I feel as though this is fairly universal to most cars so hopefully this won't be too much of an issue, but I've got a A4 so why not.

Mechanic tells me I have a rear caliper that's seizing. He says he can do it for 400-some-odd dollars. However, since one can kick it out of seizing by rolling the car forward, it's not an emergency (rolling backwards, for whatever reason causes it to seize up). Therefor I'd rather spend $100 on a new caliper and do it myself, trouble is, I don't know how.

Every video online is about how to replace the front calipers, and for good reason obviously, but that doesn't help those of us that want to do the rear.

Is it the same? I looked at Autozone's rear calipers for 2.8 A4 Q's and they look different so I don't want to go in expecting to pull the wheel and see what I see in the videos with people replacing the front.

Also, one thing I've never done which I'm going to need to learn at some point, is how to bleed brakes. But there's countless videos online for that.

Is there a walk-through or video somewhere? Something to give me an idea of how to approach this? (If everything is essentially the same as the front set, that's fine too).

Thanks y'all.

 

i'm guessing the caliber is fine. Its probably the parking break mechanism that is seizing. couple lights hits with a hammer and some lube should free it up

 

Unfortunately the mechanic (who was actually fixing the other rear caliper at the time) said he messed around with it and the cable for a bit but nothing worked so he just deduced it would be best to replace it. And since he replaced the other one, I don't really have complaints about doing this one as well, in spite of the cost.

 

replacing a caliber is fairly straight forward. hardest part will be bleeding it like you mentioned. just remember the rear caliber pistons need to be turned clockwise while retracting them

 

"And since he replaced the other one, I don't really have complaints about doing this one as well, in spite of the cost."


I don't understand the situation. just have him do it.

 

Sorry let me specify, I DO have a problem paying $400 for something that seems like I can do myself in a half hour.
I do NOT have a problem paying $100 for a new caliper when it may be fixed with the old caliper and some grease.

Also, the guy seemed kind of sleezy. He kept trying to up sell me on a bunch of stuff. Ultimately he told me he wanted to re-do the entire rear set of brakes and the cost was upwards of $1000. I finally talked him down to what I had initially gone in for (just a new rear caliper) but even that was more than I had wanted to spend. I did it anyway because it needed to be done, but now I'd like to do the other one myself.

Also, I'd like to learn how to do things myself on my car. Cheaper and interesting and it's handy having the knowledge, etc.

 

Listen to redline. ^^^ Make sure you have the tool so you can retract the pistons. Schwaben makes a pretty good set that you can find online.

 

I use a C-clamp and a pair of channel locks. I know, you might pinch the boot on the piston with the channel locks....but I've done Audi's that way for about 20 years, never screwed up a caliper. Sometimes when the Audi gods are smiling, the rotational force of the C-clamp turns the piston.

 

I usually just use a channel locks. the pistons finds its way in

 

My father does the same exact thing. Too bad our pistons aren't simply pressed in. You gotta actually turn them in -_-