Is there a guide on changing Rear Discs on A3

[jp1]

I have searched the forum but can't find a guide. My rear pads and discs need changing, so I thought I would do it my self. A job I wouldn't bat an eye lid at in my XR2 days. But looking at some videos on line, some refer to taking off the back Brake Caliper Bracket, held on by 2 M14 Multispline bolts, which are difficult to reach and require an excessive amount of force to undo.

I will be doing the job on the drive, so if these bolts need to come out I am going to have a problem.

Other videos seem to imply you can remove/replace disc without removing the bracket, depending on the disc.

Any views or has anyone replaced rear disc?

Car is 1.4 COD Saloon

Thanks

 

[SDB]

I've changed mine (rear discs & pads) on my 2014 1.4 and couldn't get the disc off without removing the caliper. Some say you can, but no matter which way I orientated the disc it wouldn't come out. Bolts are stretch bolts if I remember correctly, hence the high torque figures.
Remember you also need to wind back the electronic parking brake (using VCDS or such-like).

 

[Mazman]

But looking at some videos on line, some refer to taking off the back Brake Caliper Bracket, held on by 2 M14 Multispline bolts, which are difficult to reach and require an excessive amount of force to undo.
Yes, that just about sums it up. It needed the caliper brackets off on my 2013 1.4 to remove the disc and VW/Audi don't make it easy. Having struggled to remove the caliper bracket for a disc/pad change on a manual handbrake VW Golf before and also finding the the electronic gadget I bought wouldn't retract the parking brake I gave the job to my local VW specialist. I have no idea why VW use the stretch bolts in this application. Other cars seem to manage without.

 

[SDB]

I agree, I've had VW and Audi cars for a good many years now so have most of the tools I need to do routine maintenance. But it annoys me they fit stretch or torque to yield bolts (TTY) on brakes and suspension parts as they are a one-time use item and you have to remember to buy them along with your discs, pads, dampers, springs etc.
I can understand it on engine parts but not for regularly changed items.

 

[northpole]

you can thank the use of the e-brake (electronic handbrake) for that. Every car that has those stretch bolts on the rear calipers has it because they have the electronic handbrakes, now you can be daft and not replace them but they aren't that expensive so replace them and torque them up properly.

 

[8YARWY]

Standard thickness not a chance lol.

I only managed it on the wife’s GTD Golf because I had to undo the bearing to fit new dust shields.


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[8YARWY]

What the heck is this on pictures? That's not audi a3 car

Lol it’s a Vag group car built with the same components as an A3.
So yes it’s relevant to the OP.


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[8YARWY]

Lol no, but audi a3 absolutely doesn't have rear hub like this? or is it again changed in 8Y series ??? where are bearing teeth? from drive shaft ???

Read hub looks like this .. below
And anyway why they removed bearing for ???

Only if the A3 is quattro

The bearing was removed to fit the new back shields.


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[AJB]

Standard thickness not a chance lol.

I only managed it on the wife’s GTD Golf because I had to undo the bearing to fit new dust shields.


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What's involved in getting the bearing and hub off? Is that an easier way to do the discs than battling with the carrier holder bolts? Or just a different world of pain?!

 

[8YARWY]

Ah I have A3 quattro.. and I didn't need to remove bearing.. only calliper holders now with S3 vented discs and callipers and its holders I don't need to remove anything it will nicely squeeze through.. saving time..

I’m not saying you need to remove bearing as that’s the extreme way.

On the single thickness rear disc the caliper carrier needs removing to get the disc off.

My post was pointing out that the only other way the disc would come off is if the bearing was loose then you slide the hub forward enough to allow the disc to come off.
And as my picture above proves when I changed the shields on the GTD.


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[8YARWY]

What's involved in getting the bearing and hub off? Is that an easier way to do the discs than battling with the carrier holder bolts? Or just a different world of pain?!

Wheel off
Centre hub cap prised off
Long beaker bar plus even longer tube on it
The centre hub bolt is torqued at 200nm then angle tightened a further 90 deg lol

I had to go this route because of the stupid design by Vag of not having a cut out in the shield on the rears
Also the hub bolts should be replaced

But a side effect of this is you can get the discs off by pulling the bearing forward a little


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[AJB]

Wheel off
Centre hub cap prised off
Long beaker bar plus even longer tube on it
The centre hub bolt is torqued at 200nm then angle tightened a further 90 deg lol

I had to go this route because of the stupid design by Vag of not having a cut out in the shield on the rears
Also the hub bolts should be replaced

But a side effect of this is you can get the discs off by pulling the bearing forward a little


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I wonder which is less hassle?! That or the carrier (working on driveway, so no access for a breaker bar straight downwards for the carrier bolts). Annoying either way when a couple of mm difference in the shape of the carrier would make it a non-issue.

I'm slightly struggling to get my head round the geometry of why pulling the bearing forward lets you get the disc out. You mean pulling it towards you, along that little stub axle? Does the disc, stuck in the carrier, not stop the hub/bearing moving outwards much? In my head having the hub further out would make it harder to jiggle the disc out, not easier?

 

[8YARWY]

I wonder which is less hassle?! That or the carrier (working on driveway, so no access for a breaker bar straight downwards for the carrier bolts). Annoying either way when a couple of mm difference in the shape of the carrier would make it a non-issue.

I'm slightly struggling to get my head round the geometry of why pulling the bearing forward lets you get the disc out. You mean pulling it towards you, along that little stub axle? Does the disc, stuck in the carrier, not stop the hub/bearing moving outwards much? In my head having the hub further out would make it harder to jiggle the disc out, not easier?

The bearing/hub are one piece.

When you try to tilt the disc outwards it fouls on the hub behind it, however once the hub is free move forwards along the shaft you then are given more ‘wiggle’ room to get the disc off.

Make sense ?


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[AJB]

The bearing/hub are one piece.

When you try to tilt the disc outwards it fouls on the hub behind it, however once the hub is free move forwards along the shaft you then are given more ‘wiggle’ room to get the disc off.

Make sense ?


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That's kind of what I was picturing, and I can visualise the discs fouling on the hub as I've failed to tilt discs outwards for that reason before (front of my wife's old MINI needed the carrier off to get discs off). I just couldn't quite see why having the hub further out would make it better rather than worse. If the hub could move inwards (which obviously it can't) then it'd clear the disc more easily.
But I drew a little picture, and actually the geometry does make sense, and pulling the hub towards you will move the disc slightly out of the carrier when the disc is tilted as far as it goes. Got it - thanks!!

If you had to change just discs on a driveway which way would you go? Hub or carrier?

 

[8YARWY]

That's kind of what I was picturing, and I can visualise the discs fouling on the hub as I've failed to tilt discs outwards for that reason before (front of my wife's old MINI needed the carrier off to get discs off). I just couldn't quite see why having the hub further out would make it better rather than worse. If the hub could move inwards (which obviously it can't) then it'd clear the disc more easily.
But I drew a little picture, and actually the geometry does make sense, and pulling the hub towards you will move the disc slightly out of the carrier when the disc is tilted as far as it goes. Got it - thanks!!

If you had to change just discs on a driveway which way would you go? Hub or carrier?

If you didn’t mind buying 2 new bolts for the hub then I’d be inclined to do it the way I did above (I had no option tho as the bearing had to be removed lol)

I’ve done it the other way too but that top spline bolt is a pain (I bought a shallow spline socket) plus you need the car raised quite high to give you room to get a long ratchet bar in the space under it.


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[AJB]

If you didn’t mind buying 2 new bolts for the hub then I’d be inclined to do it the way I did above (I had no option tho as the bearing had to be removed lol)

I’ve done it the other way too but that top spline bolt is a pain (I bought a shallow spline socket) plus you need the car raised quite high to give you room to get a long ratchet bar in the space under it.


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I think those spline bolts for the carriers are meant to be single use too, so it's either buying 4 of them or 2 hub bolts (unless the spline ones come with a set of discs, I guess). Thanks for all the info - really appreciate it!

 

[8YARWY]

I think those spline bolts for the carriers are meant to be single use too, so it's either buying 4 of them or 2 hub bolts (unless the spline ones come with a set of discs, I guess). Thanks for all the info - really appreciate it!

Put it this way.

I changed the discs pads etc all around on the wife’s GTD back in 2018 and I re-used those carrier bolts , but didn’t angle tighten them just put a dab of loc tight and they haven’t moved or been an issue since.


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