if i wanted to change brake pads, should i get it professionally install or is it easy to do yourself?

 

All you need to replace the pads is a jackstand. Jack the car up, pop the rim off, and replace the pads. Pretty easy DIY job.

 

That's not all you need dude...
You have to get the pistons pushed back. Up front is easy, you can use a C-clamp... in the rears, you need a tool, because the pistons have to be turned back. Any place that does a loan-a-tool will have the tool requird to do the rears. It's a very easy job if you have that tool.

 

Yeah that sounds more like it. I did mine on a Honda and it was pretty damn easy. Audis = better made so it'll take more time and some tools.
Overall, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours to do if you have the right tools and the jackstand.

 

You can use the c-clamp on the rear to get the piston to rotate if you do it correctly - takes some practice. I just did my rears a couple weeks ago.
You also need a 7mm allen key for the front, and a 14mm and a 15mm open end wrench for the rears. And make sure you take the cap of your brake reservoir before you try and push the pistons back in.

 

c-clamp for the rear??? I'm intrigued... and your rolling pin mod... shall we call you mcgyver?

Never knew about the brake fluid resevoir cap thing... how important is that?

 

well when you push the piston back in, the air in the reservoir will keep the fluid in the lines from coming back into the reservoir. open up that cap and the air can escape as its replaced by fluid. If you don't do this and you force it hard, there will be so much pressure you could blow your master cylinder.

OH - take a c-clamp and weld or steel epoxy the tip so it doesnt rotate independently on the ball bearing. simple.

 

thanks for all your advice...im going to get started and hopefully everything goes smoothly...

 

Wish I had read this before attempting to change my rear brake pads on my wife's 2000 A4 1.8T Quattro last night. I have only worked on cars where you just have to push the brake piston back in. Guess I just flat out got lucky on the left rear as it finally started moving in. I probably had the C Clamp so damn tight it started turning it back in instead of slipping on the ball. Anyway I did open up the little bleeder valve (11 MM) wrench and got that side (left), but fought with the Right rear for 2 hours and never could get it to go in. Anyone think I did any damage? I was only using a 5" C Clamp so I hopefully wasn't getting enough pressure to hurt anything. But after finally getting the left side to go, I kept after it thinking something was stuck. So if I weld my C Clamp so when I turn it in it rotates the piston clockwise it should work? Or should I just break down and see if I can rent a tool? Also as it was getting late, I already had the left side replaced and wasn't about to take it back apart when I couldn't get the right side done. Now when I start the car it makes a beeping sound for about 5 to 10 seconds and the word "Brake" continues to flash while the engine is running. Will this condition go away when I get the right side taken care of???? Is the system smart enough to realize one piston is in further than the other??? Thanks Scott from Utah.

 

here's a couple write-ups...

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel139.shtml

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel25.shtml

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel2.shtml