Hand Brake Cable And Rear Calipers Replacing

[ajones12 0]

I need to replace the handbrake cable on my 1.9 Gti and was wondering how easy it was?

 

Also, the guy who I bought the car from said it needed new rear calipers to get it through the MOT. He supplied used calipers with the car, but how easy is it get the pistons out of the old ones, put them into my 'new' calipers with seals etc.

 

Oh and is there a suitable place to put axle stands under the rear to do this job?

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Why does it need new calipers to get through an MOT?

• 1. Replacing the handbrake cables is easy, remove the handbrake lever surround inside the car & there is a 13mm nut on the end of the lever which needs loosening to create enough slack to unhook the ends from the lever.
   
   
  
• At the caliper end unhook the cable from the lever & you'll probably need a small punch to drive the cable out out of the caliper. They are usually quite well fastened in.
   
   
  
• Swapping the pistons over wouldn't be hard, they just push out with fluid & then you have to screw them back into the caliper body but a new seal kit cost as much as a reconditioned caliper body last time I priced one up.
   
   
  
• Axle stands can either be put underneath the rear beam or if you look next to the tank at either side (just inside the sill) there is a platform which I tend to use when removing a beam.
  

Graham.

[ajones12 0]

Thank you very much for the info - where can I get hold of a set of re-conditioned calipers and do I have to send them my old ones as an exchange??

 

Oh and which caliper is the cable connected to or is it both?

[ajones12 0]

Just read your post - do I assume there are two cables, one to each caliper??

[jackherer 543]

yeah there are two cables, its a different part number for each side, so you need to make sure you get both left and right and that they go on the correct way round.

[hengti 2]

Thank you very much for the info - where can I get hold of a set of re-conditioned calipers and do I have to send them my old ones as an exchange??

 

Oh and which caliper is the cable connected to or is it both?

 

 

Last time I bought reconditioned r calipers (damned bleed nipples!) they were about £60ea and were exchange - this was from an ordinary high st car parts place

Believe GSF/Eurocarparts charge about the same

[ajones12 0]

Thanks for all your help guys. Can't wait to get started so I can finally get the blummin' thing on the road!!

[kenan 0]

I'm going to change my rear pads later today and have read that you need to make sure you screw the piston in not out ?? I always thought you just got a g-clanp on the piston and pushed it back in.

 

any help would be great (sorry to hi-jack the thread and I have searched)

[pug309twin40s 1]

I'm going to change my rear pads later today and have read that you need to make sure you screw the piston in not out ?? I always thought you just got a g-clanp on the piston and pushed it back in.

 

any help would be great (sorry to hi-jack the thread and I have searched)

 

 

front calipers you push the piston bk in but rear calipers the piston screws in and you can to do it abit at a time till it just fits over the pads otherwise if you screw it to far in the handbrake wont work properly.

[kenan 0]

front calipers you push the piston bk in but rear calipers the piston screws in and you can to do it abit at a time till it just fits over the pads otherwise if you screw it to far in the handbrake wont work properly.

 

oh right, handbrake ain't great ATM so assume this is due to the pad wear. Stupid question number 2, what do you mean by screw it in, as in how do I do this......

[pug309twin40s 1]

oh right, handbrake ain't great ATM so assume this is due to the pad wear. Stupid question number 2, what do you mean by screw it in, as in how do I do this......

 

ON the piston it has 4 slots on it at the end so you either use a special tool that looks into the slots or you can use some long nose pliers or something and hook on adjacent slots and then screw the piston inwards and push iswell. it makes it easier if you undo the bleed nipple(with a hose connected to a jar so fluid doesnt piss on the floor).

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

The slots in the piston are supposed to be in a certain position once screwed back in also, there is a notch / groove next to one of the four slots & this should be horizontal (iirc) when the caliper is on the car.

 

There is a picture in the back of the Old Haynes manual showing it.

 

Graham.

[kenan 0]

All sorted now, called Miles in the end but what say waht I couldn't work out . . .