VW brake caliper piston rewind issue (?)

[lairdwd]

First time doing rear brakes with the rewind style caliper piston on my 2004 VW Jetta.

So I get the full blown rewind kit from the auto place and it's got the leverage based screw device and I leaned into it pretty good. However, I can't get it to retract any further than the picture.

Based on the pads and new rotor, it looks like it needs to retract all the way in. Any thoughts? TIY.

 

[spasm3]

not familiar with vw, but is the bleeder screw open while you are trying to screw the caliper piston in?

 

[KGMtech]

I had a 2004 Passat, done this work many times. I suggest you try cracking the bleed screw and pushing against the piston to confirm that it moves back. The screw back parking brake function is only going to take it back so much.

 

[skyactiv]

You did release the parking brake?
Maybe it requires more strength from you. More leverage from you is needed while keeping the caliper steady. Suck a little fluid from the brake fluid reservoir if needed, too.

 

[CharBaby]

If the piston will turn-in with the bleeder valve open, you may have a pinched or chafed (inside) brake line at that caliper. This causes a "Check Valve" like reaction inside the hydraulic line. Where as when you step on the brake pedal, fluid will push the piston & pads against the disk/rotors. But when trying to turn-in the piston by hand, it's kinda locked and extremely difficult to pushback...I have found this to be the case on several occassions with different vehicles and I had to replace that particular hose.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by skyactiv
You did release the parking brake?
Maybe it requires more strength from you. More leverage from you is needed while keeping the caliper steady. Suck a little fluid from the brake fluid reservoir if needed, too.


This ^

 

[lairdwd]

I've had to grease the spindle bunch of times now, plus now that it's off the car I'll **** around with it on the bench. But I think it's time to re-up on a caliper cuz of the seal being shot on the spindle.

Is it ok to go cheap on calipers? I plan on selling the car. Something that will last at least 5 years would be nice.

 

[maxdustington]

If you want to go cheap, get a yard caliper. There are plenty of MK4s in the yard due to their corrosion resistance. If it's a 2.0 or diesel and has the small brakes you will have no problem getting a rear caliper. Honestly though, your piston looks a lot better than the ones I found in the yard when I was looking for something to rebuild. I would rebuild that caliper, personally.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
If you want to go cheap, get a yard caliper. There are plenty of MK4s in the yard due to their corrosion resistance. If it's a 2.0 or diesel and has the small brakes you will have no problem getting a rear caliper. Honestly though, your piston looks a lot better than the ones I found in the yard when I was looking for something to rebuild. I would rebuild that caliper, personally.


Dude, I'm done with the bones yards around here. They would want $40 for a crappy semi-siezed piston. They got a cheap-o one on amazon that has all the hardware too. Does not look like very high grade steel - but hey if it will last 5 to 10 years, would be happy.

amazon $50 caliper

Rockauto has a cardone for $50 area too that looks little better.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by lairdwd
Originally Posted by maxdustington
If you want to go cheap, get a yard caliper. There are plenty of MK4s in the yard due to their corrosion resistance. If it's a 2.0 or diesel and has the small brakes you will have no problem getting a rear caliper. Honestly though, your piston looks a lot better than the ones I found in the yard when I was looking for something to rebuild. I would rebuild that caliper, personally.


Dude, I'm done with the bones yards around here. They would want $40 for a crappy semi-siezed piston. They got a cheap-o one on amazon that has all the hardware too. Does not look like very high grade steel - but hey if it will last 5 to 10 years, would be happy.

amazon $50 caliper

Rockauto has a cardone for $50 area too that looks little better.

Yeah, I can relate. Back in the day (2015) I never bought parts for my 2000 Golf from stores, I just went to the yard. They always had what I needed and it was cheap. Then they changed management, increased prices and shortened hours. Then they burned down in 2016 or so and were not open to the public until last summer. Now they only have the $50 all you can carry a few times a summer instead of every month.

I think it was $25 or $20 for a used caliper around there. Not horrible but they were probably like $15 in the past, much cheaper than a parts store + it would be a OEM part.

 

[benjy]

did my 2001 jetta rears with a cheap E-bay rewind kit, cleaning behind the rubber first is a good idea + as noted taking some fluid out of the master + just letting the cover rest there is a good move, but sometimes you might need to replace it. good luck! my wolfsburg jetta had the OE at 200 thou + 10 years when i traded still running great but wanted something sportier, enter a lo mile 2001 TT 225Q roadster 6 spd manual, a glorified VW golf fun car!

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted by benjy
did my 2001 jetta rears with a cheap E-bay rewind kit, cleaning behind the rubber first is a good idea + as noted taking some fluid out of the master + just letting the cover rest there is a good move, but sometimes you might need to replace it. good luck! my wolfsburg jetta had the OE at 200 thou + 10 years when i traded still running great but wanted something sportier, enter a lo mile 2001 TT 225Q roadster 6 spd manual, a glorified VW golf fun car!


finally got to the other side, it is siezed up from the e-brake side for sure. I can barely move by hand the spindle mechanism to engage/disengage. It's shot. No working free this time.

Amazing how both sides [censored] the bed right about the same time. Makes sense sort of, the last grease job I did I knew it may be the last one, as I slathered it on pretty generously.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted by lairdwd
finally got to the other side, it is siezed up from the e-brake side for sure. I can barely move by hand the spindle mechanism to engage/disengage. It's shot. No working free this time.

Amazing how both sides [censored] the bed right about the same time. Makes sense sort of, the last grease job I did I knew it may be the last one, as I slathered it on pretty generously.
MK4 rear brakes suck. If you keep the car for another five years you will be into them again, guaranteed. Next time you see one in the wild look at the rear rotors.

 

[pezzy669]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by lairdwd
finally got to the other side, it is siezed up from the e-brake side for sure. I can barely move by hand the spindle mechanism to engage/disengage. It's shot. No working free this time.

Amazing how both sides [censored] the bed right about the same time. Makes sense sort of, the last grease job I did I knew it may be the last one, as I slathered it on pretty generously.
MK4 rear brakes suck. If you keep the car for another five years you will be into them again, guaranteed. Next time you see one in the wild look at the rear rotors.


VW really biased the rear braking on the MKIV and MKV (prob later cars too) to minimize nose dive on braking. Rears on my MKV Jetta 2.5 were metal to metal at ~50k miles while the fronts still looked good for another 50k, VW calls for new rotors every brake pad change so they really should not be reused.

 

[Trav]

Cardone is worthless scrap metal. Go with the Raybestos Element 3 or Pagid new, either is under $100 a side and no core.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by lairdwd
finally got to the other side, it is siezed up from the e-brake side for sure. I can barely move by hand the spindle mechanism to engage/disengage. It's shot. No working free this time.

Amazing how both sides [censored] the bed right about the same time. Makes sense sort of, the last grease job I did I knew it may be the last one, as I slathered it on pretty generously.
MK4 rear brakes suck. If you keep the car for another five years you will be into them again, guaranteed. Next time you see one in the wild look at the rear rotors.


Thanks for that info man. That did help in my buying decision, as I went for the rockauto cardone remans - which looked like it had better components than the low-end brand on Amazon. Could have saved $20 on amazon, but not sure about quality whereas I'm more confident in cardone.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted by Trav
Cardone is worthless scrap metal. Go with the Raybestos Element 3 or Pagid new, either is under $100 a side and no core.


Dude I hear you man. But I do need to get rid of this car in the next year or so. The cardones will have to do. I checked amazon reviews, and overall cardone is getting mostly 4* and 5*.

 

[supton]

4 star might be "they bolted in" and 5 star "I think it stops now".

I owned a MkIV and it simply ate rear calipers. IMO in northern climes I would probably just proactively replace once past 100k on a set (maybe sooner if it was a cheap set). Granted, I only owned one car, and only replaced twice, but still, if I were to go back to owning one, that's what I'd be doing.

 

[Trav]

Yes that is the problem, buy crap and it goes bad in a short time they warranty it with more of the same crap. After a few exchanges you throw it in the bin and buy a quality part, the only thing you get buying crap parts is aggravation, wasted time and you spend the money for good ones in the end anyway.
Cheap reman stuff is a fool's errand.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted by Trav
Yes that is the problem, buy crap and it goes bad in a short time they warranty it with more of the same crap. After a few exchanges you throw it in the bin and buy a quality part, the only thing you get buying crap parts is aggravation, wasted time and you spend the money for good ones in the end anyway.
Cheap reman stuff is a fool's errand.


Hi Trav. Thanks for your feedback.

After doing a little more research I do see a lot of negative reviews of the cardone A-1 calipers. I was not too psyched to get the reman box with Made in China on it, but the reman itself looks decent enough, although the metal they used looks like inferior grade compared to OE.

That said, I'm gonna roll the dice since I already have the cardone's in hand. There are quality control inspection stickers over everything, hopefully they have upped their game here recently.