Who else has experienced the Fabia VRS brakes seizing ?

Front or backs?

New pads or Discs?

When does it happen? All the time? when its cold?

We bit more information might be healpful

I've had this problem with the rear brakes . They would seize on just slightly and would make a scrubbing noise as the pad is constantly rubbing on the disc . Cleaned all the runners (wd40 & copper grease) and after a while it started to play up again . I read about a guy getting small springs put in the runners somewhere on the calliper to spring it back out and stop the seizing . But couldn't find anything else on it .

I've fitted the rear springs to mine, helped a bit, but it still get a rubbing noise, though it now only really happens if I get the brakes very hot.

For some reason my rear near side pads don't seem to be wearing the disc evenly. I got a 1-2cm unswept part on the outer edge of the brake disc. I think when the brakes get hot (from enthusiastic driving) the pads start to catch on that part of the unswept part (that's my guess anyway).

I think the only rear action is to strip and renew the pistons.. (I say that because these pads and discs were fitted by me, so I'm confident I did them perfectly, PAgid parts too, so OEM fitment)

I think everyone has had this problem at some point. Solved mine by fitting the Audi a3 springs to the calliper.

You will always have a slight lip on the disk. The surface area isnt as big on the pad so wont use the outer and inner edge of it. Its a good wear indicator so you know when they need changing too!

You will always have a slight lip on the disk. The surface area isnt as big on the pad so wont use the outer and inner edge of it. Its a good wear indicator so you know when they need changing too!

mine's more that a slight lip, it's atleast 1-2cm of unswept area

Hi Guys

Just joined, so be gentle

My girlfriend has recently bought a high mileage 06 Fabia 1.2 12v, and the front brakes are badly in need of attention.

The discs are excessively worn, in particular on the outboard side, which are probably at least 1mm if not 2mm more worn than the inboard side.

My question is, does this (the unevenness of wear) indicate a particular fault (possibly that in the next paragraph).

The discs on both sides are very difficult to turn, so I suspect the calipers have seized? The plan is to change both discs and pads, but obviously we need to check that the calipers can be freed off first.

I've seen a thread on here that seems to suggest that the caliper guide pin bolts MUST be fastened to the correct torque. I have an Allen key that seems to fit the female Hex in the guide pin bolts, but presumably, if I'm going to torque the bolt (or is it a nut) correctly I really need a Hex bit that will fit the drive size of my torque wrench?

When you try and push the piston back into the caliper, you should feel if its seized or not.

The sliders are mostly 7mm allen key (Hex) They dont need to be THAT tight as they dont come under much force as such but not somthing you want coming loose. The problem with them is when you take them out all the brake dust, rust build up and crap is on the outside of the threads and when you wind it out, it can damage the threads on the hub.

It may just be that the pads need cleaning off and some fresh copper grease putting on them but not much point if your chaning them anyway!

If you jack the car up and take the wheel off, pull the caliper towards you as hard as you can, this should push the piston back enough to see if the pads are free or confirm the caliper is seized or what not! Note; You wont be able to push the full piston back this way, its usually only a couple of mm before it gets really tight.

Hi Guys

Just joined, so be gentle

My girlfriend has recently bought a high mileage 06 Fabia 1.2 12v, and the front brakes are badly in need of attention.

The discs are excessively worn, in particular on the outboard side, which are probably at least 1mm if not 2mm more worn than the inboard side.

My question is, does this (the unevenness of wear) indicate a particular fault (possibly that in the next paragraph).

The discs on both sides are very difficult to turn, so I suspect the calipers have seized? The plan is to change both discs and pads, but obviously we need to check that the calipers can be freed off first.

I've seen a thread on here that seems to suggest that the caliper guide pin bolts MUST be fastened to the correct torque. I have an Allen key that seems to fit the female Hex in the guide pin bolts, but presumably, if I'm going to torque the bolt (or is it a nut) correctly I really need a Hex bit that will fit the drive size of my torque wrench?

First thing you need to do is identify what type of brakes you have, Haynes may not help all that much. It misled me until I actually measured the discs' dia.!

You may have 256mm discs and 'FSIII' calipers, or you may have 239mm and 'FSII' (maybe even a third type, but I don't think so). The slider arrangement looks to be different, and I don't know which is better. I do know that the FSII can tend to 'gum up' with road dirt and maybe not slide like it should anymore, which would tend to lead to asymmetric pad/disc wear, because the caliper no longer centralises itself correctly/reliably either side of the disc during and after brake application.

On the FSII calipers the hex key size is a 6mm, and I believe the correct torque is 25Nm (vs 28Nm for FSIII guide bolts). You are tightening onto a fairly tough looking steel spacer, so I doubt the torque is ultra-critical, but finding a suitable bit/adaptor to enable you to use a torque wrench should be neither difficult nor expensive. A repair kit is available for the rubber sleeve parts and PTFE shims, and the guide bolts and spacers are all available separately as reqd. This is all for the FSII/239 arrangement, don't know about the FSIII/256.

Thanks for your reply Wino,

Yes, Haynes was also incorrect for this car. The discs are indeed 239mm and the caliper is FSII (clearly marked on the caliper). EBC Brakes Direct have supplied Pads that have a Pad Wear Indicator wire attached, but there is none on the existing pads. On enquiry, they say if the pads fit, just cut the wire off, which seems strange.

Apologies Hutchysrs. I must have missed your post (or it hadn't appeared yet). Thanks for the info. I'm going to have a look tomorrow morning. I only have a 6mm Allen key, but this fits snugly into my 1/4" drive Deep Socket, and with an extension bar fitted onto the socket, I'm hoping I can get enough leverage. If they're only 25Nm, I'm hoping they should undo.

I've no idea of your mechanical aptitude, so forgive me if this is second nature to you; but before you try to undo the guide bolts please take the following precautions to avoid rounding off the Allen hexes.

Clear out any crud that might stop your hexagon bit fitting all the way into the bottom of the bolt head. Scrape it out with a teeny jewellers screwdriver, whatever.

Give the hex bit a couple of taps with a small hammer to encourage it to find the bottom, you'll hear and feel a change when it 'arrives'.

If it doesn't seem to be shifting in an 'undoing' way (and having taken into account that the bolts are facing away from you!), try tightening it a touch, just until it moves, then go back to undoing.

This page: http://skoda.worksho...ndex.php?id=208 and the next may be of use to you. No idea whether these are meant to be in the public domain or not, but they keep popping up on web searches.

Note for anyone who read from the start of this thread: since post #8 the information relates to 239mm front brakes as fitted to some - not all - 1.2 engined Fabias, not VRS models.

Thanks again Wino. Very useful advice. I'll do as you suggest.

Just to update on this;

The bolts on the driver's side came out easy enough, and after Plusgas the upper bolt on the nearside undid, but the lower bolt foiled me. I've seen a suggestion on here to try mole grips, which strangely, I don't have. As, having messed up the lower bolt's head, I'm now going to have to buy a set of bolts and guides, thought I'd wait till I've got those before trying unconventional methods.

Just had a thought. Would it be feasible to drill a hole in the exposed section of the bolt, and try using a small bar to lever the bolt free? I guess drilling the hole in a cylindrical bolt might be difficult.

Edited 8 February, 201313 yr by phs12

It's a shame you're so far away, as I could help you out with tools and spares otherwise.

I bought most of the bits recently so I can offer part numbers:

Bushing kit (one side only, and with 'extra'/un-needed bits) 171 698 447B

Upper bolt N 903 292 06 (Grade 8.8, mit blue 'threadgelocker' )

Lower bolt N 903 291 05 (Same grade, but black stuff on these threads for some reason)

Don't know that dealers would have them on the shelf, but worth a call or two in the morning?

The only difference that I can see from 'run-of-the-mill' caphead bolts is the slight pointiness at the non-head end, presumably to ease location into the female thread?

Could maybe fettle a standard M8x50 caphead to look/act the same, until you can get the real thing?

I didn't buy the tube/spacer bits as they were in serviceable condition and just needed cleaning up and re-greasing.

For the wrecked bolt: maybe cut away the surrounding rubber (if still present) and borrow some mole-grips/Stilsons to get on the outside of the head?

Note for anyone who read from the start of this thread: since post #8 the information relates to 239mm front brakes as fitted to some - not all - 1.2 engined Fabias, not VRS models.

Thanks again Wino. Dealers are pretty sparse near my girlfriend's, so I'll leave getting the bolts till I'm back in North Manchester.

Just out of interest, the Haynes manual says "Remove the two protective rubber caps...". This car didn't have any, and as you have the same model, I wondered if yours did. We spent half an hour, trying to remove what we thought was the cap, but was in fact just the rubber sleeve, and it obviously didn't budge. Maybe the white things in the Bushing bag in your photo are the caps?

No protective caps on this set-up. I think Haynes must be referring to another type, unhelpfully.

The white things in my pic are the PTFE shims (6, 13 in the Skoda diagram linked to earlier) that sit between the outside of the spacer tubes (7, 12 in the diagram) and the inside of the rubber sleeves (5, 14) . They help the caliper slide in/out as frictionlessly as poss on the spacers.

Note for anyone who read from the start of this thread: since post #8 the information relates to 239mm front brakes as fitted to some - not all - 1.2 engined Fabias, not VRS models.

Wino,

Where did you get your Rubber Bushes from? A Skoda dealer has quoted me £21.84 at TPS (the dealer didn't have them in) just for a pair.

Seen this on ebay, and wondered if they're the same thing, with guides and bolts also;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-MK2-MK3-GTI-BRAKE-CALIPER-REPAIR-KIT-SLIDER-BOLT-KIT-171698447-A71-/190740833462?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2c690a24b6

Looks like the right stuff, and a bargain price if the quality's OK. If you do get that kit, just offer up/measure up each bit against what you're taking off before you fit it. just to be sure.

My local Skoda sold me the bushing kit for £19.66 all in (on 23/11/12) , looks like they took 10% off the full retail price of £18.20 + VAT without me asking, which is some consolation I guess. £21.84 is full retail price inc. VAT. Rip off, for sure, but I prefer genuine bits for front brakes where I can.

Note for anyone who read from the start of this thread: since post #8 the information relates to 239mm front brakes as fitted to some - not all - 1.2 engined Fabias, not VRS models.

(Just thought it would be good to add in this note for future finders/readers of this thread, which started out discussing VRS brakes).

Thanks Wino,

Emailed the seller, and got this reply;

Hi Paul,

Sorry they only fit the cars listed.

Regards Barry

Guess he's just playing it safe to protect his 100% pos feedback.

S/h Caliper seems the best option to me. Think these are fixed rather than sliding calipers (?), so no way of telling if one side might need replacing (i.e. no sliding to check), cos you would buy that side, knowing you could use the bushes on either side.

You've completely lost me with the last sentence there. FSII calipers are supposed to have movement on their mountings, otherwise the single piston wouldn't be able to make both pads work against the disc. :wonder:

Ah, I see (after some research on the net), these are indeed Floating Calipers not Fixed. Well, when I managed to get the off-side off, I don't remember the caliper sliding, so we may have a problem with the calipers.

So, if I take the wheel off, without taking the pins out, I should be able to push the piston back into its bore, and the caliper should slide on the carrier (I know mine on my Clio slides very easily)?

That last sentence, I was just saying you could buy a S/h caliper to get the rubber bushes off it. Then you'd also have a spare caliper in reserve.

Think of it as two separate parts,

1. the caliper with two 'rubber lined' holes,

and 2. the metal guide tubes with the bolts up their middles fixed to the hub.

In between these are the PTFE shims, and some grease, to allow the caliper to slide in/out along these guides. It's a crude system, but if there's no corrosion of the guide tubes/bolts or other crud in there, it works just fine. Cleaning and re-greasing may well be all you need.

Thanks Wino

I've found this online

http://www.scribd.com/doc/63675452/Mecanica

If you type 298 in the box, it takes you to a page that shows the brake caliper only, in more detail than the link you posted. I thought the rubber things were just to protect the bolt heads from dirt and moisture ingress, but looking at that picture, it appears that the guides actually run inside those rubbers i.e. they are a fully functioning part of the sliding mechanism, not just protectors, which partly explains why they're so expensive. Actually, now I've re-read it, I see that's what you've said above