Rear caliper rebuild

[Cup_Phil]

Last year I noticed my passenger rear caliper outer dust seal had a split in it - stupidly I just left it because it seemed to be ok
But I just checked the pads after Donington and the passenger rears are completely down to metal - which makes me think the caliper is probably stuck out

I've found a rebuild kit on ebay for about £25 which I think does both rear calipers, all new seals etc..
Question is - how easy is it to rebuild them.
I know the rear brakes on the cup are s**te at the best of times and mine have done 120k so I'd like to rebuild them knowing they're spot on.
But if it's going to be a pain I might just swap the rears for a matching pair off a lower mileage car, or maybe send mine off to bigred or something

[Budgie]

It's a doddle Phil.

Piston just winds in and out on those.

[JoedotwasT5phy]

As the sex meister says, easy as piss - will take no more than 1hour unless you're a ham fisted baboon

[Budgie]

I actually lol'd at that whole post.

[Dan@519Automotive]

I've rebuilt countless sets of calipers, and I've never had much success with these rears (same as 205 GTI, so I've been trying for a lot of years) There's a ratchet mechanism inside the caliper that is near on impossible to make work once the piston has been out in my experience. I guess it's partly down to how bad the caliper is before you pull it apart, but if it's not broken you wouldn't be fixing it....

[Cup_Phil]

That's what I worried dan. Same as 106 Gti ones

I guess if I can remove the seal. Clean it up and wind the piston back it wouldn't be too bad. But if the piston has to come out I might not bother

[Cup_Phil]

Went to buy some pads on eBay (cheap £30 things) and instead found a pair of rear calipers off a 70k 172 ph2, with part worn pads - for £26 delivered!!!

That'll do me - should be back on the road by next weekend
Not worth rebuilding them with that sort of second hand prices lol

[Tigger]

Bit of a bump but I'm looking at doing this to mine - piston is stuck out on the o/s and the n/s isn't exactly brilliant either.

I have the reseal kit from Bigg Red, a little hesitant about replacing the square-cut seal now after reading Dan's post above, or is it a doddle?

Is there a guide to rebuilding calipers anywhere?
Cheers

[Cup_Phil]

I gave up - found a very low mileage set on ebay for about £15 so just swapped them both lol
Think my old ones are still sat in the garage

[Tigger]

Ha! I'm not giving up that easy - just don't fancy taking the piston out to insert the new seal (since I have them) and not be able to get it back in!

[Tigger]

Anyone know?

[MRBILLYUK]

Ha! I'm not giving up that easy - just don't fancy taking the piston out to insert the new seal (since I have them) and not be able to get it back in!

Don't quote me on this , it's been a few years since i stripped a rear caliper down so i'm just going from memory . The piston should just screw out , it's only held in by a threaded screw that screws into the centre of the piston . It might be a bit seized , mine had rusted in a bit . But i got it out and cleaned it up , greased it , screwed it back in and it was fine afterwards . Just don't take off the rear dust cover and pull all the handbrake mechanism to bits , cos you won't ever get it back together again . There are 5 dished / concaved sprung washers in there , a large spring and a cam . I could only ever get 4 of the washers back in .

[Dan@519Automotive]

Get a good quality service exchange rebuilt caliper. It's not worth the hastle of trying to DIY it. I've already said that months ago when this thread started though

[MRBILLYUK]

Get a good quality service exchange rebuilt caliper. It's not worth the hastle of trying to DIY it. I've already said that months ago when this thread started though

I concur , it is the easiest way tbh .

[Tigger]

Yeah - my handbrake boot came off an old caliper couple of years ago and it looked well complicated in there so doubt I'll be touching that!
Was just worried the piston would of been a PITA to change

[_WILL_]

My mate Steve ("whom" on here) got home from the pub drunk the other night and rebuilt one of mine as It was off the car. He made it look easy and it seems to be working spot on.

If the other option is to be place it you may as well have a go first, if it goes wrong swap it and you haven't lost anything?

[Jay Payne]

I've rebuilt countless sets of calipers, and I've never had much success with these rears (same as 205 GTI, so I've been trying for a lot of years) There's a ratchet mechanism inside the caliper that is near on impossible to make work once the piston has been out in my experience. I guess it's partly down to how bad the caliper is before you pull it apart, but if it's not broken you wouldn't be fixing it....

Get a good quality service exchange rebuilt caliper. It's not worth the hastle of trying to DIY it. I've already said that months ago when this thread started though

This and this IMO. Not worth messing with the rear ones. Big Red do exchange

[MRBILLYUK]

Yeah - my handbrake boot came off an old caliper couple of years ago and it looked well complicated in there so doubt I'll be touching that!
Was just worried the piston would of been a PITA to change

It's probably just got a bit of rust on the pistons so it's binding . Take one out and have a look . Clean it up with a bit of fine wet n dry , a bit of grease on it and put it back in . It worked for me anyway .

[Tigger]

Out of interest, anyone know how much an exchange caliper is?

[MRBILLYUK]

Out of interest, anyone know how much an exchange caliper is?

They won't be cheap , even on an exchange basis . But if ya need em , then ya need em .