Where is the parking brake adustment?

[J Tinsby]

I just put new pads on my 99 NB but the parking brake handle is so tight that it's causing the pads to drag and get hot! So hot you can smell 'em! I did retract the pads by turning them clockwise as far as I could get them then went the rest with a "C" clamp, not far at all but it moved some. The driver's side cable wasn't tight at all and went right back in place, the pass. side is the one that's tight.

Where is the adjustment to back off the parking brake? Must I take the console out or is the adjustment under the car? Or is the adjustment IN the calipers and did it ruin them by not using the special tool to retract the pistons?

Thanks in advance,

J T

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by J Tinsby

...I did retract the pads by turning them clockwise as far as I could get them then went the rest with a "C" clamp, not far at all but it moved some...Or is the adjustment IN the calipers and did it ruin them by not using the special tool to retract the pistons?...

You probably damaged the calipers.

[antonym]

Originally Posted by wawalker

You probably damaged the calipers.

Yes.. rear pistons require a special tool to turn/rotate them *while* they are being pressed. If you used a c-clamp to push them in, you probably need to by new rear pistons.

Fronts can be pushed in but rears have to be rotated back in.

[J Tinsby]

Originally Posted by antonym

Yes.. rear pistons require a special tool to turn/rotate them *while* they are being pressed. If you used a c-clamp to push them in, you probably need to by new rear pistons.

Fronts can be pushed in but rears have to be rotated back in.

That's what I was afraid of BUT, I followed the instructions for DIY at this link in this forum: DIY: Rear Brakes

With all the great pics and advice it appeared he knew what he was talking about, and no one complained that damage would occur if done as he suggested. I did exactly what he said and this is my result

Thanks

J T

[FarrisK]

Originally Posted by zeusenergy

6) Now you need to turn the piston back into the caliper. There's two ways that I went with, YRMV. The first thing you need to do is hold the caliper in a way that does NOT twist the brake line too much. Don't ever let the caliper just hang by the hose either. Using needlenose pliers (large ones) turn the piston in as much as you can. It may take a few tries to get the hang of doing it. If you get two entire turns, good. More is better. Now take a C-clamp out that will fit over the whole caliper all the way back to the bolt that holds the E-brake arm on. You will need to line up the small round end piece with the caliper piston, and begin tightening it. There will be alot of pressure on the piston before it starts moving. Once you get the piston almost all the way back into the caliper, you can return to using the needlenose to make sure the piston is all the way in.

Originally Posted by J Tinsby

That's what I was afraid of BUT, I followed the instructions for DIY at this link in this forum: DIY: Rear Brakes

With all the great pics and advice it appeared he knew what he was talking about, and no one complained that damage would occur if done as he suggested. I did exactly what he said and this is my result

Thanks

J T

Did you get two full turns of the piston and get it to go all the way into the caliper?

[wawalker]

Whoa. I knew occasionally bad info gets on the Org, but the mods need to delete that DIY. The sad thing is you could've rented the tool needed at most any chain auto parts store for nada if you bought the brake parts from them.

[FarrisK]

Originally Posted by wawalker

Whoa. I knew occasionally bad info gets on the Org, but the mods need to delete that DIY. The sad thing is you could've rented the tool needed at most any chain auto parts store for nada if you bought the brake parts from them.

If Bill says the DIY is crap, I redact my previous statement.

Sorry to hear about your calipers.

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by FarrisK

If Bill says the DIY is crap, I redact my previous statement.

Sorry to hear about your calipers.

Well my word is not the be-all end-all. I think I could use a C-clamp and pliers to do it w/o damaging the calipers in a pinch but it would be a bit by bit operation going back and forth between clamping and turning, but I have done several brake jobs over the years going clear back before my '87 Jetta GLI which had very similar rear calipers to the NBs. At the time I also worked part time in a service station so I learned alot from an ASE certified mechanic (thanks P.K.). Peeps that need a DIY should be instructed in a fullproof method--that means using a tool made for the job not a makeshift method.

I would ask a mod to correct or remove the DIY for now, no offense to the OP of the DIY.

[savethebluths.org]

Are we sure his caliper is busted? From what it sounds like to me he just didnt push the piston in far enough and the pads are on WAY to tight.

I would take the pads off and make sure its flush with the caliper if not a little bit in. Also make sure to take the top off your brake fluid reservoir and put a towel to catch overflow because there might be too much pressure in the lines from refills when your brake pads were low.




Also, I read over the DIY and it seems good to me.

[J Tinsby]

Originally Posted by savethebluths.org

Are we sure his caliper is busted? From what it sounds like to me he just didnt push the piston in far enough and the pads are on WAY to tight.

I would take the pads off and make sure its flush with the caliper if not a little bit in. Also make sure to take the top off your brake fluid reservoir and put a towel to catch overflow because there might be too much pressure in the lines from refills when your brake pads were low.
Also, I read over the DIY and it seems good to me.

I am going to see if I can get the piston back into the caliper further by turning and pushing it in Since I was able to get the caliper over the new pads it couldn't be out by that much. I wish the AutoZone guys had mentioned that darned tool or we wouldn't be having this discussion!

Regards,

Tinsby

[J Tinsby]

Today I jacked up the car and both wheels spun freely, I checked the parking brake and that worked. Then I test drove the car and brought it home. There is no smell no nothing and the car rolls freely and the parking brake works fine.
So I guess I over reacted and should have given the pads a bit more time to wear off the high spots.

Anyway thanks to all who helped me. I doubt if I will have the car long enough to ever do that miserable job again but if I do, I'll get the TOOL!!!

J T

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by savethebluths.org

...because there might be too much pressure in the lines from refills when your brake pads were low.

Also, I read over the DIY and it seems good to me.

I'm glad it seems like maybe the OP's brakes will be fine, but from experience and anecdotes on the subject it doesn't take much to damage the auto adjusting mechanism in the calipers. Also brake lines do not retain pressure unless there is a faulty ABS system, faulty master cylinder, or they are designed to as in a line lock system used in drag racing. The DIY is not bad, but I think that since the tool is readily available it should be recommended and the method in the DIY should be a last resort method in a pinch--not standard practice.

[savethebluths.org]

Originally Posted by wawalker

I'm glad it seems like maybe the OP's brakes will be fine, but from experience and anecdotes on the subject it doesn't take much to damage the auto adjusting mechanism in the calipers. Also brake lines do not retain pressure unless there is a faulty ABS system, faulty master cylinder, or they are designed to as in a line lock system used in drag racing. The DIY is not bad, but I think that since the tool is readily available it should be recommended and the method in the DIY should be a last resort method in a pinch--not standard practice.

I wasn't talking about residual pressure being in the lines however as the brake pads wear down the fluid level drops leaving room in the master cylinder and most places you take your car for oil changes, tire rotations etc will top off fluids such as brake fluid without even telling you. So when he tried to push the pad into the caliper there wasnt anywhere for that extra fluid to go creating pressure pushing back the pad which might have made him think it was as far as it could go.

Now if that wasnt long enough I dunno what is

[wawalker]

Originally Posted by savethebluths.org

I wasn't talking about residual pressure being in the lines however as the brake pads wear down the fluid level drops leaving room in the master cylinder and most places you take your car for oil changes, tire rotations etc will top off fluids such as brake fluid without even telling you. So when he tried to push the pad into the caliper there wasnt anywhere for that extra fluid to go creating pressure pushing back the pad which might have made him think it was as far as it could go.

Now if that wasnt long enough I dunno what is

The seal between the reservoir and master cylinder will fail under 20 psi which is next to nothing in a hydraulic brake system, the cap would allow pressure to escape. I don't think this would hold enough pressure as to cause the brakes to drag and get "so hot you can smell them" as the OP describes. Prolly just didn't get the calipers retracted all the way.

JT: Have you had your brake fluid replaced? VW specifies this service every 2 years, due to the hygroscopic nature of brake fluid and the need to protect braking components (especially the ABS) from moisture and rust.

[MichelleRoze]

Yes, if the fluid hasn't been changed PLEASE do so. I just did mine (I have owned for two years, no prior service records before that), and there were solid black chunks coming out of my fluid. The fluid was very dark almost like oil. And then the fluid started to seperate and settle. It was not pretty and my TDIgurus who were helping me out, were shocked at how nasty it was. We went through 1 1/2 bottles of brake fluid just to make sure everything was cleared out.