construction and use regulations require the parking brake to be operated mechanically and to be independent of the service brake. The rear calipers therefore need a mechanical auto adjusting device to compensate for pad wear - the hydraulic system will not be considered independent.

Inside the piston is a threaded rod on which a threaded sleeve is fitted. This has a conical end so that the sleeve is locked when the piston is retracted. It is free when the brakes are applied so that it can rotate on the rod to take up pad wear. When you retract the pistons for pad replacement, pressure must be applied at the same time in order to lock the sleeve on its taper, otherwise the pistons will not "screw in".

Always use the correct tool and arrange for the hydraulic inlet to the caliper you are working on to be open so that the fluid can be displaced as you retract the piston. I would not recommend letting the fluid go back into the system via the ABS valves.

It's a pretty crappy system - the rear disk brakes with inner drums for the parking brake as used to be used by Volvo and M-B were far better. Bean counters again...

rotodiesel.

Edited 4 February, 200917 yr by rotodiesel

Perfect explanation. Thanks for that, now it makes sense.

The thread is there as part of the handbrake auto-adjust system. Hydraulic disk service brakes adjust by the pistons advancing as the pads wear - the seals being designed to allow this whilst having sufficient elasticity to retract the pistons slightly when the brakes are released.

Vehicle construction and use regulations require the parking brake to be operated mechanically and to be independent of the service brake. The rear calipers therefore need a mechanical auto adjusting device to compensate for pad wear - the hydraulic system will not be considered independent.

Inside the piston is a threaded rod on which a threaded sleeve is fitted. This has a conical end so that the sleeve is locked when the piston is retracted. It is free when the brakes are applied so that it can rotate on the rod to take up pad wear. When you retract the pistons for pad replacement, pressure must be applied at the same time in order to lock the sleeve on its taper, otherwise the pistons will not "screw in".

Always use the correct tool and arrange for the hydraulic inlet to the caliper you are working on to be open so that the fluid can be displaced as you retract the piston. I would not recommend letting the fluid go back into the system via the ABS valves.

It's a pretty crappy system - the rear disk brakes with inner drums for the parking brake as used to be used by Volvo and M-B were far better. Bean counters again...

rotodiesel.

Hello Rotodiesel,

Would be a pretty safe assumption this description is replicated on my Fabia VRS ?

Is the thread direction wind-back the same both sides, or left and right handed thread ? Thanks a bundle. Ian. 27/02/2009

If the Fabia has the same Girling design calipers as the Superb does, then the auto adjust and piston retract procedure will be the same. Bendix calipers are different (French of course) but I've not seen these on any VAG vehicle.

rotodiesel.

Just changed my front and back brakes, brake dimensions discs and ferrodo pads, £120 all in, at the end of the day cheaper parts work just as well, there all good materials nowadays unless you buy a dodgy hongkong gone wrong from ebay!

Hello Rotodiesel,

Would be a pretty safe assumption this description is replicated on my Fabia VRS ?

Is the thread direction wind-back the same both sides, or left and right handed thread ? Thanks a bundle. Ian. 27/02/2009

For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure the Fabia does have the same type of system, but I'm unsure about the calliper manufacturer.

If the Fabia has the same Girling design calipers as the Superb does, then the auto adjust and piston retract procedure will be the same. Bendix calipers are different (French of course) but I've not seen these on any VAG vehicle.

rotodiesel.

Hello rotodiesel

Your dead right, I did ask head Skoda mechanic over the phone, and he quite simply said, their clockwise retract both sides. He added you will need the special retract tool (we have) to push piston whilst turning.

Ian. 06/03/2009

i found Mintex brakes for the rear on e-bay going for £45

....

as far as i can remember the Mintex Brakes do Racing parts ...So must be good staff

they do the front Disks and Pads + Rear disks and pads for £134

any ideas.......?

Never tried the Mintex disc's so i can't comment on them, but their pads are very good (as used in many motorsports) i have just fitted a full set to SWMBO Golf.

One thing worth checking is the Mintex part No's (MDB****) by buying pads from a other marques (not listed as a Golf) i got my pads for less than half price than what people were quoting for the Golf pads (with the same past No. !)

HTH

Edited 17 November, 200916 yr by Gizmo68

My rears cost £15.50 (inc P&P) and fronts £24.50 (inc P&P) from eBay shops!

I have just noticed the rear pads on the Golf are the same as my Superb (MDB 1377)

The fronts for my car are (MDB 2231)

Edited 1 May, 200917 yr by Gizmo68
Part No.s added

i found Mintex brakes for the rear on e-bay going for £45

Or for £29 (inc P&P) here

I take commission of 50% saved by paypal.

Just to repeat an old fact, Pagid, Textar and Mintex are all TMD Friction companies, Mintex being UK based arm. I would never go by the fact that company Y supplied to motorsport as meaning that their road going stuff must be spot on though! Quality of Mintex sadly does not match Pagid or Textar, who are VAG preferred brake pad suppliers, but due to them being cheaper they tend to be stocked by GSF in preferance to OEM Pagid and Textar, you pays your money and takes your chances.

I fitted Textar rear pads purchased cheaply from GSF. These replaced the OE pads which were stamped "Textar" and had VAG markings. The replacements were identical with the same reference number stamped in the backing plate, but without the VAG stamp.

They are satisfactory in all respects.

rotodiesel.