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Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to replace the front brakes on this 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. We show you on the passenger side, but the driver's side is the same procedure. The items you'll need for this are: a new brake pad and rotor kit from 1AAuto.com, 18mm socket and ratchet with a piece of pipe for leverage, 7mm Allen bit, flat blade screwdriver, jack and jack stands, torque wrench, wire brush, large C-clamp, mineral spirits or brake cleaner, brake grease, and a hammer.
Start off using a 7mm Allen bit, and just prying out these lug nut caps. We'll fast forward as he does the rest of those. You'll notice that this lug nut is a little different than the others. You're going to need a key to remove it, and that key can be found right here, next to your jack stand in your trunk. You can just push it into that lug nut, and now it removes just like a regular lug nut. If you don't have air-powered tools, you're going to want to loosen up these lug nuts, then raise the vehicle, and remove them the rest of the way. Once the lug nuts are removed, the wheel will pull right off.
Now, you can inspect the brakes. Run your finger on the rotor, and make sure there are no deep grooves. This rotor's in really rough shape. You can see how bad that is. The pads are almost new, probably about 60% life left, so somebody just replaced the pads, but did not resurface the rotors. So you need to replace both the pads and the rotors.
Pry out this retaining wire. Then, pry off these caps. Inside here, you'll see that there are two 7mm Allen bolts. You just want to go ahead and remove those. Now using a flat blade screwdriver, just pry your brake pad into the caliper, and this will push the caliper piston in, and make it easier to remove. Then, it just pulls off and you can set it aside. Then, you just pull out your brake pads.
Now, remove these two 18-mm bolts that hold on your caliper bracket, using a socket and ratchet, and a piece of pipe for leverage. You really just need the pipe to break the bolts free, and then it's pretty easy. Once those are removed, the bracket will pull right off. Then you want to remove this Phillips screw. It can be in there pretty good. It can take a little bit of effort to get it going. If you have one, you may want to use an impact driver, or if worse comes to worse, you can drill the head off, and then just remove the rotor. To remove that, if the rotor didn't pull off, just twist it back in a couple turns, and then hit your rotor with a hammer. Then remove that screw, and pull your rotor off.
On the left is the old rotor and brake pads. On the right are the new ones from 1A Auto. You can see they're identical, and they're going to fit exactly the same. Using brake cleaner or mineral spirits, just wipe down your new rotor. Using a wire brush, you just want to clean off the slides on your caliper bracket. Then, apply some brake grease to these tabs on either end of the brake pad.
Now, push your rotor back into place, and replace that Phillips screw. Turn the rotor so that you have more room, and just slide the bracket back into place, and replace those two 18mm bolts. If you have to drill off that screw that holds the rotor on, you can hold the rotor in place with a lug bolt during these steps. We'll just fast forward as Don tightens those up. Now torque both of these bolts to 70 foot pounds.
Using a large C-clamp, just push that piston on your caliper in the rest of the way, and then push your brake pad into place, and your other brake pad into place on the caliper bracket, and then put your caliper down into place. Then re-tighten the Allen bolts, and you'll want to tighten those to 25 to 30 foot pounds. Replace these caps, and then put the retaining wire back into place. You want to make sure that it's all the way back in.
Push the wheel back into place, and line up the holes for the lug bolts, and then replace the lug bolts. If you don't have air-powered tools, you want to tighten these preliminarily, lower the vehicle, and then tighten them the rest of the way. Then, lower the vehicle and torque each lug nut to 100 foot pounds in a crossing pattern. Now, replace your lug nut caps. Now, pump the brake until it firms up, and then you want to do a stopping test from 5 miles per hour, and 10 miles per hour. Then you're all set.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.