RE: Changing brake pads

["Ng, Kevin (NationsCredit)" <kevin.ng@nationscredit.com>]

I'm not speaking from experience here, since I've never performed a pad
change (yet), just telling you what I've learned by researching through the
Web...
One of the steps required when replacing pads is that the caliper piston
must be pushed back far enough to allow the new pads to fit in place. For
the fronts, all you need is a C-clamp (6" or longer). For the rears however,
the piston must be screwed in rather than pushed in (huh-huh, he said,
"screwed rather than pushed"). In order to do this, a special tool (a key if
you will) is needed. You can buy the VW one which costs around $50, or you
can use this little universal brake tool cube thing. A better explanation
can be found at
http://www.panix.com/~aqn/GTI_VR6/gti_vr6/library/BrakesABS_index.html
(user: driver / passwd: hired)

Ok, for those of you who have changed the pads before, I need the definitive
word on this--do I need new brake fluid? I've heard that pushing back the
pistons will force the fluid back up the resevoir and flow out the top,
requiring adding some fluid back. Should I just bleed the brakes altogether
and get some Super Blue?

Kevin Ng
97 GLX Windsor Blue


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	cyng [SMTP:cyng@lamere.net]
> Sent:	Saturday, September 05, 1998 3:45 PM
> To:	JettaGLX list
> Subject:	Re: Changing brake pads
> 
> >BTW, if anyone is interested, JC Whitney is selling that cube thingy for
> the
> >rear brakes for $6.99. Visit http://www.jcwhitneyusa.com and request a
> >catalog..
> 
> ... that cube thingy ... um ... eh?
> 
> 
>       /|=-------------------------=|/
>      /|=-    Thomas J. Boyer   --=|/
>     /|=-    cyng@lamere.net   --=|/
>    /|=-------------------------=|/