I wanted to know if I have to have this tool to screw in the pistons on the rear calipers or is there some other way to do this? If I do need it, would they have this at a local autoparts store like Autozone to loan it, or is it specific only to Audi/VW that I need to buy online or at the dealer? This is the only thing that's holding me back that I need to make sure about before I attack this. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

If you're really strong you can do it by hand. Otherwise use a C-clamp. 10" will suffice. Just use the old brake pad, hook the clamp around the piston and the vice on the pad and tighten til it's flush so you can fit both new pads over rotor. Done.

 

Oh yeah... I'm sure your local parts store has one as a loaner if you decide to go this route.

 

that is a very useful tool... i got mine in the sears automotive department... before i bought one though i used a C clamp (dont remember the size) and it worked well although slow, but if u dont want to buy one, autozone rents this tool out (and gives you your money back once u return the tool)

so thats what i would do if u dont plan on doing brakes alot... i only bought one because i was doing a lot of brakes for friends and i was tired of running back and orth to autozone and the c clamp was becoming a bigger pain in the *** than it was helpful

 

Wait a minute though. So The rear pistons just push in like the front ones then? I thought that they had to be screwed in and that tool worked like a huge screwdriver.

 

yes they do, its a forced screw type motion.... but with the c clamp if r lucky and ur pistons are stuck and a free moving u could do it with just that... but generally speaking it doesnt work that great hence why i just bought the tool myself lol

 

Ah, ok, thanks for clearing that up. I guess I'll see what I do then. I have a good c-clamp but I don't want to struggle with it. I'm going to look into getting that tool then. Thanks guys.

 

like i said if u dont have the extra money (which i imagine u dont after having to buy a new motor) then just go to autozone and rent the tool... like i said they give you your money back after u return the tool

 

the rears don't push in like the fronts, unless it different on the fwd. you could try just pushing it in with a C-clamp but don't over do it. you can use a long needle nose plier to screw it in if that's the case. or like phil said autozone is your friend

 

Very good advice here^^. I just did my rear pads and rotors 2 days ago. A few months ago when I did the calipers, I tried the c-clamp method... SEVERE PITA!!! Autozone will have what you're looking for, deposit of about 55 bucks, and you get it all back when you return it. Trust me, use the right tools, it will save a lot of aggravation in the end.

Also, don't forget to take the cap off your brake fluid resivoir to avoid building up pressure and possible damaging the master cylinder. Make sure you put some rags around the fill hole as well, if you're compressing all 4 calipers, you could have some fluid spill over and make a nasty mess. Brake fluid will kill your paint, so be careful.

Make sure you have the right connector for your front pads, there are 2 different styles. If you get the wrong one, your brake light will be on (guilty). Also make sure you have a 7mm allen wrench. You'll need it for the front brakes, and believe it or not, a 7mm is not a very common size for some reason. I had to go to 3 different stores before I found a set that actually had it.

Overall, pretty easy job, just a lot of little things to remember. Have fun, and like the thread I started a couple days ago... this stuff is better than therapy!