S3 8L rear calipers

[millsy75]

Morning people,

My offside rear caliper has just started to bind ever so slightly. I am planning to order two new rear one's today and get them swopped over.

Has anybody changed a rear caliper? Where is the best place to buy from and best brand to go for?

Thanks.

 

[newbster]

yeah, rear calipers are almost a service item, due to a design flaw on the handbrake mechanism. I striped one right down and put up photos a while ago.
I used ebay, there seems to be a good supply of new units from a few manufacturers, I tend to go for the mid priced units, I think I ended up paying about £60, but cant remember.

pretty easy to change, might need to slacken off handbrake cable to get it out of its location in the operating lever

oh, and look for the ones that have the external return spring on the handbrake lever

 

[ayfreetee]

Just give them a good clean up, copper grease the moving parts and fit vw sharan return springs.

 

[Stuart B]

The handbrake springs inside the S3 rear Calipers are non-serviceable they are in a sealed unit - how did you get into yours? one of my rear is slow to return - the actual brakes are fine after a £10 service kit for the pistons.

 

[ayfreetee]

Tbh I've not had any problems with my S3 calipers yet (touch wood), I did them on my old A3 1.8t and my old mk4 GTI, which had external springs.