Brake pads

[Mr-White]

Warning light has finally come on to replace my front brake pads on my 56 reg Audi A4 2.0 TDI. Question is, how do i get them done ?

Audi want £129 and a local garage can do it for £105-£115 depending on my disks.

How easy are they to change if I was to do them my self ?

MW

 

[pastymuncher]

Ideally you should be replacing both the disks and the pads.

They are easy enough to change yourself. If you have never done it before give yourself 30 mins or so per corner.

 

[TRNC]

You really dont need to replace disks every time you replace pads, disks are designed to last 2-3x as long as pads.

Self replacement of fronts is easy, rears are only slightly more complex due to silly additions in recent years such as electronic handbrakes and the likes.

 

[dangermouse425]

You can save yourself a few quid if you did it yourself, there are plenty of guides with pics and/or videos online if you go down this route. Relatively simple to do, as long as you've got the right tools.

 

[El_Watcher]

Would the sensor automatically reset once the pads are changed, or would you have to take the car into a garage to get the sensor reset?

 

[Unbeliever]

I'm sure the sensor is part of the pad, it was when I changed them on my golf.

 

[Mr-White]

A mate said he would change them for me, is there any special tools I need though ?

MW

 

[Reality Bites]

A mate said he would change them for me, is there any special tools I need though ?

MW

Socket set, pliers and maybe some copper grease......so not really.

 

[Brookert]

copper grease is vital! Nothing more annoying than squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeling

 

[Maccapacca]

You'll probably need a torx set and some pipe grips to push back the piston

http://www.johnvey.com/features/a4brakes/

Older

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/250754-20-Steps-To-B7-Brakes?highlight=brake diy

 

[Minstadave]

You need a funny tool to wind the piston back in for A3, pretty sure the A4 is the same.

 

[Defcon5]

^ for the fronts?

 

[Minstadave]

Edit:

Appears it's only the rears that need the tool.

 

[Matt82]

G recommend discs too. Discs rarely wear perfectly flat and square, therefore new pads on old discs = ineffective brakes

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Looking at new discs and brakes all round sometime this year before the MOT next January. Cheapest quote has been 600-700 from kwik fit for an SLK. Shame too, as the pads have loads of life, but the discs are vibrating, especially when braking downhill.

 

[Reality Bites]

G recommend discs too. Discs rarely wear perfectly flat and square, therefore new pads on old discs = ineffective brakes

Really don't need new discs each time you put pads on. New disks will not sit perfect with new pads hence the need to bed in.

 

[Matt82]

They do sit perfectly. Bedding in is to do with heat cycles on the pads

 

[Begbie]

G recommend discs too. Discs rarely wear perfectly flat and square, therefore new pads on old discs = ineffective brakes

Surely discs last longer than pads?

 

[zooankski]

Changing discs and pads due to low pads is incorrect. New pads will take a couple of hundred miles to bed in and will then be fine. That is why excessive hard braking should be voided during this period.
If the discs were however worn to the limit, warped, heavily lipped then a change may be a wise idea.