Replace Q7 front rotors and pads
 

This is my first post on the Audi forums, so first you get a little background about me and my wifes car.

And this is going to be a long post, take several days, and probably not go right, but hey, that is the story of my life.

Gas prices were on the rise, my wife had a Ford Excursion with 175,000 miles and she wanted something with better gas mileage. We looked at the new 4 cylinder Chevy Equinox and the dealer next door was an Audi dealer. So she went there and looked and fell in love with the economical Q7 3.6. So last fall we purchased a 2008 Q7 with 27,000 miles for $35,000. Now it has 40,000 miles and she took it to the dealer to fix a "dipped beam" - that is what she said. The dealer came and got the car and said, "hey, you need new front rotors and pads! (for $750)".

I tend to be cheap and I am willing to try new things, so I figured out long ago how to change brakes and rotors - usually just go to autozone and get new stuff and go home and slap it on. I have done the Excursion several times, a Pontiac Grand Prix several times (daughters car with 102K), and did the pads on a VW. I also read that the Audi goes through pads brakes every 20-25K miles, so I was not going with OEM.

Never worked on an Audi before.

So here is step 1 - get a manual. I ordered it online and will let you know how it is when it arrives

Step 2 - get parts

Looked on ebay and did research.

I went with Monroe pads:

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0878.jpg

For rotors I chose Raybestos. And this is how things go for me because I try to save a buck. So the Raybestos rotors were $120 from most places, but I found one for $61. I ordered them and this is what I got:

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0881.jpg

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0880.jpg

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0879.jpg

Turns out they are not real raybestos rotors. But for $60 each I am going to give them a try.

Now for the reason I am writing this post. To help all of the q7 owners out there who want ot do there own brakes. Yeah right. It is because I tend to keep things a long time and if I record this, then in the future I can come back to it so I know how to do it. And if I can help someone, all the better.

So in this post you are going to get costs, time, pictures, and commentary. And a review of the rotors and pads.

So day 1 - online research and buy parts

CD manual - $25.95
pads - $47.90
rotors - $122.10

Total Cost = $195.95 (shipping included)
Total Time = 1 hour - research and ordering

Part numbers - MONROE DX1014A

Raybestos 980310 and 980311 (different for left and right)

Day #2 (today)

rotors and pads arrived

Total Cost $195.95 - no change

Time - 20 minutes staring at my new parts
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

When the manual arrives I will give the next update.

Your going to regret being cheap with brakes. Same thing with tires. I understand the dealer is alot of money. You should always find something in the middle.

Just so you know the front are directional. There is a left and a right.

Day #3. Ran to the mailbox expectantly so I could get the CD repair manual. But, alas it was not to be. Maybe monday.

As far as cheap rotors, I know. That is why I went with Raybestos brand. That is not what I got, but I figured I can try the cheap ones since I had them. And anyway, it is my wife's car.

I did notice they were directional. Still trying to figure out how a rotor can be directional.

Day 20 something. Finally did it today. So first we are going to go with all of the costs.

Rotors = 122
pads = 48
new retainers = 12
new bracket bolts x 2 = 24
wrong size bit to remove rotor = 15
right size bit to remove rotor = 10
brake cleaner = 5
brake fluid (which I never used) = 5

Total = approx $241

Estimate from dealer $700 + tax

Savings = $450

And got a few new tools in the process

So after this I will start the actual description so I do it again in a few weeks.

This is going to be very basic

Tools needed:

1 - jack
2 - jack stand
3 - wrench for removal of lug nuts
4 - 13mm socket on 3/8 drive socket
5 - T50 Star socket (6 point thing like a Torx, got it at autozone)
6 - 21mm socket on 1/2 drive wrench
7 - 6 mm allen wrench
8 - screwdriver - flat blade
9 - hammer

I will explaion how to use each one step by step

Also a bunch of towels and some brake cleaner and a pair of gloves.

To do it correctly you also need two torque wrenchs, on that goes up to at least 200 ft/lbs, and a smaller one that you can measure 15 ft lbs with.

Step 1

Remove plastic caps over lug nuts with nifty tool from the spare tire compartment. By the way, anyone ever look at the compact spare before. I just saw it for the first time. It is a sheet of rubber on a rim.

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0138.jpg


Step 2 loosen lug nuts

I used the nifty tool Audi provided in the spare kit

It is on the floor in front of the tire in the previous pic

Step 3 Jack up car and place on Jack Stand. I did one side at a time. Do not forget to place something behind the rear tire so there is no roll away.

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0140.jpg

Step 4 borrow sons computer to install Audi repair manual from CD. Forgot to add this to cost. It was $24 and took 2 weeks to get here from California. It has info for all Audis. It has info on changing brake pads and removing calipers, but not rotors. I think according to Audi you have to remove the caliper - meaning take it off and disconnect from the brake lines, then I assume remove the rotor.

Warning....

I did not do it this way. I jest moved the caliper out of the way. I did not want to have to bleed the brakes. Next time I may give this a try.

The manual also gave all the torque specs needed for all the bolts.

So after that disclaimer, lets change some brakes

Step 5

Disconnect wear sensor. The bottom tab comes out and it slides down

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0142.jpg



Step 6

Remove cap from bleeder valve. You need to do this so you can get the wire out. They use the bleeder cap to secure the wire. I just used a pair of pliers to pull it off

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0143.jpg



Step 7

remove nut from bolt that secures pads. It is 13mm and not very tight

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0145.jpg



Step 8

This is the first place I hit a glitch. You need to pound out the pin while pushing on the retainer clip. Since I was replacing everything I just pounded it out. I wouls recommend cleaning the bolf really good with brake cleaner becasue the dust makes it very tough to get the bolt through.

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0147.jpg

More to come, wife just brought home dinner

Step 9

After the pin is out the retainer comes off. You can see it off in the last pic. The next step is to pull the pads out. You can do a google searchand find out how to get the pads out. I did not take a pic. What I did, since I was putting in new pads and rotors was use the screwdrive to pry them out. They came out easy

Step 10

This is the probably not how Audi recommends doing it step. The Brake line is solid near the caliper, so unlike all the pads/rotors I have changed in the past, I usually unbolt the caliper and hang it up while I switch out the rotor, but wuth the solid brake line you can't so this.

Option 1 - like Audi recommends, remove the brake line from the caliper and then recommect and bleed later

Option 2 - my improvised way. In the pic below you see the caliper without the pads in. See the white arrow?

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...IMG_0151-1.jpg

Look behind it and you will see this allen screw (6mm)

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0150.jpg

You need a flashlight to see it, but when you remove it, the entire brake line becomes free enough to maove around a little.



Step 11

Remove caliper bolts

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0148.jpg

They are tightened to 200ft/lbs, which is a lot, so I need a little extra leverage

Step 12

Remove the T50 Star bolt

http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o...c/IMG_0157.jpg

Now the rotor comes off and you are done. The left rotor fell off after I took this bolt out. The right side needed a little persuasion. I talked nicley to it for a while and this didn't work, so I got out a hammer and convinced it to come off.


There. 12 easy steps. Putting it back together is the reverse.

Great post, how is sensor installed. I heard that rear pad rotors installation is tricky. Have you installed rear yet?