I'm trying to replace the rear pads on my 04 Audi S4. I need a tool that compresses and rotates the piston at the same time in order to retract it. Anyone got something that could work. I've heard of the c-clamp/needle nose pliers method worked for some people but I couldn't get it to work.

I bought a caliper retracting tool kit online that included Audi/Bmw/etc. fitments but it hasn't come yet and it doesn't look like it's coming anytime soon.

4/2/2011 2:00:07 PM

yeah, the c-clamp won't work on your car. go to autozone and see if they have the tool you can borrow. if not, you just might have to wait.
also, when you compress the piston be sure to open the bleeder. you really don't want to push a piece of trash/rust back through the abs system on that car.

4/2/2011 2:28:06 PM

don't clamp it on the rubber boot

4/2/2011 5:47:05 PM

^you'll be fighting for a long time with those.

I have the kit with everything here at my house ill let you borrow it for a deposite if you can come to cary in the next hour

4/2/2011 5:57:59 PM

Since this is a brake thread...

What are all the possible causes for "warped" rotors?

I have an '02 grand that "warped" a new set of rotors within a couple thousand miles. I didn't put on new pads, didn't torque the lug nuts to spec, and at the time my fluid was probably 120,000 miles old.

I'm hesitant to just put new (or turned) rotors and pads on if it's something else (like the caliper somehow) that could be causing it.

4/3/2011 9:26:59 AM

Just did a pair of rotors for mcaflo not too long ago. Warped, of course. Evidently, WJ's are bad for it. And it definitely happens from something so simple as inconsistent lug nut torques. I recommend torquing these in two stages.

4/3/2011 12:12:00 PM

Grand marquis
Grand am
Grand prix
Grand cherokee

So you took the time to tear it apart and put on new rotors and didn't spend the extra 19 bux and put some new pads on. If you're too lazy or broke to work on shit the right way you're going to run into problems 96% of the time.

4/3/2011 6:21:35 PM

Thanks for the tip underPSI. I ended up borrowing the tool from Autozone. Now all I need to do is a complete fluid replacement.


I accidentally let a lot of the brake fluid drain out while replacing pads. In this case, what would be best method of replacing all the fluid? I was thinking either the pressure or vacuum method. I'm going to do the brake peddle method toward the end but it would take way to long to get all the fluid through to start with.

4/4/2011 10:21:47 AM

Well if you got the skill you can open up all the valves and watch the master.

4/4/2011 1:03:36 PM

I could be wrong (not familiar with Audis) but if you have to twist your pistons to retract them shouldn't there be a slot on the piston's face. And then you just use that simple cube tool attached to your socket wrench to turn that bad boy back into the caliper.

4/4/2011 1:10:05 PM

^^^ how dirty is the old fluid? just go corner by corner and bleed each one until it comes out clear with no bubbles.

4/4/2011 5:08:06 PM

^^just about every rear disc brake set up is like that. If he could have bought the block at sears for 18 bux. Or could have used a pair of needle nose pliers to put in the grooves and twisted.

4/4/2011 5:46:52 PM

if you're going to be working on something else for a while and able to keep an eye on the fluid reservoir you could always simply gravity bleed the system. just open each bleeder valve until the new fluid runs out.

4/4/2011 9:08:34 PM

buy/rent the right tool

[Edited on April 4, 2011 at 10:44 PM. Reason : .]

4/4/2011 10:42:09 PM

^^I'm well aware of that. If that's the case for the Audi then whats the big deal? All you need is a $5 tool.

4/4/2011 11:47:24 PM

I've never seen a block for less than 15 in stores. He bought it online which made it cheaper and take longer

Another case where cheaper doesn't win.

4/5/2011 12:06:36 AM

Quote :

"buy/rent the right tool"

true

I ended up using a $25 hand pump vacuum tool in combination with the brake peddle method. The old fluid was shitty so I bled all that out.

The vacuum hand pump worked well and I'll be able to use it for many years to come. I still used the brake peddle method after I used the vacuum pump. I didn't trust it at first.

Quote :

"I've never seen a block for less than 15 in stores. He bought it online which made it cheaper and take longer Another case where cheaper doesn't win."

That's why I didn't go for the block and I bought this:


I ended up borrowing a similar kit from AutoZone and it worked well.

4/5/2011 1:12:02 AM