Hi !

 

Does anyone know how to change the front brake carrier on a Skoda Fabia Mk1 ?

Can anyone point to any instructions / diagrams with torque values for relevant nuts / bolts ?

 

There is nothing in the Haynes manual directly,  and the only searches online return results for brake calipers / brake pads but nothing for the front brake carrier

At a guess I'm thinking  ** some ** of the steps might overlap those required to change a drive shaft / bearing / front suspension - but the sequence of steps is probably different ..

 

I ask because I've got a failed brake carrier thread repair - I used a 'mekanic thread repair kit' available on Amazon for about £26, which uses inserts instead of heli-coils. Unfortunately After drilling out the existing thread and hammering in an insert using a copper headed hammer,  the brake slider bolt won't tighten up flush with the surface of the carrier - there are at least 2 'thread turns' /  3 mm visible. 

 

Any thoughts , any suggestions / diagrams / sequence of steps / torque settings / spline tools sizes required (if any) would be greatly appreciated.

 

Please note the brake caliper is an  FSIII floating carrier type  - but it is instructions on removal and replacement of the brake CARRIER that I need.

 

thanks in advance

Pete

The FSll & FSlll do not have a seperate caliper carrier, it is a part of the wheel hub unit casting, 

Yup, it’s part of the bearing carrier. 

If you are thinking of fitting a new bearing carrier you will also need a new wheel bearing the the correct tooling to fit it. 

26 minutes ago, Tech1e said:

If you are thinking of fitting a new bearing carrier you will also need a new wheel bearing the the correct tooling to fit it. 

 

(Google Gen 2 bearing tool)

 

Whats stopping the bolt going all the way? Did you fit a blind (closed end) insert? Or have you damaged the insert, can you run a tap through it?

Is the slide bolt thread damaged? (Check with the other bolt)

 

Just a random thought, don't know if its practical, maybe get a bearing carrier with wheel bearing already pressed in from a scrappers. Fairly big job to change a carrier though, need workshop tools, big breaker bar, hub nut socket and a new wheel hub nut.

You might find other things need changing too.

 

Will require wheel alignment too if you change the carrier.

 

 

I could not see any kit like that in that size on Amazon, but surely if you have needed to fit it in using a copper mallet, it is a "top hat" design and so - is the "top hat" end now as far in, ie flush with the inside face of the hub bearing carrier? If it is, then surely all is well, as suggested did you manage to screw another guide bolt in so that it is fully in that insert only being stopped by the end of the thread on the guide bolt?

I opted for new hub, £135 from dealer.

New wheel bearing £40, make sure it has a collar to lock it in place.

Tool on eBay to insert wheel bearing tec2 £40

Gt85 spray to unseize hub from strut. That will be your pain.

Good luck

Hub spreader is a great cheap tool to drop the hub off the strut. 

20 minutes ago, Tech1e said:

Hub spreader is a great cheap tool to drop the hub off the strut. 

 

Absolutely agree with that comment having messed about with a selection of small chisels and screwdriver bits!

 

Just remember to remove it after the strut is fully back down into the hub socket (I must admit to leaving one in once, luckily remembering just before completely tightening up the clamping bolt!!) everything survived luckily!

1 hour ago, bmbmdmb said:

Tool on eBay to insert wheel bearing tec2 £40
 

 

GEN2

On 21/07/2019 at 22:44, nige8021 said:

The FSll & FSlll do not have a seperate caliper carrier, it is a part of the wheel hub unit casting, 

Thanks nige - I now realise that I was incorrectly referring to the wheel bearing housing as the 'brake carrier'.

On 21/07/2019 at 22:49, Tech1e said:

If you are thinking of fitting a new bearing carrier you will also need a new wheel bearing the the correct tooling to fit it. 

Thanks for that ...I'll add a new wheel bearing to my list

On 21/07/2019 at 23:25, xman said:

 

(Google Gen 2 bearing tool)

 

Whats stopping the bolt going all the way? Did you fit a blind (closed end) insert? Or have you damaged the insert, can you run a tap through it?

Is the slide bolt thread damaged? (Check with the other bolt)

 

Just a random thought, don't know if its practical, maybe get a bearing carrier with wheel bearing already pressed in from a scrappers. Fairly big job to change a carrier though, need workshop tools, big breaker bar, hub nut socket and a new wheel hub nut.

You might find other things need changing too.

 

Will require wheel alignment too if you change the carrier.

 

Hi Xman - it's an open ended 'top hat' type insert - which is 'pre threaded' . It must have become distorted when I hammered into the hole I drilled out in the wheel bearing housing - because before inserting it I had checked the the caliper guide bolt would screw in fully to the insert. In hindsight I should have gone for a heli-coil kit.

 

The insert (from the Amazon Mekanic Caliper Thread Repair kit  - is not easy to tap - this is the 2nd insert that I've hammered in to the same location. 'Tapping the first insert' was the first thing I tried - but I broke 2 'cheap' tap wrenches on it - before investing in a Starret tap wrench which didn't break.

The slider bold it not damaged - I have 2 new spares anyway - and it works find on the other hole in the wheel bearing housing which I 'tapped out' with a 9 x 1.24 mmtap to clean off rust etc.

Thanks for the tips on the tools and parts - that's a 36mm hub nut socket, front hub nut, breaker bar , breaker bar ..to be included in my parts list ...

 

On 22/07/2019 at 00:09, rum4mo said:

I could not see any kit like that in that size on Amazon, but surely if you have needed to fit it in using a copper mallet, it is a "top hat" design and so - is the "top hat" end now as far in, ie flush with the inside face of the hub bearing carrier? If it is, then surely all is well, as suggested did you manage to screw another guide bolt in so that it is fully in that insert only being stopped by the end of the thread on the guide bolt?

Hi rum4mo - yes the "top hat" end is flush with the surface of the wheel bearing housing. It is an insert from a mekanik caliper thread repair kit. The caliper guide bolt (screwed in to the opposite side from where the top hat was inserted - the caliper bolt will not fit flush with the surface of the wheel bearing housing.

 

I think the thread in the "top hat" insert is of a harder "chrome like material" (hss steel ?) to say the cast iron material in the wheel bearing housing - which is why it is difficult to tap - as mentioned in a post above I broke to tap wrenches ( a sealey tap and a 15" ratchet tap) trying to tap out the previous insert.

On 22/07/2019 at 18:35, rum4mo said:

 

Absolutely agree with that comment having messed about with a selection of small chisels and screwdriver bits!

 

Just remember to remove it after the strut is fully back down into the hub socket (I must admit to leaving one in once, luckily remembering just before completely tightening up the clamping bolt!!) everything survived luckily!

Is this a socket or a hub spreader clamping tool ?

Edited 24 July, 20196 yr by Peter2456
typo

It is a simple correctly shaped 1/2" sqr bit that fits the slot in the carrier perfectly and you rotate it through maybe 90 degrees and it opens the carrier out just enough to get the strut out.

 

Edit:- one thing that I worked out a very long time ago is, only ever buy the correct quality of taps and dies, and extractors like "ezi outs" - buying anything cheaper will always give you trouble.  The first time that I needed to work on the front suspension of a 2002 9N Polo, I bought a big and quite cheap tap and die set from Screwfix, but I only ever use that kit to clean threads, I'd never ever try to cut threads on anything unless it was soft as butter, Dormier(sp?) taps and dies for anything that is proper steel.

Edited 24 July, 20196 yr by rum4mo

22 hours ago, rum4mo said:

It is a simple correctly shaped 1/2" sqr bit that fits the slot in the carrier perfectly and you rotate it through maybe 90 degrees and it opens the carrier out just enough to get the strut out.

 

Edit:- one thing that I worked out a very long time ago is, only ever buy the correct quality of taps and dies, and extractors like "ezi outs" - buying anything cheaper will always give you trouble.  The first time that I needed to work on the front suspension of a 2002 9N Polo, I bought a big and quite cheap tap and die set from Screwfix, but I only ever use that kit to clean threads, I'd never ever try to cut threads on anything unless it was soft as butter, Dormier(sp?) taps and dies for anything that is proper steel.

 

Thanks rum4mo - the socket sounds like a better and cheaper solution than some other options I've seen for sale. I'll also have a quick search for a Dormer M9   or 9 x 1.25 mm tap.

Saved me so many times

Here is the Laser Tools offering which is what I bought, you find them a bit cheaper from some online tool places like Tool Academy for instance.

 

https://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/3396

On 25/07/2019 at 19:37, Tech1e said:

Saved me so many times

I bet that comes in handy !!

On 25/07/2019 at 21:29, rum4mo said:

Here is the Laser Tools offering which is what I bought, you find them a bit cheaper from some online tool places like Tool Academy for instance.

 

https://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/3396

 

Hi Rum4mo - thanks for that.

 

I took delivery of a dormer 9 x 1.25mm tap today.  It cut throught that 'stubborn' thread insert like the proverbial knife through butter.  Now I know why dormer taps are sold out everywhere  - I managed to get one tho' from RS supplies -at £16 incl vat.

 

I just hope the hole I drilled out in the wheel bearing housing is straight enough- I'll check at the weekend when I'll  fit a caliper on and insert / screw in the guide bolt through it.

 

Pete