How do you change brakes and rotors on a 2000 Audi a4 1.8t quattro?

Answer 1

This is by no means a definitive guide merely a general brake pad/disc changing guide.*

1: make sure the car is parked on flat level hard standing and is left in gear with the hard brake on

2: 'crack' the nuts, whilst the car is still bearing the load through its wheels, loosen the wheel nuts only a turn or two ( a locking nut maybe required for at least one nut with some cars )

3: place your jack on the jacking point (normally located to the rear of the wheel arch about 5-6 inches under the car and is marked by two groves in the metal chasis running the length of the main load carrying area) jack up the car until an inch or two is of clear space is visible between the ground and bottom of the tyre, if you have one place a stand as close as possible to the jack on the metal rail the jack s holding the car up by, and lower carefully until the all the weight is being taken by the stand ( this will provide a far more stable platform for the car as jacks are often wheeled and you can find yourself sitting inside the wheel arch or under the car )

4: continue to loosen the wheel nuts until all of them have been removed then remove the wheel remembering to keep all the wheel nuts in a safe place!

5: the caliper will be fixed in place onto the brake disc using 2 nuts located behind the caliper (as you look at it form the side of the car) remove these to move the caliper from the brake disc, as the brake pads are normally with 1mm of the disc you may have to move the piston slightly using a screwdriver as leverage.

6: to change the disc remove the disc retaining clip, normally a large circlip and remove the nuts that hold the disc in place. then fit your new one and repeat what you have just done in this part but in reverse order

7: if you wish to change the brake pads simply place the new one's (make sure they are the same as the one you have removed! halfords has a small booklet attached to the brake pad/disc section, with car makes and models listed telling you exactly which ones you need for frontc/back) where the old one's were, remembering to replace the retaining clip if there is one present. (these are often just anti rattle clips, so do not worry is they are not present, however if you get new clips with the new pad's they are most likely more important and you should endevour to fit them)

8: to re-fit the piston is often a pain in the ass without the proper equipment but it is none the less achieveable with a bit of determination. firstly you will need to sit the brake pads correctly in their slots within the caliper, next try and slide the caliper over the brake disc, you can almost garuntee it wont fit, in order to make it fit you need to push the piston back (all the way in if you have replaced both brake disc and pads, and at least 75% of the way if you have replaced one or the other) this can either be achived using a 'g' clamp if you have one available, simply place a piece of wood on the piston and tighten the clamp until the piston retracts inside the caliper, unfortunately some pistons are wind in and out, in which case it will help and make life very simple so have the tool which will fit the groves that are in the caliper, with which you can simply turn like a screw until its is retracted sufficiently, as it is unlikely you will have such tool, a screw driver can be used to place across the grooves or even a pair of pliers to grip the piston and twist.

9: once the piston is retracted enough to allow the caliper (with brake pads in!) to slide over the brake disc replace the two caliper holding nuts you removed earlier. (now is an ideal time to either change or bleed the brake fluid in the system, how ever this is a two man job, without equipment that is very cheap and available from halfords with a complete operating guide (wow i sound like a salesman for halfords))

10: now replace the wheel back on to its perch and put the nuts back in through the wheel itself and tighten as far as they will go. finally lower the car (carefully!) back to tera firma and repeat three times!

note: the rear brakes whilst the same in principal will occasionally differ from the front, normally using a split pin and slide lock to hold the brake pads in place, this will however become apparent once the wheel has been removed and is faily simple to remove and replace.

Tool list (required) locking not if applicable, jack with a rating capable of lifting the car, socket set with sockets that will fit wheel nuts, large screw driver, sockets that will remove the nuts holding the caliper in place, Allen key/torque bit to remove brake disc holding nuts, 'g' clamp (a large spanner or screw driver will sometimes do if you can get good leverage/something to grip the piston to wind it back in or the piston winding key. this is a bare minimum and you will struggle with just these items however it is possible and i have managed it!

nice to have items: stand to rest the car on. circlip plier to remove circlip, something comfy to kneel/lie on, coveralls, later gloves, (a car mechanic's garage!) tool to re-wind caliper if req. an assorment of Allen keys, torque bits, socket sets are often useful (im not sure wether Audi use's imperial or metric measurements, i suspect being German effeciency it will be metric.

*this guide is by no means a step by step guide answering your question it is merely what i have encountered changeing brake discs and pads on my car and friends cars and is only my opinion. although while changing a the brakes it is always handy to have a haines manual around, which i would probably advise buying as it will also give you step by step pictures instead of just my text, and the exact tools you need!

i hope this has been of some use to you even if you just read the last bit that says buy a haines manual, alternatively you could just fork out and let a mechanic take care of it for you!