Maintaining, Changing Vw Brake Parts

Maintaining and changing brakes on your own VWcase you have trouble. In that way, you have one side
vehicle is not as hard as you may think. But, keep into use as a reference. Remember that your front
mind that when you change your own brake pads,brakes provide most of the stopping power for your
there are some other aspects that should be checkedvehicle.
also to ensure that your brake pads are safe andChanging the front brake pads require setting of your
dependable. If the brake pads or brake shoes areparking brake, and block the rear tires so your vehicle
worn and need to be replaced, chances are other VWwill not move. Loosen the lug nuts. Using a jack, raise
brake parts in the brake system may require attentionyour vehicle and place it securely on jack stands. Then,
too. The most obvious ones would be the brake rotorsremove the lug nuts and remove the wheel.
or drums and brake calipers or wheel cylinders. BothNow you can see the brake calipers holding the brake
the front and rear brakes should be inspected.pads against the rotors. There are 2 pads in each
A quality brake job should cover everything from thewheel that squeeze the rotor. Unbolt the caliper
brake master cylinder where you add the brake fluid,mounting bolts and pull the caliper back from the rotor.
to the calipers and wheel cylinders.Be careful not to bend or break the brake hose.
Changing the brakes include inspecting all theSometimes the caliper mounting bolts require you to
mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical components in bothuse a Torx or Star bit instead of a normal socket set.
the front and rear brakes. If necessary, replace theThese can also be purchased at your local auto parts
front and rear brake pads. Then, inspect or replacestore and an employee will help you to purchase the
brake rotors or disks.size that is just right for your VW vehicle. Plan ahead
Brake rotors require a clean, smooth, flat surface onand make sure you have the right tools for the job to
the rotors. Otherwise your brake performance willsave you a trip back to the auto parts store.
suffer. A rough surface will accelerate pad wear. It willAfter you remove the caliper, remove the front brake
also increase the risk of noise. An uneven surface orpad and leave the rear pad in place. Using a C-clamp,
variations in rotor thickness can cause vibrations, noisecompress the caliper piston into the caliper housing.
and annoying brake pedal pulsations. Brake drums thatMake sure you remove the cap off the brake
have grooves or any kind of damage should bereservoir before you do this. This needs to be done so
replaced immediately. Sometimes, you cannot do allthat when you put the new pads in the caliper, it will
auto work by yourself. Your local auto parts store cancreate a space to put the caliper back on.
help you turn the rotors for these discs to have extraExamine the break pads for unusual or uneven wear.
life so you do not have to buy new.These could be signs of a problem that need to be
The next thing to do is to check the level and conditiontaken care of immediately.
of your brake fluid. Changing the fluid is recommendedWhile doing this, it is also a good time to examine the
to get rid of moisture contamination. Always followcondition of the rotors. You will need to get the rotors
vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.turned or replaced if they have deep groves or if you
Changing the brake pads is the next step. Rememberhave noticed that the car shudders when you hit the
that there are books at your local auto parts store, onbrakes.
eBay, and at any bookstore that you can also buy.Install the new pads in the caliper. Usually it is best to
These will give you step by step instructions along withplace the inner pad first, then the outer pad second.
picture illustrations as to how to change and maintainBefore you install the pads back on to the caliper,
brake pads.make sure the piston is fully depressed. Once the
First off you need to purchase break pads, which arepads are properly seated in the caliper, put the caliper
available from any local auto parts store. You can alsoback on the rotor and bolt it firmly in place.
purchase the pads from a dealer but they run a lotIf everything is correct, then you can put the wheel
more than the local auto parts store. There are manyback on, hand tighten the lug nuts, and lower the car to
different brands of brake pads but what you have tothe ground. Finish tightening the lug nuts in a start
put on my vehicle are the ones that are consideredpattern so that they are even.
lifetime. These run a little more, but the cost coversThe last thing to do in doing a brake job is to test the
itself in the long run. The next time you do a break jobbrakes. Carefully check your brakes and brake fluid
you take the lifetime ones back in and they exchangelevels before entering traffic. Sometimes some air can
them free of charge.get into the brake lines when you change the brake
Do not hurry up. Take your time in familiarizing yourselfpads. If this happens, you will need to bleed the brakes
with the brakes on your car before you begin work. Itbefore you try to move the car again.
is also a good idea to work on one side at a time in