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Front brake pads

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Mick-1975 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mick-1975 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Front brake pads
    Posted: 15 Mar 2022 at 8:39pm
Evening . I have a f40 m135i x drive and my front pads are ready for changing. I am very confident on changing these myself.
Can anyone tell me whether the pistons are to be pushed back or need to be turned to retract. 
Also which pads would you put on.
Thanks mick 
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Mike Fishwick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2022 at 9:26am
The only calipers I have ever found which require the pistons to be rotated are at the rear of the Mk.2 Golf GTi, so I would think that retraction is the answer.  German & Swedish sell good tools for this. The Golf rear calipers use an odd mechanism, as they also operate the handbrake. 

BMW OE pads are OK if you have an originality fetish, but EBC Greenstuff are at least as good.  Their Redstuff are even better, and have no downside.  They produce little dust, withstand higher temperatures, and are ideal on mountain passes, carrying a full load of passengers, and towing.  I have used them on my Z3 for years, and they seem to last for ever.


Edited by Mike Fishwick - 16 Mar 2022 at 9:28am
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Mick-1975 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mick-1975 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2022 at 10:04am
Thanks Mike.  I'll have a look later on line. Still got 4 mill on at min but main dealer tried to change them for £300.
Mick 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Mar 2022 at 10:39am
No doubt the dealer had to plug a computer into the car in order to be told to check the pad thickness!  So much for progress - I wonder if their brake pads are gold-plated . . . 

Of course, a lot of dealers try to persuade owners that the discs and pads must be replaced together, and many MoT testers 'Advise' the replacement of discs if they show the merest sign of wear, or have become scored due to grit becoming trapped in the pads.  This is very common on rear discs, but after sanding off the pad surface it gradually wears away.

A pad thickness of 4 mm is a sign of far too much wear, even if the warning lamp is not illuminated - this is because the friction material also acts as a heat sink to keep the working surface and the caliper seals at a reasonable temperature - I would think that so much wear would constiute an MoT failure.

Brake wear is a function of driving style and road conditions - here in rural France we lack the many  traffic lights and mini roundabouts which the UK is sprinkled with, so brakes and clutches last for ever - the Golf TDI did over 100,000 miles on its last set of discs and pads, and after 190000 miles, when the clutch release bearing broke up, the friction plate and dual-mass flywheel were still fine!


Edited by Mike Fishwick - 16 Mar 2022 at 1:19pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PhilBM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2022 at 1:24pm
As Mike said, the only calipers I've had to turn back were on our MK4 Golf, which was fine until they'd gone passed the end of the thread and were a nightmare to get back on, which could only happen once you'd removed the old worn out pads, which again was also a pain in the back side due to the over extended piston.

However I digress, I changed the disks and pads on our lowly 116 ED, and it was straight forward enough, just push the piston back. I did replace the wear sensor at the same time as it was advisory to do so, and wasn't much extra. Got mine from Euro car parts, but have also had good experience of EBC Redstuff pads. 

You should also be able to reset the I Drive brake pad check, by googling it, i think we updated ours by using the left hand column stalk.  
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Mike Fishwick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike Fishwick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2022 at 2:09pm
The BMW Mini also uses the same type of rear calipers as the Mk 4 Golf, which tend to slack off as the caliper cools down, resulting in a notice to owners that the car should be left in gear.  It gives one little faith in driving schools that people are taught to park in neutral - probably so that their cars can be easily towed way tail-first.

The brake pad wear-down sensor can be easily moved to the new pads, using pliers with a pointed nose.


Edited by Mike Fishwick - 22 Mar 2022 at 2:10pm
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Mick-1975 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mick-1975 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2023 at 8:14pm
Evening all . I managed to change the fro t pads and after looking onninternet I can not manage to be able to reset the brake sensor light in the car. I have posted this on a different post but everything mentioned has not worked. Thanks anyway 
Mick 
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