Rear Calipers dead?

[Bally 0]

Noticed y'day & also this morning when attempting to drive the car first thing it struggles to move, feels as if the handbrakes on, I get the feeling the calipers seized? once cars running its seems to role fine just struggles in the morning.. I no its been very cold too, can anyone tell me before I go & buy replacement calipers what else it could be? the rear discs & pads havent much life left in em, got replacement discs/pads/bearings to go in before MOT next wk

 

also if the calipers are facked whats the part no's for the MK3 rear ones? also can I buy em from G&S??

 

Please advise.. :?:

[dazzyvr6 0]

for the last 2 days my handbrake was frozen on,could of easily sorted it but with me just coming off nights i just wanted to get home so i drove with it stuck on,im going to try putting some grease on the handbrake mechanism later to see if it cures it

[vr6corrado 0]

I'm having my noisy (sounds like a bus) right rear caliper overhauled this afternoon - hope it works.

[stevemac 0]

Bally - when you've been for a drive in the car, maybe 3-4 miles or so the calipers & discs will be very hot if the handbrake is sticking. Check both sides.

[andycowuk 0]

for the last 2 days my handbrake was frozen on,could of easily sorted it but with me just coming off nights i just wanted to get home so i drove with it stuck on,im going to try putting some grease on the handbrake mechanism later to see if it cures it

 

try replacing the cables....could be moisture in there thats causing this.

 

HTH

[Bally 0]

Bally - when you've been for a drive in the car, maybe 3-4 miles or so the calipers & discs will be very hot if the handbrake is sticking. Check both sides.

 

cheers for the replies folks :)

 

Steve, I'll try that on my way home... :wink:

[stevemac 0]

Bally - when you've been for a drive in the car, maybe 3-4 miles or so the calipers & discs will be very hot if the handbrake is sticking. Check both sides.

 

cheers for the replies folks :)

 

Steve, I'll try that on my way home... :wink:

 

If they're just warm - that's normal

If they're hot, be careful - you'll literally burn your fingers !! (I still have scars from checking mine a couple of weeks ago)

[kvwloon 0]

I'd definately try changing the handbrake cables first, dead easy job to do and about £15 each. The rubber boot at the caliper attaching end splits or can be totally missing, in freezing weather water gets in and the cable gets frozen solid, so despite you taking the handbrake 'off' the cables at the caliper end will remain stuck 'on'. As usual you can't get the rubber boots for the cables on their own, have to buy new cable assy! If the calipers are seizing internally theyl'l normally be like that regardless of the weather. Sounds like the cable/rubber boot at fault to me! Recommend take a look under the car where the cable attaches to the caliper, and check the rubber boots are there and not split.

 

(Mk3 Golf calipers a good mod. though if original calipers do start seizing, straight swap with originals)

[HiAsAKite 0]

I used to get frozen handbrake cables in both my golf and Corrado... and my rear callipers stick on the C if the brake's left on for more than 3 weeks.....

 

My solution.. never park it in winter with the handbrake on, and otherwise only ovenight with the brake on.

Way to park without handbrake on a hill is leave it in lowest opposite gear for the direction it would roll (ie if it would roll forwards, in reverse), and turn the front wheels into and touching the curb so it can't physically move anywhere.

 

Never had the problem since..

 

Otherwise you can sort the problem properly by replacing the cable...

If you do get stuck callipers and you have driven on them (even if only 1/4 mile) you may have to wait an hour or so to cool before there's any chance of them unsticking naturally

[Gareth 0]

im no expert but i just replaced the calipers seals and this sorted the problem..... seal kits are avalible from the stealers and possibley other supplyers... but mine had an new cable bout 6 months ago so i also wouldnt rule that out

[kvwloon 0]

Hmmm, as I understand it the only caliper seals would be around the pistons internally, and the seal which moves on the outside of the body as the piston moves. My opinion from bitter experience is that if calipers stay on with handbrake off in all weathers then probably handbrake mechanism on original calipers seizing up, if it only happens during freezing conditions then most probably the handbrake cable itself freezing up......but......

[vr6corrado 0]

Just out of interest to see if we have the same problem Bally, do you have any noise from the rear brakes?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Mine are sticking on as when I get home from work every night the rear discs are scorching! And I can hear them moaning when I pull away.

 

Vince is fitting some MK4 ones for me on March 13th (a saturday thankgod, not that I'm superstitious!). I'll check and replace the handbrake cables whilst it's there too.

 

That should, in theory, be the end of my rear caliper issues for good and I can get my 8 mpg back again!

 

K

[Majik 0]

mine ones stuck aswell on my 16v last year the cable stuck so there was no tension in the handbrake, some warm/hot water over the caliper done the trick.

[dazzyvr6 0]

mines got nothing to do with the cables,i have to go under the car and move the handbrake lever with a screwdriver,i can move the cable with my hand,its down to the crap design by vw

[kvwloon 0]

Thats deffo the calipers' handbrake mech seizing then, when mine went the same way fitted Mk3 Golf calipers in their place as a direct swop, as the design is better and less prone to this problem.

[dazzyvr6 0]

as far as i know they are mk3 golf calipers

[kvwloon 0]

Oh!, mine were the original 'Mk2' Golf type on my early 16v, which i replaced wtih Mk3, which are supposed to be less prone to handbrake mech defect. I have heard some instances of these still seizing though, and people fitting Mk4 Golf type, but dont know how easy/hard that would be.

[Bally 0]

Thanks for your replies guys... :)

 

kvwloon, it seems to be the cable sticking.. the calipers are ok, seem to be working ok, looks like when i washed the car the water frozen the cable hence why when driving the handbrake appeared to stay on... cheers for that, if the cables are shot I'll replace em..

 

VR6corrado, I don't seem to be getting any noises from the rear...

 

Cheers all :)

[aide 0]

Noticed y'day & also this morning when attempting to drive the car first thing it struggles to move, feels as if the handbrakes on, I get the feeling the calipers seized...

...also if the calipers are facked whats the part no's for the MK3 rear ones? also can I buy em from G&S??

Please advise.. :?:

 

Had my rear calipers changed about two years ago cos they seized, lucklily yesterday morning I realised the same sluggish problem in time, and simply 'eased' the offending caliper with a screwdriver and liberal helpings of WD :!:

 

Fair do's it was cold, but in my case I'm actually thinking this problem is more to do with the massively dusty pads i'm using, and rubber handbrake boot some guys have mentioned :D Re the ice, I purposely don't heave the hand brake on, that way the friction created sorts it if there is any :D

 

Anyways - Am gonna give the calipers a proper overhaul this weekend, as the car seemed to run a lot freerer after the WD

[Bally 0]

Cheers for your reply & tip mate, its going in for MOT & replacement rear brakes next wk, see how it gets on... :|