Rear brake change - Mk5 GTI

Long story short I failed VA state safety inspection due to an almost worn out rear brake pads on my '08 GTI. How hard is it to replace rear brake pad on an '08 GTI? Is there a special tool that I need? I got several quotes that ranged from $475 for rear pads and rotors to $500 for rear pads and brake fluid flush. I don't need new rear rotors and just had the brake fluid flushed about a year ago so all I need are new rear brake pads and may be either machine the rotor or if not I was wondering if I could use fine sand paper to sand the rotors and smooth them out. The rotors are not grooved or worn out or anything like that.

I've changed brake pads on E46 BMW and Miata before but somehow I am thinking I'd need a special tool to change rear brake pads on an '08 GTI. Thanks for the advice guys.

use a combination of these 2 videos

http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43687

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt8v4lVZGL0

I say use a combination because one is for Mk VI and the other for a Mk V ... and depending on what you have to do ... these 2 should cover pretty much all you'll need

In reply to wbjones:

That's exactly what I need, thanks man.

The only special tool you need is something that will turn and compress the rear caliper piston. You can rent it for free from most auto parts stores.

Damn someone is getting $500 to change rear pads on those! That's insane. I've done rear pads on a MkV and it's pretty easy. I have a socket I modified for compressing and rotating the piston but the tool from the store works too.

docwyte wrote: The only special tool you need is something that will turn and compress the rear caliper piston. You can rent it for free from most auto parts stores.

If it doesn't have electric parking brake, anyway.

bluesideup wrote: Damn someone is getting $500 to change rear pads on those! That's insane. I've done rear pads on a MkV and it's pretty easy. I have a socket I modified for compressing and rotating the piston but the tool from the store works too.

Yup - one tire store quoted me $503 to change the rear brake pads and the unnecessary brake fluid flush. I'm getting Akebono Euro pads from nearby Advance and hopefully they'll have the brake caliper tool that I'll need to change the pads.

Knurled wrote:

docwyte wrote: The only special tool you need is something that will turn and compress the rear caliper piston. You can rent it for free from most auto parts stores.

If it doesn't have electric parking brake, anyway.

DING DING DING!

the kit shown in the MkVI vid. is pretty cheap at HF .. then you've got it for any future needs ....

any excuse to buy tools

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=brake+caliper+tool

Just changed the pads, luckily it still uses regular parking brake/non electric parking brake. I got Akebono Euro pads from Advance for less than $50 after online discount, picked them up at nearby Advance and borrowed the tool from Advance because free is better than cheap lol. Let's see if the inspection station comes up with new excuses to fail me.

got a question here .... how did the inspection station even know that the rear pads were worn-out ? does Va actually take the wheels off ?

wbjones wrote: got a question here .... how did the inspection station even know that the rear pads were worn-out ? does Va actually take the wheels off ?

They usually just eyeball the pads but in my case I was there to install new tires I got from TireRack so I guess they had better access to the brake pads. I thought since my car was there I might as well have the safety inspection done since it'd expire at the end of this month anyway. In reality the pad was probably had about between 1/4-1/3 of the pads left so it'd probably could've lasted another year. Oh well...

you were failed for pads that still had 25%+ of life ? wow