Kind of "off-topic" for our F-150 board but I just thought I'd mention what a pain in the a$$ the newer VW rear calipers are to push the piston back in. They use a ratchet type mechanism for the parking brake cable mounted inside the caliper behind the hydraulic piston. It is necessary to push the piston in while at the same time turning it clockwise. If you only try to push it in you can use the biggest damn C-clamp in the world and it won't move, more than likely you'll damage the parking brake cam.

I made the mistake of fooling with that parking brake lever where the brake cable hooks onto the caliper while the caliper was off the disc... couldn't get the damn thing back on the car!

I used a KDS universal tool which looks like a 1 1/4 inch cube with different nubs on each side and you put a 3/8 inch ratchet into it to turn the caliper... had two grind 2 of 4 nubs on one face off so it would fit the piston face. Anyhow, I just borrowed a big adjustable clamp to hold it on the piston and turned it by inserting a 3/8 extension in the other holes on the side of the cube. Did the other side of the car in 10 minutes once you know how.

Just thought I'd mention it to those of you that may be doing VW brakes in the future so you know what you're getting into so you don't get frustrated.

You need a 13mm wrench to remove the slider bolts and a 15mm to hold the backside of the slider bolts from turning. Then you need to pry off the parking cable from it's adjuster arm with a big screwdriver. Then unclip the parking brake clip that holds the parking cable in a bracket under the caliper (part of the caliper) and slip the cable away from the bracket. Then you have the caliper free. The rubber hydraulic line is not very long at all so be careful doing the work. The pads slip in and out easily. If you need to replace the rotor it's only held on by the lug nuts & wheel and one inset philips screw.... like the earlier front disc rotors.

 

On my moms 2000 Mercury Sable the front calipers sound the same...to get the piston back in you have to push and turn the piston at the same time.....took a few hours of cussing like crazy to finaly figure it out.

 

Heeheehe, early caddys and lincolns w/ rear disc were the same story. They were troublesome to deal with and make me glad that my truck has rear drums.

 

Mid 80's ( and maybe others) Saabs were the same - on the front wheels. These had the hand/emergency brake activate the front wheels. An old set of circlip (spelling ?) pliers were required to wind them back up.