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Jim Grant's Tech Tips
VW Jetta, Rear Brakes
Q:
I had nothing better to do today I guess, so I worked on my Fiancee’s
car. It needed rear pads and rotors. Everything came off just fine. Rotors
went on, no problem. I have one side done, pads, too. The other side is
now sitting because I am unable to get the piston to compress all the
way. I keep on screwing it back in and it seems to go nowhere. I need
about 1/4" more clearance to get the new pads in, any ideas?........Tyler
A:
Ahh, yes I can hear
her thoughts now, "Note to self, don’t let future husband work
on my car". Are you aware of the screw on the back side of the brake
caliper that is used when retracting the caliper position? If not, you
may have gotten yourself in a little bit of trouble. The brake caliper
will have to be replaced. If you did know and performed the job correctly,
then the brake caliper has to be replaced. Cars are machines that work/live
in about the most destructive environment there is. The result of this
environment? The surprises/problems that occur when a repair should be
seemingly simple. If you retracted the brake caliper piston correctly,
there was no way you could have foreseen this problem until the work was
performed. Whether you’re a professional or a do it yourselfer these
types of problems are not uncommon.
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