Pumped brake before putting wheels on

[Carsareapain]

I did the rear brakes on my 17 Passat 1.8t. For some idiotic reason I pumped the brakes before lowering the car to the ground and torquing down the bolts. The rotor was only held on with a set screw when I did this. Now obviously, the caliper and pads were on, I’m not that dumb.

I noticed it was wobbly I think and that’s why I did it. Did my idiotic self damage anything?

 

[dishdude]

I did the rear brakes on my 17 Passat 1.8t. For some idiotic reason I pumped the brakes before lowering the car to the ground and torquing down the bolts. The rotor was only held on with a set screw when I did this. Now obviously, the caliper and pads were on, I’m not that dumb.

I noticed it was wobbly I think and that’s why I did it. Did my idiotic self damage anything?

The caliper slides allow it to self center, pumping the brakes with the wheel off didn't do any damage. Pumping the brakes with the caliper out would have been a disaster!

 

[Hall]

Did my idiotic self damage anything?

No. That car uses standard "floating" calipers, so like dishdude said, they self-center (they slide back and forth). When you put your wheels on, the caliper and rotor will move together and all will be fine.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Don't you pump the brakes anyway if you're flushing the brake fluid?

I just did the brakes on my car recently, and I replaced the calipers, and bleeding them with speed bleeders involves pumping the brakes.

 

[dishdude]

Don't you pump the brakes anyway if you're flushing the brake fluid?

Now that's a good point!

 

[Carsareapain]

Don't you pump the brakes anyway if you're flushing the brake fluid?

I just did the brakes on my car recently, and I replaced the calipers, and bleeding them with speed bleeders involves pumping the brakes.

Yeah but the fluid comes out right, I assume it doesn’t transfer any force against the piston.

I literally gorilla pumped the brakes like 10 plus times with the car running while the rotor was probably a little of center because the wheel bolts weren’t there to clamp it flat against the hub. I just hope the inside of the rotor or the hub wasn’t gouged or anything.

 

[rstsco]

I highly doubt you did anything to hurt your brakes.

Did you also replace the rotors? I ask because Royalty Auto posted this YT video yesterday in regards to correct installation of brakes and rotors, and the importance of thoroughly cleaning the hub assembly. He's preached this in several of his brake videos.

 

[D1dad]

If your concerned then take that caliper off and push it back in. No harm done. If it wobbling, that would probably be from not doing a proper break in, rust on the hub face or a rotor out of spec.

 

[D60]

I just hope the inside of the rotor or the hub wasn’t gouged or anything.

Rotors don't really bend easily but could crack under severe deflection. A surface defect on the hub doesn't matter unless it prevents the rotor from seating fully once the lugs are torqued.

Put it back together and run it. If everything works as it should with no pulsations or weird noises, then be happy and go find your wife to make some pulsations and weird noises (IOW forget it and move on)

 

[Carsareapain]

I highly doubt you did anything to hurt your brakes.

Did you also replace the rotors? I ask because Royalty Auto posted this YT video yesterday in regards to correct installation of brakes and rotors, and the importance of thoroughly cleaning the hub assembly. He's preached this in several of his brake videos.

Yep replaced the rotors and thoroughly cleaned the hubs. Just made the idiotic mistake of pumping the brakes before i had the tire on, and the lug bolts had the rotor fully seated and stable against the hub.

 

[Hall]

Don't you pump the brakes anyway if you're flushing the brake fluid?

OP said nothing about bleeding brakes. I'm pretty sure by "did the rear brakes" just means pad replacement and maybe rotors.

 

[Carsareapain]

OP said nothing about bleeding brakes. I'm pretty sure by "did the rear brakes" just means pad replacement and maybe rotors.

Yeah just rotors and pads. Without the lug bolts holding the rotor flush to the hub, there is a bit of play and wobble. That's why i was worried I'd caused damage if the pads were clamping down onto a slightly misaligned (or maybe more than slightly) rotor. It is what it is.

From every brake job I've seen, they pump the pedal after the car is on the ground, and the lug bolts/nuts are torqued.

 

[Blueshound]

There's no risk whatsoever. The lug nuts will pull it tight. The set screw is just to hold it in place for reassembly, lots of cars don't even have them. It's standard operating procedure for a two-person brake bleed. Pumping up before putting the wheels on also lets you check for any issues. It may also keep you from slamming into the garage door if you put the car in gear without pumping up (not that I would know ).