Rear Brakes Tools Required?

[Rockeye]

Hello,

New guy here.

I just picked up a 2012 4 dr Golf. While driving around the rear brakes started dragging. So in my attempt to do the job myself I am stuck at trying to get the caliper bracket off. What kind of German witchcraft is required to pull off the long bolt holding the caliper bracket off?

 

[oilhammer]

Not sure what you mean. You cannot get it loose? You do not have the proper tool? It will not slide out?

Should be a fairly straightforward rear brake job, lots of cars are set up the same way. Although you may find that the pads and perches just need to be cleaned up and lubed, if the car had been sitting. Brakes last a very long time on these.

 

[Rockeye]

I do not have the tool needed to remove the caliper mounting bracket bolts. After some digging on the internet, I was able to find that it needs a size 14 triple square bit. From what I can tell, its basically spline drive. The bolt head however is the female end and the socket attachment is the male end.

Picked this little set up off Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Capri-Tools-...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Apparently no one around my town carries these.

 

[oilhammer]

It is most certainly not spline drive. It is XZN, or Triple Square.

Read here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_screw_drives

VAG has been using XZN on fasteners since 1968 (at least), so nothing new. Other manufacturers use them too. There are lots of them on that car. And the bolts it question are VERY TIGHT, so the cheap stuff may break.

 

[alext91]

definitely beware of the cheap stuff, I've broken some cheap triple square bits on suspension components before. One of those things worth shelling out for, because a trip to the parts store mid repair is never fun.

 

[Rockeye]

It is most certainly not spline drive. It is XZN, or Triple Square.
Read here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_screw_drives
VAG has been using XZN on fasteners since 1968 (at least), so nothing new. Other manufacturers use them too. There are lots of them on that car. And the bolts it question are VERY TIGHT, so the cheap stuff may break.

Forgive me, this is my first German car. Ive seen all sorts of bolts, but these were new to me. Wish it was something I didn't have to special order :/

 

[alext91]

Forgive me, this is my first German car. Ive seen all sorts of bolts, but these were new to me. Wish it was something I didn't have to special order :/

They do sell them at auto parts stores, when I broke one recently I was able to get one at AutoZone

 

[Rockeye]

They do sell them at auto parts stores, when I broke one recently I was able to get one at AutoZone

I checked every auto parts store in my area (Auto Zone, NAPA, Advanced, O'reilly). None had any. I was able to get that set off of Amazon for pretty cheap. Hopefully they will hold up to a brake job. The pads and rotors are trashed. I guess the PO did something. The car was purchased in Virginia and had a recent inspection on it. Im guessing the dealer just "bought" the sticker.

 

[Racerman27410]

ID parts has the correct hardened socket to remove the rear caliper holder bolts..... and yes the bolts were very very tight on mine..... the tool they sell to rotate the piston back into the caliper also worked very well.

https://www.idparts.com/14mm-triple-square-p-1130.html


https://www.idparts.com/metalnerd-rear-brake-tool-vw-p-402.html

 

[Rockeye]

ID parts has the correct hardened socket to remove the rear caliper holder bolts..... and yes the bolts were very very tight on mine..... the tool they sell to rotate the piston back into the caliper also worked very well.

https://www.idparts.com/14mm-triple-square-p-1130.html


https://www.idparts.com/metalnerd-rear-brake-tool-vw-p-402.html

The set that I got from Amazon worked really well. If I happen to break any of these, I will check out the ones from idparts. One thing I learned from owning Jeeps, is that penetrating oil (PB Blaster) work wonders.

I happened to have an old block style piston retract tool in my toolbox from probably 15 years ago. worked like a charm.

 

[N2UADTDI]

After doing work on our 2009 tdi for the last 10 years, I now have 1/2 drawer in my toolbox dedicated to VW tools. None of the other cars I own use these kinds of tools.

 

[Rockeye]

After doing work on our 2009 tdi for the last 10 years, I now have 1/2 drawer in my toolbox dedicated to VW tools. None of the other cars I own use these kinds of tools.

Oh God. Don't tell my wife hahaha. Since I returned from deployment there has been something coming in the mail for me almost every day. Granted its all been for something that's going on with either the house, cars, kids, but still.