Front Disk change - advice pls

[smith101]

My superb has clocked up 57k and the front discs need to be replaced.

Have been quoted £122 at national tyre but fancy having a go myself.

could anyone give me some guidance? have been following the thread for the rear pads but not sure how much of this is applicable.

many thanks!

[ncarring]

A few threads on here, a search may help.

Basically:

remove roadwheel

remove screws holding the disc to the hub (between the boltholes for the roadwheel bolts - an impact driver is sometimes necessary for these)

Undo the two large bolts holding the caliper to the carrier (some advocate splitting the caliper, but I prefer to remove it whole)

Slide the caliper sideways off the disc (you may need to chip the lip off the disc along a sector equivalent to the width of the pads, or prise the pads away from the disc a little (be careful if you plan to reuse the pads))

Support the caliper on a convenient point on the strut somewhere while you put the new disc on so it isn't hanging on the hose

Remove the disc (a gentle tapping may be necessary)

Install the new disc (line it up with the bolt holes and insert the retaining screws)

Prise the pads apart in the caliper enough to slide over the new disc which will be fatter than the old, worn-out one (watch for fluid overflow in the reservoir at this point)

Slide the caliper into place

Reinstall the caliper bolts

Replace the roadwheel

Repeat for the other side

Rough estimate - 30 mins per side.

[Gizmo]

(be careful if you plan to reuse the pads)

Would anybody actually consider putting used worn pads back onto new disc's?? :eek:

[mattbeef]

depends on how worn the pads are.

Im pretty sure that my pads will out last my discs at the moment

[smith101]

thanks for these tips.

so let me get this straight. I may need an impact driver. what could I use to chip the disc? anything other tools I might need (apart from the usual wheel changing bits). I am not the world's most accomplished mechanic hence the questions.

My superb has clocked up 57k and the front discs need to be replaced.

Have been quoted £122 at national tyre but fancy having a go myself.

could anyone give me some guidance? have been following the thread for the rear pads but not sure how much of this is applicable.

many thanks!

[piv34uk]

Piece of cake mate.... As Nick says its really easy but remember to open the bonnet:) if you press the caliper pistons back to quick brake fluid may squirt out, hence the bonnet being open

I have PM`d you my mobile "if" you get stuck

Phil

[rotodiesel]

There's no problem putting used pads on new disks if you run the surface over a belt sander to bring them flat again.

The B5.5 does not have retaining screws for thie disks - the wheel bolts do this. Don't hit the disk with anything to get it off the hub, you will Brinel the front wheel bearings if you subject it to blows and the bearings will fail some time later.

The trick is to jack up the car, remove the wheels and run it in first gear at idle with the hubs off the ground and the calipers in place. Gently apply the footbrake and you will hear a disk break free of the hub with a crack. Stop and replace a couple of wheel bolts on that side. Now repeat to break free the other side.

Observe graet cleanliness in seating the new disk to the hub or it may not run true. Use copper based anti-seize compound to prevent future rusting. Haynes book 4279 (B5.5 Passat) describes this fairly well.

rotodiesel.

[SJFISHER67]

I did mine a little while back, mine had a retaining screw, but I couldnt get the disc past the calliper carrier, so had to remove that also to take the disc off the hub.

Just made sure I used loads of grease when putting it all back together.

Regards

SJ

[derek666]

if it has retaining screws, place the right size screwdriver on the screw, then hit the screwdriver with the hammer. Then it will now be able to be unscrewed.

Hitting the screwdriver releases any rust around the screw itself, You wont need an impact driver.

if it hasnt got any screws, then the above method by rotodiesel will do the job well.

[smith101]

thanks everyone - I think I have the confidence I need to give it a go..