Help Please Sticking front driver side caliper

[Lupus solus]

Dear all. I had me front driver side caliper seize up and ruin me pads and disc. So had a new caliper, pads and disc put in. It is still sticking. The driver side rotor squeaks under low speed and the rotors are always hotter than all other sides. I checked the driver side rotor on the day the front was renewed and also noticed this.

Any help will be much appreciated. I have an A4 Avant TDI in s line b8 2012. Due to take it back to the indi garage on Monday. Need some advice as it is our only car and I work quite far from home and have to pick up and drop off me kids to school. Quite desperate to have it fixed so if anyone has any advice please that would be much appreciated.

Since the new pads have been put in car also feels quite woobly a ride compared to before. It was nice and firm a ride before then. Any idea if these cars have any electronics levelling the shocks at all?

Thank you

 

[Lupus solus]

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[spartacus 68]

I'm tempted to say take it back to whoever fitted it. Audi use a floating caliper system so there will be brake sliders on the caliper that install into the brake carrier. The sliders are integral with the caliper. The sliders can seize, but not on a new caliper.

Assuming whoever fitted it also did brake bleed?

Anyway it's a wheel off job to inspect. With the rotors off and brakes pumped to extend the pistons, you can normally get a good indication of resistance when pressing them back in. I used to use a smear of Lockheed red grease under the rubber dust sleeve to keep corrosion at bay.

I'd fit new rotors and pads, not just one corner as otherwise you'll get imbalance. Brembo pads and rotors, never had an issue.

Regards self levelling suspension, no not on A4, except some RS models with dynamic ride fitted. The A6 Allroad has air suspension for that sort of thing. Drive Select if fitted on your car just adjusts throttle response and power steering.

 

[Retroman]

As above - the slider bolts can seize - if they are the ATE type integrated retainer bolt and slider pin, a section of about 1 inch can get black, carbonised brake dust sticking to it which can cause sticking - needs a good clean with wire wool and slight lubing. Failing that I would suspect the brake hose - they can get damaged internally with age/aggressive clamping and cause a restriction with similar characteristics to a sticking caliper.

 

[Lupus solus]

I had the guy put on new rotors and pads on both front wheels. And he removed the old front driver side caliper which was stuck. The following were put on:
https://www.eurocarparts.com/brake-discs
https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/pagid-caliper-133445171

And pagid pads too on both front calipers. I took the car back on Monday and he put on a new pagid caliper removing the one he had put on earleier. He said he checked the brake lines for any issues but found nothing. Even with the new caliper on that rotor gets a lot hotter than the front passenger side one. It isn't making any squealing noises but neither did the other one he fitted till after about 800miles.

If I remove the rotor to do the check with the slider. Are the pads easy enough to push back? I don't want to mess the brakes up. The car is a necessity around here. Not much covenenient public transport wise.

Thank you

 

[Lupus solus]

Yes the brakes were bled as when the caliper originally seized it ruined the rotor through overheating. When I push the pads back should they go in with no resistance? What would one use to push them back?

Thank you

 

[CHEZ]

Sounds like the slides are shot.
A new caliper on old slides will be defeating the object if they are corroded to excess.

 

[spartacus 68]

Yes the brakes were bled as when the caliper originally seized it ruined the rotor through overheating. When I push the pads back should they go in with no resistance? What would one use to push them back?

Thank you

Ignore part of my earlier response, the brake sliders are integral with the brake carrier. Use high temperature lithium grease. You can salvage brake sliders with very fine wire wool, but they are inexpensive in real terms so just replace them. Bigg Red do kits, as chances are the dust sleeves are shot allowing water to enter and corrosion starts.

In terms of pushing pistons back. Remove brake reservoir cap. I use a G Clamp and press against the outer bore piston sleeve or edge not in the middle of the piston. On new caliper they will slide back easily. If you can't wait for Bigg Red to post out, Euro Car parts probably stock Lucas sliders. I'd put money on main Audi dealer having nothing in stock.

 

[Lupus solus]

Thank you all for your response. Had a VW Audi specialist check the car for me again and they test drove it and did temp checks and all seems fine now. Sqeak gone and driving as it should. Ndot sure what happened but it seems to have gone away by itself.

 

[JLX]

I had a similar thing where I replaced both discs and pads at the same time but from the get-go they were rubbing. The calipers wound back fine and I had cleaned out and re-greased all sliders and the calipers were moving freely. The lines were even replaced and re-bled but there was still too much fricton on the discs after pressing the pedal. Anyway after about a week or so it just stopped and the temperture of the discs dropped back to normal and there was little/no resistance again. I think the pads need to wear slightly so they are flush with the disc and/or the grease on the sliders need to free up a bit as the caliper moves.