Willrwilli

I am changing all rotors and pads on my 2002 A8 and it seems each step has had unforeseen challenges. I used the brake tool from Harbor Freight to do the drivers side, and installed my Mintex Red box pads and rotor without a hitch. Figured the passengers side would take about 20 minutes. Boy was I wrong. The caliper will not turn. I was putting so much force on the tool that the little handle bent. Is my caliper frozen, and in need of repair, or could it be the emergency brake cable? I am thinking about trying this again tomorrow by removing the emergency brake cable if it will really help. I never use the emergency brake anyway.

audinutt

mine were, both of them i used the brake pedal to slowly get the piston out, then i disassembled, cleaned, pulled the seal out, cleaned all the junk built up behind the seal.

Then reassemble using brake fluid as lubricant.

-richard

Kneale Brownson

Harbor Freight tool??? That's like sending a boy to do a man's work.

This one lets you use a real wrench. Also helps to open the bleeder so you're not pushing brake fluid back to the reservoir.

Willrwilli

The Harbor Freight tool is the only one I had heard of via Audi Pages and other posts. I was wondering why it was not set up to use a wrench instead of turning that little metal rod. Where can you buy the tool in your picture and how much is it?

audinutt

The harbor freight tool should work, your caliper is frozen up.
it should spin relatively easy. it's acutally easier than i thought to rebuild these calipers.

-richard

Kneale Brownson

I got mine from Tool Warehouse when it was on sale for ~$40.

Audinutt's right that a caliper in good condition should turn back in easily enough for the dinky HF tool to do the job.

A rebuild/cleanup of the piston assembly should make it operate better. That part of the caliper is relatively easy to service. I remove them from the car and use a little air pressure to pop the piston loose (block of wood keeps the piston from flying across the room and keeps your fingers away from harm). Good time to replace the seal in the cylinder and the piston cover, even if it looks intact, because the week after you put it back together the more fragile old one will get a hole in it.

Willrwilli

Today I said to myself since I plan on keeping this car for a long time it would be better to just get a new caliper. Little did I know I am the only person in Cleveland who has ever needed this part because nobody had one. I literally had to get a new one. I am assuming it was new because there was no core charge. Of course $260.00 extra dollars was not budgeted into this job, but I saved a ton on labor so all is well. Since I have the old caliper I am going to look into getting it rebuilt. I am also going to see if I can find a used one for the drivers side, and have that one rebuilt also. I have put brakes on many cars and this by far was the biggest adventure.

audinutt

I agree with the adventure I thought I was in for a quick pad change started at 4pm didn't wrap up everything till 3am...

I have done hundreds of brake jobs but i wasn't about to shell out big bucks for a caliper. The rebuild was simple.

-richard

Toyo_racer08

I having difficulty working on my 2010 Quattro A4s rear brakes when I stumbled across this thread. I’m more than likely going to need to rebuild my caliper and was wondering if you could elaborate on the details to complete this. Where did you acquire the materials, did you need any additional tooling besides what anyone would have in a household garage? I would very much appreciate it.


thanks

-G

jfrahm

Electric parking brake? Might be very different.