In the old day before ABS.....changing brake pads were a doddle....just open the brake fluid reserve and push the piston in.

Now with ABS can I do the same thing?

Discs I guess are just a case of moving the caliper up and out of the way and removing the one(?) securing screw.

Any other things?

Also I guess for road use upgrading fluid is not really necessary? For track day it's a good idea for fade and pedal feel (although I guess this last point is also good for the road)?

Cheers.

Adrian.

ABS won't create any problem just make sure that all the vacuum has gone from the servo by pumping the brake pedal with the engine off. You should feel the pedal go very hard.

For the front discs just push the pistons back in with a G clamp or similar. However, if you car has rear discs, you will need a special VAG/Sykes-Pickavent retracting tool for the pistons. They have to be rotated as well as being pushed in. There is no way you can do it without the tool (I'm sure someone will prove me wrong!). Whatever you do don't try to push the pistons in as you would for the front.

I'm sure that you know to pump the brake pedal after installing the pads before driving the car.

There is no way you can do it without the tool (I'm sure someone will prove me wrong!).

i can :p

Was that for both front/rear or just rears K?

A bit slow on the uptake at the moment...got the bl**dy flu!

Ta.

Adrian.

Was that for both front/rear or just rears K?

A bit slow on the uptake at the moment...got the bl**dy flu!

Ta.

Adrian.

the rears

Just the rear. I've attached a pdf file to this giving details.

I think I've just found out why my pedal travel is increased after having my rear pads fitted. "if the piston is pushed back with a piston resetting tool the automatic adjustment in the brake caliper will be destroyed"

Is this literally destroyed or can this adjustment be reset?

Steve

Can someone please answer this one?

Steve

Steve, perhaps Big K or Bert can answer your question, but are not surfing just now. I doubt if anyone else knows the internals of Octavia brakes well enough. Give them another 27 minutes - perhaps you'll have an answer :hat:

You could also try the chatroom - often some good instant feedback in there

If by some miracle they did manage to push the piston back in the caliper without the special tool or at least rotating the piston whislt pushing it back in it will wreck the ratchet mech in the caliper itself.

Easy way to check put two pipe clamps on the rear flexi brake hoses and see if the pedal improves if it does you know its the back brakes. The same will work for the fronts.

Hope this helps.

Ross - apologies I should have included you in the list of the all-knowing :bowdown:

I've just realised that 'If the piston is pushed back WITH a piston resetting tool etc......' must be a misprint. The word surely should be WITHOUT?

As Ross says, if the piston is somehow pushed back without being rotated the mechanism will be destroyed.

If the piston has been retracted correctly the brake pedal will come back to normal after several pumps with the engine off. Similarly the handbrake will reset itself. I've never dismantled the calipers only installed new pads. I hate to say this but, using the brake tool, I had no problems. Try pumping the pedal again both with and without the engine running. Good luck!

Ross - apologies I should have included you in the list of the all-knowing :bowdown:

:smileypul

Or does it mean 'with (any old) a piston resetting tool'?? i.e. not the correct tool!

I'm confused now!

I'm going mad!

I think it means 'if the piston is pushed back with a piston resetting tool instead of being screwed in with special tool 3272,' things will be fubard!

If by some miracle they did manage to push the piston back in the caliper without the special tool or at least rotating the piston whislt pushing it back in it will wreck the ratchet mech in the caliper itself.

Easy way to check put two pipe clamps on the rear flexi brake hoses and see if the pedal improves if it does you know its the back brakes. The same will work for the fronts.

Hope this helps.

Ross, have some virtual reputation points on me!

in this post

Rob - great kudos to you mate for your nice clear answers. If the reputation tool was still alive you'd be getting several points - even if I had to log in as Real Skoda to do it :p

and

Ross' date=' have some virtual reputation points on me![/quote']

Colin, reinstate the reputation! They are asking for it

Ross, have some virtual reputation points on me!

:Present: :detective

Right, how do I go about getting the garage that shagged my calipers to pay for a new pair!

Steve

Colin' date=' reinstate the reputation! They are asking for it [/quote']

OH NO THEY'RE NOT!!!! Don't get ideas ... :nono:

BTTT in case K looks in tonight!

Steve

Get the garage to carry out the test as I said.

Clamp off the rear calipers. If the pedal returns to a normal feel ask them why after they changed the rear pads so you suddenly have a fault with the rear calipers. Then ask them if you could see the tool for winding the caliper pistons back as you have been told about it and are curiuos to know what it looks like.

Watch thier faces.

BTTT in case K looks in tonight!

Steve

????

Think he bumped the thread just so you could offer your advice K.

(How) was this resolved, Steve?