Brake question

[drk mrk iv]

Hey guys. I am going to be needing to change out the brakes on my 96 Tsi AWD. I am pretty sure at least one of the rotors is warped... So I will be wanting to change that out. Not knowing too much about brakes, but enough general knowledge. What do I need?
Pads, SS brake lines, new rotors? I only do city driving now, but will probably see a little autoX in the future. I am still searching, but can't find too much because I don't really know how to word the question. How much will all this cost me? If I use quality parts like Hawk, and brembo blanks. Probably going to do the work myself... If it isn't that hard anyways. Thanks for your time.

 

[fwdturbobov1996]

its like a 3 on the difficult scale...i dont know about the prices tho .

 

[drk mrk iv]

Thanks. Any other good vendors out there?

 

[jtmcinder]

Street driven 2G AWD: I'd suggest Brembo blanks and Axxis Metal Masters. But before you take the whole car apart, make sure that you have the two bolts needed to pop the rotors off the hubs. I can't remember the size ... maybe someone else can. Also, if your 96 is in the same shape as most, you want a $5 caliper retractor, too. And bleed the entire system so the new pads bed nicely all around the car.

With the right tools, it's a one beer job.

- Jtoby

 

[drk mrk iv]

Thanks for the advice. Are there any writeups about this?

 

[jtmcinder]

Thanks for the advice. Are there any writeups about this?

Toby's options:

#1 - say "search, you lazy sod" and then get reamed by a mod

#2 - do the search for him and select the best and post a link

#3 - write it up from scratch

Hmmm.

Jack up the entire car and put it on jackstands. Have a sip of beer. Take off the hand-brake. (I'm amazed at the number of people who go on and on about how hard it is to get rear rotors off, only to later discover that they'd left the hand-brake on. Doh!) Have another sip and congratulate self on not being one of the bozos referred to in the above parenthetical. Try to take off the wheels. Discover that you forgot to crack the lung nuts before jacking up the car and spend a few minutes coming up with new ways to wedge the tires to get enough leverage. Swear a few times and then rinse mouth with beer. Thank various powers that no-one was there to see you make a fool of yourself. Finish removing wheels and discover that the one beer required to do this job is already gone. Start composing angry post and then realize that maybe Toby takes smaller sips or possibly drinks those huge cans of Foster's. Remove lock pins and flip out the calipers. Yank the old pads. Slowly screw in the two bolts, alternating half turns on each until the rotor suddenly pops off and scares the crap out of you. Change underwear. Do other three rotors. Slap on the new rotors, drop in the new pads, maybe adding a dobbit of anti-squeal, and definitely making sure the shims are in right. Flip back down the calipers and reinstall the lock pins. Start car. What? It's still on jack-stands! Yes, start the car. You can only bleed the brakes correctly with the vacuum assist. Bleed brakes, doing the rears before the fronts. Put wheels back on. Put car back on ground. Go for a bedding drive where you lightly ride the brakes while rolling but never hold the brakes while standing still. Get pulled over and spend night in jail for driving drunk.

- Jtoby

 

[2gGSX]

Jack up the entire car and put it on jackstands. Have a sip of beer. Take off the hand-brake. (I'm amazed at the number of people who go on and on about how hard it is to get rear rotors off, only to later discover that they'd left the hand-brake on. Doh!) Have another sip and congratulate self on not being one of the bozos referred to in the above parenthetical. Try to take off the wheels. Discover that you forgot to crack the lung nuts before jacking up the car and spend a few minutes coming up with new ways to wedge the tires to get enough leverage. Swear a few times and then rinse mouth with beer. Thank various powers that no-one was there to see you make a fool of yourself. Finish removing wheels and discover that the one beer required to do this job is already gone. Start composing angry post and then realize that maybe Toby takes smaller sips or possibly drinks those huge cans of Foster's. Remove lock pins and flip out the calipers. Yank the old pads. Slowly screw in the two bolts, alternating half turns on each until the rotor suddenly pops off and scares the crap out of you. Change underwear. Do other three rotors. Slap on the new rotors, drop in the new pads, maybe adding a dobbit of anti-squeal, and definitely making sure the shims are in right. Flip back down the calipers and reinstall the lock pins. Start car. What? It's still on jack-stands! Yes, start the car. You can only bleed the brakes correctly with the vacuum assist. Bleed brakes, doing the rears before the fronts. Put wheels back on. Put car back on ground. Go for a bedding drive where you lightly ride the brakes while rolling but never hold the brakes while standing still. Get pulled over and spend night in jail for driving drunk.

- Jtoby

Best writeup EVER consider putting a copy in the tech articles
Also, can I only bleed the front brakes? (Just a question, I realize if I may as well do all 4)

 

[Kookykrispy]

The correct way to bleed brakes is to do all four wheels... it also helps to flush out the nasty old fluid and replace it with new clean fluid (that works better and saves your brake system from rusting inside-out) that being said... unless you broke loose a brake line, or otherwise broke the seal of the hydraulic system... bleeding the brakes may not be necessary. Also, do not let the calipers hang by the brake lines... support them with something like a milkcrate so you do not risk damageing the lines.

 

[drk mrk iv]

Toby's options:

#1 - say "search, you lazy sod" and then get reamed by a mod

#2 - do the search for him and select the best and post a link

#3 - write it up from scratch

Hmmm.

Jack up the entire car and put it on jackstands. Have a sip of beer. Take off the hand-brake. (I'm amazed at the number of people who go on and on about how hard it is to get rear rotors off, only to later discover that they'd left the hand-brake on. Doh!) Have another sip and congratulate self on not being one of the bozos referred to in the above parenthetical. Try to take off the wheels. Discover that you forgot to crack the lung nuts before jacking up the car and spend a few minutes coming up with new ways to wedge the tires to get enough leverage. Swear a few times and then rinse mouth with beer. Thank various powers that no-one was there to see you make a fool of yourself. Finish removing wheels and discover that the one beer required to do this job is already gone. Start composing angry post and then realize that maybe Toby takes smaller sips or possibly drinks those huge cans of Foster's. Remove lock pins and flip out the calipers. Yank the old pads. Slowly screw in the two bolts, alternating half turns on each until the rotor suddenly pops off and scares the crap out of you. Change underwear. Do other three rotors. Slap on the new rotors, drop in the new pads, maybe adding a dobbit of anti-squeal, and definitely making sure the shims are in right. Flip back down the calipers and reinstall the lock pins. Start car. What? It's still on jack-stands! Yes, start the car. You can only bleed the brakes correctly with the vacuum assist. Bleed brakes, doing the rears before the fronts. Put wheels back on. Put car back on ground. Go for a bedding drive where you lightly ride the brakes while rolling but never hold the brakes while standing still. Get pulled over and spend night in jail for driving drunk.

- Jtoby

Thanks for the advice... But you didn't have to be an ass about it. First off, search for brake install and you will notice the first 3 pages have very little to do with brake installs. In fact, they have more to do with 'pimp ass lexus' than brakes. If there was a tech article, then yes, I probably wouldn't have asked this general question. If there was, I would still make a post about it because, quite frankly, I would not feel comfortable making a large purchase and installing it just off the basis of reading other people's posts. Thanks for flaming one of the very few people out there seeking actual automotive knowledge... Not the what kit looks best on my car, what springs are the best, which exhaust/intake/BOV is the best.

 

[Turbo Shogun]

. That was pretty funny. :laugh:

FYI, the threaded holes on the brake hats take 12mm bolts.

 

[RamenPride]

make sure you use antiseize also on the lugs, surface of the rotor hat(?) where the wheel mounts, and on the hub(?) where the brake disc mounts. makes it easier to remove things in the future.

 

[jtmcinder]

Thanks for the advice... But you didn't have to be an ass about it.

Oh, man, if you think that that was me being an ass, then you haven't read a lot of my posts.

- Jtoby

ps. saying "12mm bolts" doesn't work, since one needs to know if it's 12mm fine or 12mm coarse ... or am I still being an ass?

 

[zippy]

www.vfaq.com, DSM, Brakes