New rear discs

[AlienP2]

Hi

Looks like I need to replace the rear discs after only 30k miles which is a shock, but I guess the previous owner didn't look after them. I've searched this forum and others and it doesn't look too hard but I want to check i've not missed anything. Replaced pads on plenty of other cars and there are often awkward bits, usually wrong tools.

I have a 2012 1.8 TSI Estate. Various websites give me a range of sizes for the discs. I know the largest are for V6 or 4x4 but there is still some variations in the smaller ones. Will be calling EBC for advice but if anyone on here knows then I'd apreciate the input. Just going with their OEM replacements.

The job itself looks like:

1) remove wheels

2) remove 2 bolts holding calliper in place

3) remove spline screw to take off disc.

Questions:

1) mixed advice on here about how hard it is to get the bolts off for the callipers. On others cars I've only taken one bolt off and rotated the caliper on the other one. Anyone tried this on a superb? Any tips welcome for freeing the nuts.

2) anyone got a picture of the spline screw? What size and what shape. I've seen different advice on different pages. Oh for a Haynes manual!

Thanks in advance. Will let you know how it goes.

[AlienP2]

Apologies for lack of paragraphs. It looked OK when I typed it, but I don't seem able to edit.

[giandougl]

Seems rear discs on all models of SKODA rust, and so look neglected.

Main reason, car is designed to do the majority of the braking at the front, so rust is seldom removed from rear discs.

 I renew my discs every 2 - 3 years on the old Fabia VRS, easy enough job with new pads, only because it is what it is, cosmetic..

Edited 9 February, 2016 by giandougl

[psycholist]

You'll need a caliper rewind tool and more annoyingly, a XZN M14 sized 12 point driver to take the caliper carrier off. Annoying because it's usually rusted solid, hard to get a long lever on to to break it free and it's a size bigger than comes with a lot of sets of XZN drivers.

[AlienP2]

Thanks both.

 

Had another look at the discs to see if they really needed replacing and they are badly scored, even through the front ones are near perfect. Didn't measure the thickness, but given that they aren't expensive and I'll have done 75% of the work to get to the pads it seemed silly to leave them on.

 

Ordered some EBC discs and pads (OEM, nothing special - about £70 for the lot) and then went on Amazon for the tools. Will do the job on Sunday if it doesn't rain.

[williamshatnerspants]

Thanks both.

 

Had another look at the discs to see if they really needed replacing and they are badly scored, even through the front ones are near perfect. Didn't measure the thickness, but given that they aren't expensive and I'll have done 75% of the work to get to the pads it seemed silly to leave them on.

 

Ordered some EBC discs and pads (OEM, nothing special - about £70 for the lot) and then went on Amazon for the tools. Will do the job on Sunday if it doesn't rain.

If you could take some photos and post them here it'd be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Nathanio]

If you could take some photos and post them here it'd be much appreciated. Thanks!

+1 please!

[frifall]

Thanks both.

 

Had another look at the discs to see if they really needed replacing and they are badly scored, even through the front ones are near perfect. Didn't measure the thickness, but given that they aren't expensive and I'll have done 75% of the work to get to the pads it seemed silly to leave them on.

 

Ordered some EBC discs and pads (OEM, nothing special - about £70 for the lot) and then went on Amazon for the tools. Will do the job on Sunday if it doesn't rain.

 

Will be doing this myself on my car, on which the discs have rusted away too...

Curious as to what winding tool you've purchased for the pistons? I've seen several different models for sale.

[williamshatnerspants]

It is a tool for pushing the brake pistons back into the caliper, like this:

 

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/laser-brake-caliper-rewind-tool

 

This allows the new (thicker) disc to fit between the brake pads.

[CombatWombat]

I haven't replaced the discs, yet.  But, assuming the parts are similar to an Octavia MK2, there may be a problem getting the disc off when the caliper carrier is still in place.

 

The smaller size discs that were fitted to the Octavia (and fitted to some Superb MK2?)  will slide out. But the bigger sizes have to have the carrier removed it is reported on the Octavia forum.

 

This ought to be easy, but on the Octavia it is said that these bolts are  *ing  tight.         ( * =  insert swearword of choice here.)

 

It is hindered by the fact that there is insufficient room under the car to undo the bolts easily with a 'breaker' bar, unless it is raised higher than a normal jack/stands can lift.

 

Some folk have commented that when collecting their (admittedly older Octavia MK2) cars from the garage after disc replacement, the mechanic has commented on what a b@stard job it was for this reason.

 

I seem to remember that the smallest size disc fitted to a Superb 2 will allow removal, just not sure what size this was in mm!

 

I'm happy to be corrected here...

Edited 11 February, 2016 by CombatWombat

[AlienP2]

That's the tool, but a 3 times what I paid.

The bolts on the callipers worry me. Made a complete mess of one on my old car and the problem is that you just can't get to them to apply leverage. Focus used to have an Allen key from the front.

Will take photos when I do the job on Sunday.

[psycholist]

I haven't replaced the discs, yet.  But, assuming the parts are similar to an Octavia MK2, there may be a problem getting the disc off when the caliper carrier is still in place.

 

The smaller size discs that were fitted to the Octavia (and fitted to some Superb MK2?)  will slide out. But the bigger sizes have to have the carrier removed it is reported on the Octavia forum.

 

This ought to be easy, but on the Octavia it is said that these bolts are  *ing  tight.         ( * =  insert swearword of choice here.)

 

It is hindered by the fact that there is insufficient room under the car to undo the bolts easily with a 'breaker' bar, unless it is raised higher than a normal jack/stands can lift.

 

Some folk have commented that when collecting their (admittedly older Octavia MK2) cars from the garage after disc replacement, the mechanic has commented on what a b@stard job it was for this reason.

 

I seem to remember that the smallest size disc fitted to a Superb 2 will allow removal, just not sure what size this was in mm!

 

I'm happy to be corrected here...

 The disks on my CR170 wouldn't come out with the caliper carrier in place anyway. I ran a ratchet strap from the ratchet handle to the hitch to break the bolt on one side loose. The other side was just about reachable with a breaker bar. With a car lift both sides can easily be reached with the breaker bar.

[silver1011]

If it was just the pads the carrier could stay put but you need to remove the caliper carrier to get the disc off.

 

I couldn't do it. Even with the car jacked up as high as I could, and using a breaker bar I couldn't get enough leverage on the M14 Square Spline to free it.

 

You really need to lift the car off the ground, have it over a pit or be stronger then me.

 

See here for more pictures...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/351129-brake-disc-guard/page-2

 

 

[SuperbTWM]

You'll need a caliper rewind tool and more annoyingly, a XZN M14 sized 12 point driver to take the caliper carrier off. Annoying because it's usually rusted solid, hard to get a long lever on to to break it free and it's a size bigger than comes with a lot of sets of XZN drivers.

 

The ones I've done more recently on an Audi and a Golf had normal hexagon heads which are a lot easier to tackle

 

Those 12 point bolts can be a pain and normally need a good wire brushing to get rid of the corrosion before you attempt to take them off. I have a 3/4 ratchet which is about long enough to get the required leverage.

 

Also its not a bad idea to crack the bleed nipple and bleed the fluid into something as you wind the caliper piston back in. The fluid nearest the piston seal gets dirty and has moisture in it so pushing it back into the braking system doesn't make sense to me

[silver1011]

Mine was M14, and two of them to boot...

 

 

I bought this set...

 

[peterposh]

I use a short stout spanner and a lump hammer to start it

[wiilydog]

I struggled to remove those M14 bolts too and ended paying £40 to my local Indy to change my disc and pads.

[peterposh]

The caliper holder bolts get really tight, give them a good sousing with WD40 , make yourself a cup of tea then get the spanner and lump hammer , they have a short handle and a heavy head so you can give the spanner a good clout even within the confines of the wheel arch

Edited 13 February, 2016 by peterposh

[giandougl]

Apply a touch of copper-based grease to threads on re-assembly, saves struggling so much next time..

[AlienP2]

OK - so I made a start and now I know the difference between a calliper and a carrier. Got the first off really easily but the discs on my car (1.8tsi) are too large to come off with the carrier in place. Struggling to even get to the bolts so came on here for a look at the pictures again. Back out to the car now.

[peterposh]

You have to remove caliper and pads, then remove the carrier which straddles the disk. The carrier bolts are large and stiff ooh err missus, and will need help with a hammer as I described unless of course you're Geoff capes. When you've done that the disks are usually reluctant to come off . So they sometimes need the club hammer treatment also

Edited 14 February, 2016 by peterposh

[AlienP2]

Part 2 (2 years on)

 

I gave up on the rear discs. Sorry for not posting sooner. I just couldn't get the M14 bolts started as I wasn't prepared to work from inside the wheel arch which seemed to be the only place I'd get enough purchase on the bolt to stop the spline socket from slipping out as soon as I applied any pressure. The rear pads were absolutely worn out though and replacing these gave new life to the hand brake.

 

In summary the rear brakes had their first new pads at 30k and the front have been changed twice by 55k. Will be doing the rear pads again soon.

 

Two and a bit years on and the latest MoT had advisories on all four discs, the front being worse than the rear. The front nearside brake started binding about 2 days before the MOT and I suspect the disc was still visibly marked from this when it went in for the test even though I'd managed to free it. The car has done 55,000 miles now so I bought new pads and discs for the front.

 

Why can't Skoda or the various parts suppliers agree on what size discs my car has? Turns out they are 312mm on the front (2012 1.8TSi Estate).

 

By comparison to the rear discs, the front ones were simple. In part because you can turn the steering wheel to angle the wheels and provide better access to the carrier bolts but mostly because they've used proper bolts instead of the wretched spline ones. They were still very stiff to get started, but as someone pointed out above, WD40 is your friend.

 

The only problem I had was that the little grub screw that secures the discs was locked solid and I didn't realise this until I'd sheared the head off the first one. Some WD40 and a little patience meant the 2nd one came off OK. I couldn't drill the rest of the screw out of its hole which made reassembly a pain. This doesn't do an important job in terms of the operation of the brakes, but trying to get the wheel bolts back in with the disk able to spin freely was a frustrating exercise. Need to buy myself a better drill bit and go back to do this job later.

 

One final challenge was the spring clips that go back on after the new pads have been put in the callipers. The nearside one came lose during the test drive and made a dreadful noise. Seems to have bent slightly out of shape so will be ordering replacements, although it is behaving itself for now.

 

Hope others find the tale useful. There have been many helpful tips from others. I know some regard brakes as being best left to the experts, but they really are very basic and the technology hasn't changed in years so if you were comfortable changing them on previous cars, then no reason not to carry on doing so. What does seem to change is the ever increasing variety of sizes of the components and the weird and wonderful tools needed.

 

I've still got the rear discs in the garage so might have a go at those later in the year. Plan B wouuld be to free issue them to the local independent for them to fit. A vehicle hoist and impact driver would make all the difference.

 

PS having bought a rewind tool for the calliper 2 years ago, I now find a part of it has gone missing from my tool box. A G-clamp and block of wood worked far better.