There's a squeak noticable when driving slowly (town traffic), that disappears when the handbrake is applied very lightly. Handbrake works 100% and settings (1 - 1.5mm from stop) are fine. Is there a shim or something that needs attention?

I'll take the calipers and pads off if necessary but any advice would be welcome, especially since it seems I need to replace the guide bolts once removed (Haynes Manual). Why?

Its probably OK, just the pad lightly touching the disc.

Does either disc get excessively hot during normal driving? Does each caliper apply/release as expected (jack each wheel just clear of the ground and spin it with handbrake off and with 2 clicks).

If all behaves as expected then leave it.

stone stuck between the disc and pad???

Thanks for the tips. There's nothing to suggest the disc is getting especially hot and there's no sign of binding. I had the wheel off yesterday and adjusted the handbrake; no stones; no evident cause. But this has only started a few weeks ago and only on the offside.

Maybe the next thing is to remove everything, clean, coppergrease and see the result?

Any ideas from you folks about the real need to use new guide pin bolts?

Its probably just a little glazing on the pads and/or discs. I assume that there is no play in the wheel bearing?

If everthing works OK I would leave it.

The pin bolts come with some microencapsulated locking compound on them. You could re-use the old ones, but put a spot of Locktite on the thread.

Thanks for this EGC. Wheel bearing feels sound and no squeak this morning when in the rain. So you may well be correct - it's just dust/glaze.

I spoke with the local Skoda Spares and they don't keep the pin bolts; don't normally have any call for them. It seems they just re-use them. I've got Locktite ready for when I take it all apart one fine day, just to have a look.

Watch what loctite you use though - the calipers will get hot enough in use to melt a lot of thread locking compounds out of the threads.

I've always used Loctite 243. Its oil/petrol/brake fluid resistant, not TOO strong (so you can undo the fastener without rounding it) and ok up to 200+ deg. celcius. You'll not get hotter than that on the back end of the pins.