Can't find any answer. Rear caliper slide pin differences top and bottom,why n where?

I've seen this question asked over and over on different forums, always with unclear answers or no answers at all.

On our cars and on a lot of different cars, the top and bottom slide pins are different, sometimes one of the 2 have a small rubber bushing installed in a groove at the tip of the pin, some other have stepped/tappered pin at the top or bottom, some cars have the same pin top and bottom...

My car is a mk4 jetta. One of the pin is stepped (thinner at the tip) and the other pin straight in diameter with 3 ''flats'' in the pin lenght.

Looks like this: https://www.carid.com/images/wagner/items/h14925.jpg

Anyone has a clear answer on this issue? I'd like to know which pin goes where and why it's made like this... looks strange to me..

thanks a lot!

g.b.

as aNUT says: "Taper top"

Anyone else?

For some reason, this question seems un-answered all over the internet...

Sounds like an challenge! This thread gives some indication; post 7 describes, post 12 gives answer, kinda...

http://www.forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=331589

In this video at mark 15:07, looks like to me the stepped (small) one is going back into the top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNYwEGNTQ1M#t=10m22s

Maybe ~ it really does not matter which pin goes where?

guillaumeber said:

For some reason, this question seems un-answered all over the internet...

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I just answered it. Taper top.

I've done more than 100 rear brake jobs on MKIV cars. Probably a lot more than 100.

guillaumeber said:

For some reason, this question seems un-answered all over the internet...

Click to expand...

Probably something to do with your search terms. I did the same thing recently with my taxes. I searched and found a form I thought I needed, tax preparer said no, don't need that one, went back and searched with different terms and got an IRS page said I didn't need it.
Try 'rear caliper replace vw a4 pin'

I would guess Runonbeer is correct. Looks like the two flats would only go where they were supposed to.

eddieleephd said:

I would guess Runonbeer is correct. Looks like the two flats would only go where they were supposed to.

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I think what is not being answered is WHY it is made that way. To keep them different yes, but why as they would seem to be similar.

I don't think this is exclusive to VW. I recall doing brakes on a Hyundai Veracruz and the top and bottom were different.