rear brake tool

[RiceEater]

My rear brake pads are shot. Do I need the rear brake tool to changeout the pads? Does anyone in the San Buenaventura area have the rear brake tool? I would like to rent it. I seem to remember Eat Soot graciously offered to loan his out but I haven't seen him post lately. Does he still drive his tdi?

My car is a 2002 VW Jetta GLS, A4 chassis. 5 speed manual

 

[kooyajerms]

haven't heard from Eetsoot for a while. But you can rent the rear caliper tool from Autozone. I just did so last week.

 

[dieseldorf]

 

[LiquidBlackDZL]

You definitely NEED the brake tool to rotate the piston as it pushes in. I had to learn the hard way. Rented mine from Kragen.

 

[dok]

RiceEater, you have a PM

 

[RiceEater]

Disc Brake Caliper Tool

I went to the Autozone on Doris and Ventura in Oxnard. They sell Duralast Gold brake pads which appear very similar to the OEM brake pads for $35 (made in USA). They loaned out an OEM #27111 Disc Brake Caliper Tool Set for $50 deposit which they promised to return when the tool is returned.

Comparing this with Dieseldorf's picture of the Metalnerd tool the threads and t-handle are much smaller. 2 long pipe handle cheaters are needed to turn the t-handle and to hold the traveling nut. If you don't bend the t-handle the piston still does not rotate as the caliper is expanded. I can see that the larger threads and heftier t-handle of the Metalnerd tool is much more appropriate to get the caliper piston to rotate.

For those of you in the Port Hueneme/Oxnard/Ventura/Camarillo area, don't bother with Pep Boys or Kragen. They do not have any caliper tool to loan out and the brake pads they sell are of lower quality (and lower price). It was suggested to me to try a NAPA outlet but I haven't chased that possibility down yet.

DOK Thank you very much for your gracious offer!

 

[oldpoopie]

order the kit from harborfreight.

 

[rez311]

I have this round tool with two nipples that works on the VW. I just attach it to my 3/8" extension. Harbor freight should have something like this.

I use Hawk HPS pads only. The stock ones suck balls for the canyons. Pagid pads are good, wear out fast, dust alot. Hawk HPS pads all around will ensure no brake fad forever on stock TDI brakes. You might warp the rotors though. This can be annoying. I upgraded to VR6 brakes up front and the car has zero fade on hard 15+ minute canyon running braking...

Also do yourself a favor and order some speed bleeders. Bleed your brakes with oem fluid or Motul Dot 5.1 brake fluid (Most performance motorcycle shops carry it). I like the Motul fluid because I beat the crap out of this Jetta.

Good luck!

http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/core/media/media.nl?id=55&c=317638&h=2211dfdf415623b88fbd

 

[oldpoopie]

I loaned my metalnerd tool to someone about 2 years ago, and it was loaned from there and then went missing. I replaced it with this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40732

It works great. No matter how much I love metalnerd, this kit is just a better deal. Plus, I find its a little easier to use and more versitile.
-J

 

[aja8888]

oldpoopie: Thanks for the tip!

 

[kooyajerms]

same kit at autozone that you can rent for the refundable deposit.

 

[RiceEater]

That is the tool I borrowed from Autozone. Note the small t-handle and small external threads. I''m guessing that it would be used with the bleed valve open and probably opened alot. The possibility exist that I did not open mine enough. I cracked the bleed valve open and had intended to throttle the bleed flow as the bleeding started but I was very much involved with getting the piston to turn. Failing that I never did go back and further open the bleed valve. I used 2 pipe extensions on the tool and the piston never turned. I would have bent the t-handle had I tried harder.

 

[oldpoopie]

That is the tool I borrowed from Autozone. Note the small t-handle and small external threads. I''m guessing that it would be used with the bleed valve open and probably opened alot. The possibility exist that I did not open mine enough. I cracked the bleed valve open and had intended to throttle the bleed flow as the bleeding started but I was very much involved with getting the piston to turn. Failing that I never did go back and further open the bleed valve. I used 2 pipe extensions on the tool and the piston never turned. I would have bent the t-handle had I tried harder.

U must have been doing it wrong. U should still be able to turn it even without touching the bleed screw. You have to make sure that the center collar remains snug but not tight. This means backing the center section off every other rotation or so. Otherwise, the mechanisim will bind.

 

[RiceEater]

I've read several threads here and I followed those instructions to the letter. Obviously you are in error and have misspoken.

 

[kooyajerms]

lol justin sounds about right. I didn't need to use any cheater bar when i was using it on my rears. no open bleed screw. sounds strange though that it was so difficult.

 

[RiceEater]

Thanks kooyajerms. I'm reading and re-reading and I'm finding that Vanman back in april of 03 had the same concerns and it seems they were never addressed. There are others but theirs problems were never resolved.

 

[kooyajerms]

that's too bad. sorry you've been placed in that group of unasweredededed (so their problem is that they used the harbor freight or autozone tool yes?). What i'm wondering though, if you are having trouble with the tool, even the metalnerd will not solve your problem. All it is, is a better piece of machinery. It's not doing anything different from the caliper tool you rented. Let's hope that it works.

 

[oldpoopie]

RiceEater. It appears from you PM:

I am here to make things better for everyone. That includes no malicious name calling. If you do not retract your baseless accusation I will report you to the moderator,

that you were offended my my trying to help you. Take it easy. There was no malicious intent and I WILL NOT edit my post. I posted it from my blackberry, and thus my post was short and to the point. It was helpful and sincere and if you cant see that it is not my problem.

Again, though, I will try and help you. The rear brake tools, ALL OF THEM, have a tendency to bind up and not work if the center section of the tool is too tight. This will cause too high a load against the threaded section, preventing the tool from rotating, and thus from pushing the brake piston back into the caliper. This symptom can and will happen with the metalnerd tool as well. When you rotate the t-handle, not only does the tool push the piston back into the caliper, but it tightens the center section of the tool against the caliper. The problem is that it tightens the center section FASTER than it retracts the piston. Because of this, you must loosen the center section every couple of turns. I'm sorry but I believe the problem is technique, not tool based.

I'll add, that I do ALOT of brakes with the harbor freight kit and have never had an issue. I also NEVER use a wrench on the center section. I simply spin it in and out with my free hand. If you have to use a wrench on the center section, it is ALREADY too tight and is the root of your problem.