Bleeding my brakes

[ecr]

Hi

I have a Skoda Octavia TDI 4X4 Estate first Reg 14.06.2006 (an 06 plate). The front nearside caliper is very sticky and is keeping the pads against the disk. Replacement looks fairly straightforward but are there any "Gotcha's" when bleeding the system ?

Are there any peculiar valves etc that make bleeding different to other cars ?

 

TIA

[James I]

Replace your calliper and connect the new one then bleed as normal, however if you do not have an easy bleed and are using the pedal to bleed, I would suggest working the pedal slowly and smoothly until all air has gone, make sure you top up the reservoir too because you do not want air in the ABS pump!!

[Guest]

I don't know how much an exchange caliper costs but a new set of piston seals are approx £22 for genuine VAG items.

When you remove the caliper have an assistant slowly pump the pedal to ease the piston out of the caliper, ensure reservoir is full to prevent air in system.

As soon as the piston pops free clamp the rubber hose gently with a pair of locking pliers and open the bleed nipple.

Give the piston and caliper a good clean with brake cleaner aerosol making sure you remove the old seals and clean all nooks n crannies with a cocktail stick or similar.

Provided your piston isn't badly corroded, it can be reused, any small pitting can be dressed with a fine abrasive or scotch brite type cleaning scouring pad.

Insert new seals and pop piston back in before nipping up bleed nipple and releasing locking pliers.

Bleed as normal.

That's the gist of it, you could completely remove caliper and scrub it clean in hot soapy water etc if you were going to go to town and paint it.

I have in the past stripped many sticky calipers and removed, cleaned and reused the original seals without problem as long as there wasn't any sign of leakage prior to disassembly and the piston wasn't badly corroded.

As mentioned previously, all that may not be necessary as the pads may simply be binding in the caliper so a good clean and copper greasing will do.

However rather than do things twice I would suggest taking things to bits to clean and assess serviceability, for all the extra time required.

Good luck.

[ecr]

Thanks Guys

I hadn't considered the pads rusting into the caliper and it certainly makes sense. I'll strip and check before ordering. You may have saved me some cash.

Thanks again

[meta55b]

Is there not a thread on here telling people not to bleed the brakes by using the brake pedal, and only using the pressure bleed system. Think I had a connection with the abs unit going faulty.

[ecr]

That's the sort of info I was aluding to. I'll use my Easybleed  to be sure .....

[ecr]

Well, the pads were certainly tight in the calliper so I cleaned everything up and rebuilt things full of expectation, however, after a trial run the problem is if anything worse !

I can only think that in pressing the piston back into the housing in order to rebuild the brake, I have made any piston pick up worse. My only option now is to strip the calliper and inspect. I'll update with what I find

[mikey vrs]

I used my ezibleed to change the brake fluid on my octy & id use it again to bleed rather than the press the pedal method.

[ecr]

Well, the piston was seized pretty solid in the caliper. Even pushing it out with the brake pedal was hard. The piston is pitted enough to be a concern so a new caliper is on the way.

I wonder what the other side is like ........

[moanthebairns]

Never done a cars calipers, never needed to but ive rebuilt a fair few motorbike brakes with 6 pots (6 pistons) 

 

I assume a cars caliper comes with one piston, a dust seal and a piston seal.

 

when fitting the seals soak them in brake fluid and then apply red grease to the seals groove. This stops crap in the future getting trapped here.

 

likely hood is that when you pushed the piston back by hand you have pinched the seal and made it worse.

 

autosol i find is best at cleaning inside the piston grooves but just make sure to clean it all

[Guest]

With the engine turned off and the servo exhausted, even a padless caliper can feel stiff on the pedal when pushing the piston out so nothing to worry about unless as you say there is significant pitting of the piston.

Re lubricating seals.

It is generally accepted that clean brake fluid is used on reassembly however the fluid supplied with new seals is better because it isn't hygroscopic like brake fluid and won't draw moisture and hence cause corrosion and furring of parts which is the cause of binding brakes.

[moanthebairns]

Never had fluid supplied with seal kits, but thats bikes.

 

thats why i put a dab of red grease on the seals as well. 

[ecr]

New caliper fitted, and I'm back on the road. Thanks for all your help !

[hobbes42]

I have had intermittent issues with my nearside front caliper sticking. It was stripped and cleaned at the last service, which was only last November. Already it is binding again, my local indy garage has identified a pitted piston with looks like it has been caused by a split weather seal. Just bought a new caliper from ECP, and a Eezibleed kit. Might even have a crack at replacing tonight.

[hobbes42]

All done. Although didnt realise you dont chnage the seal on the pipe into the caliper, you are supposed to change the pipe!

[moanthebairns]

do you need to take the wheels off to get to the nipple or can you leave them on

im too ****ing lazy to go outside and look and ill forget the next time im out

[j0hn]

Not if you've got access to a lift.

[hatchy]

Nothing wrong with using the brake pedal if done properly. If it was that bad it wouldn't be the first 'bleeding' method described in the Octavia Haynes manual. Always hear scare stories about it flipping seals and crap about having to have the ignition on when doing it. Always bled all my cars brakes over the years using the brake pedal and never had an issue. Be that with a 'helper' or a one way kit.