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Autopapyrus · Volkswagen Golf (Mk6)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/volkswagen/golf/rear-brake-disc-and-pad-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Volkswagen Golf (Mk6): Rear Brake Disc and Pad Replacement

On the Golf Mk6, the rear brakes have an integrated parking brake. The caliper piston is threaded in rather than simply pushed back. Replace the discs and pads at the same time, because a worn disc needs new pads and the reverse is also true. The job can be done in a home garage if you have a special tool for rotating the piston.

Difficulty: Medium Time: 1.5-2 hours Steps: 15 Tools: jack, lug wrench, 13 mm socket or combination wrench, M12 XZN socket (12-point spline, "triple square"), Torx T30, torque wrench, caliper piston wind-back tool (cube or dedicated tool), copper grease, WD-40

Part

  • 🔩 Brake discs: VAG 1K0 615 601 AB or equivalent (253 mm, 10 mm thick). Brake pads: VAG 1K0 698 451 J or equivalent (ATE, TRW, Ferodo), set. Caliper mounting bolts and carrier bolts: new (stretch-type, must not be reused)
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 36 more. See manuals →

Step by step

15 steps
  1. Loosen the lug bolts, raise the rear of the vehicle with a jack, support it on jack stands, and remove the rear wheel.
  2. Remove the two caliper guide bolts (13 mm socket, tightening torque 35 N·m (26 lb-ft)). The caliper will hang by the brake hose. Hang the caliper from the suspension components with wire so the hose is not loaded.
  3. Remove the old pads from the caliper carrier. Clean the carrier with a wire brush and WD-40 to remove corrosion and dirt.
  4. Remove the brake disc retaining screw (Torx T30, tightening torque 4 N·m (3 lb-ft)). Remove the old disc. If it is stuck, tap it with a rubber mallet or heat the hub.
  5. Clean the hub mounting surface with a wire brush. Fit the new disc and tighten the screw (Torx T30) to 4 N·m (3 lb-ft).
  6. Retract the caliper piston. Important: on rear calipers with an integrated parking brake, the piston must be ROTATED clockwise while it is pushed in. Use a cube with slots or a dedicated piston wind-back tool. Rotate clockwise until the piston is fully retracted.
  7. Lubricate the caliper guide pins with high-temperature copper grease. Check that the guide pin boots are intact.
  8. Install the new pads in the caliper carrier. The outer pad goes on the carrier side, and the inner pad goes on the piston side.
  9. Install the caliper and tighten the guide bolts (13 mm socket) to 35 N·m (26 lb-ft).
  10. If you are replacing the caliper carrier (due to heavy corrosion or damage), remove the two bolts that secure the carrier to the steering knuckle (XZN M12, tightening torque 90 N·m (66 lb-ft)). Install the new carrier and tighten the new bolts to 90 N·m (66 lb-ft).
  11. Apply copper grease to the disc mounting surface (where the wheel sits) to prevent the wheel from seizing to the disc.
  12. Install the wheel and tighten the bolts in a crisscross pattern to 120 N·m (89 lb-ft).
  13. Repeat the procedure on the other rear wheel.
  14. Lower the vehicle and press the brake pedal firmly several times so the pads seat against the discs and the pistons take their working position. Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and top it up to the MAX mark if necessary.
  15. Bed in the brakes: for the first 200-300 km, avoid hard braking and brake gently so the pads wear in against the discs.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • Do not press the brake pedal while the caliper is removed. The piston will come out of its bore, and you will need to disassemble the caliper and bleed the system. Be sure to use a piston rotating tool. Trying to simply push the piston in will damage the parking brake mechanism. Always replace pads and discs in pairs on the same axle, even if the wear is uneven. Use new caliper and carrier bolts. The old ones are stretched and can work loose.
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