Changing the Q7’s brake pads, rotors, brake fluid. Sequence, tools, parts.
After spending several hours perusing the forum’s threads here I finally found Total Technik’s YouTube videos which were excellent. From those I created my own sequence to follow along with a tools and parts list.
The rears were just tough. I had a floor jack and jack stands to work with. Even placing the air suspension in its highest setting and then jacking up from there still left me with not enough space underneath to do the rears easily. Finding the right geometry/contortions and combination of socket extenders to remove the caliper bolts was frustrating. Putting them back in and properly torquing them to 132ft-lbs was also swear inducing. Having it up on a lift would’ve simplified the rears greatly (I think). However after having struggled with the rears, the fronts were straightforward. A CTA Tools Master Cylinder Adapter (BMW/Audi) #7026 does not fit quite right. I’d dumped about 0.5L of new brake fluid on the driveway after pressurizing the CTA Tools pressure brake bleeder before realizing the adapter was leaking badly. I used the brake pedal method to flush instead. Audi Q7, Brakes & pads Rear Brakes (passenger then driver’s side)
Front Brakes (much easier after the rears)
from https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/i...Path=6446_6443
Tools Jack and jackstand Lug wrench Wheel stud pin Torque wrench, 1/2”, at least 200ft-lbs Torque wrench, 3/8” Breaker bar, 1/2” 1/2” socket extensions 13mm socket for front brake pad retaining pin 21mm socket for front caliper bolts M16 spline/triple square bit for rear caliper bolts 6mm hex head Allen wrench for brake line bracket~6mm punch T50 Torx bit 11mm brake bleeder wrench (flare nut) Brake bleed bottle(s), e.g. CTA-7786 Zip strips or caliper hangers, e.g. KIT-5470KT at FCPEuro Flat blade screwdriver for sensors/pads Wire brush Brake cleaner, 2+ cans if removing the Zimmerman rotors’ dry coating rather than ones with grease silicone brake or copper anti-seize grease for the caliper sliding surfaces and back of pad PB Blaster or other penetrating oil - maybe. I didn’t need it on mine.Tip: breaking loose the caliper bolts - use penetrating oil and if they don’t give way, try to tighten first, then loosen. Parts (Zimmerman rotors and Pagid pads are OEM)
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Not being a mechanic. I ordered rotors and pads for the fronts. They were exceptionally easy to change. I then ordered the rears and pads. When they arrived I found out the bolts were so tight I could not get them off. I took it to a guy who has a well stocked back yard garage with a couple hoists. He tried but in the end tapped out. He said he worried about snapping the bolts and then parts become an issue. Nearest Audi dealer is 60 miles out. I then took it to a euro shop. They got them out without snapping them. He said it was a bit of a fight though. I now have all new brakes and all new tires too.
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FYI: The rear bolt necessary to remove the caliper/rotor for rotor replacement is the #1 difficulty with changing rotors out on this car; only had a midsized breaker bar to go over the driver handle...under 3 ft long/meter, and then it took two of us in tandem to break those rear bolts loose, while car was up on a lift, having sprayed with PB Blaster, etc. Probably easier if we'd had a longer breaker bar to use. Other than that bit, it's not a terribly difficult job overall. Definitely watch some video if you plan to flush the brake fluid as a DIY project, or have never done brakes prior. FCP Euro also has a video series for DIY brakes servicing.
If you have Ross-Tech VCDS, it can retract the brake pistons into the caliper to allow for easy, full-depth pads insertion, etc. There are also VCDS options that will cycle the ABS pump, and specifically for brake fluid 'flushing'...if you really want to be thorough about it. Otherwise, old fluid still remains inside the ABS system, etc. Definitely do the research, and be sure you have ALL the parts you will need, as most 'brake kits are the rotors/pads only, although there are some 'assembled kits' with additional parts/fluids included, but still, generally not all you will require. To do it correctly you also need new brake hardware (the metal pad return springs and sliders, which allow brake pads to retract slightly from rotor face and work smoothly), brake grease (to allow the pads to slide on their guide pins/surfaces/reducing noise & wear), the rotor locating bolts that secure rotor to hub, new pad wear sensors (diff sized wire harness on front and rear wheels), and don't forget to think about if you need new set of brake shoes for the parking brake too (parking brakes are located inside of the rear rotors drum). If your park brake pedal bottoms out in the floor, perhaps it's time for a new set. Also on the list is adjusting the rear brake shoes to allow the parking brake to function correctly/correct travel in pedal, and how to use the manual adjuster portal in the rear rotors, etc, prior to remounting the wheels. I list all these bits, as I personally didn't know I really needed other parts until I did the job myself and found out my 'brake kit' was lacking the hardware kit, the inexpensive rotor locating bolts, etc., and so I was forced to clean off significant corrosion and reuse old bits that I would have ordered had I but known they were necessary to do the job correctly, but were 'not included' with the brake kit I bought. All my hardware was fairly corroded, as were the retaining bolts on rotors, and the wheel lug bolts, etc., etc. When I did the next car, I had everything on hand and was ready to get after it; no time wasted. |
“If you have Ross-Tech VCDS, it can retract the brake pistons into the caliper to allow for easy, full-depth pads insertion, etc.”
Not on a 4L Q7 ( Mk 1). This can only be done on Audis with electric parking brake. Great detailed writeup Jayhawk. Have done the job on previous 2011 Q7. Coming up on it on current 2015. Not looking forward to those rear caliper bracket bolts. |
Thanks for the post 2 questions about the bleeding.
1. Did you use the 2 person brake system and if so, is that the 10-11 per bleeder or per corner (outer and inner stems)? 2. I wanted to use the vacuum method, but was sucking a lot of air from the bleeders stems. I know we can use silicone grease/paste (non petroleum) trick to grease the bleeder thread to keep air from coming in, does anyone know if ATE Plastilube Lubricant is safe for this (since it comes in the kits)? |
When I last flushed my brake fluid on the Q7, I want to say that the first wheel, outer stem, was probably around 20-30 pumps in order to drain the reservoir (add new fluid before it is fully empty)and begin drawing new fluid through the drain hose, then the inner stem was quick 3-4 pumps, in order to clear any trapped old fluid or air there. The rest of the wheels were much faster, about ten pumps on outer and 3-4 on the inner. I don't recall total fluid use in terms of adding new... probably about 1.5L?
While I have a vacuum pump, I find the fastest and most reliable method is a one-man show: Take a liter/quart jar, add just enough fluid in the bottom to cover the end of the clear tube connected to the bleeder.... Open the bleeder, get in the cabin and pump the brakes fifteen times. Check the reservoir, add fluid if needed, repeat (on the first wheel), check the hose for fluid color (should be clear) and continue until it is clear. Close the stem, move to inner, 3-4 pumps, check for clear fluid, etc. Works great and is SO FAST compared to either the two man open/close pump/hold method or using a MityVac (or similar). If I need to seal up the drain hose on the stem, I use SilGlyde (silicon). |
My bleed technique was similar to Wes’s. I discovered that it’s simple, reliable, and even 10 pumps (to the floor) of the brake pedal did not empty the reservoir.
The pressurized system I bought to do the job will probably go in the trash now having filled it with fluid, found that it didn’t create a good seal with the reservoir, and can’t return it. |
I use a Motive pressure bleeder but I use it dry. Refilling the reservoir after each wheel. I used to use it with fluid in it but once I had a hose split and make a mess in the frunk of a Porsche. Lesson learned :-).
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Thanks for this write up!
First time changing brakes on my wife’s q7 (I’ve done a LOT of brakes over the years, but never on an audi). Going to do the Fronts first - have pads and rotors in the cart at FCP. Also have the wear sensors (you replace these every time?). You also list the hardware kit and caliper bolts. Do I need to replace the hardware kit? (I assume the pads come with new slides and springs, so this is something different?) Just curious - I don’t think I’ve ever replaced a hardware kit before. Also, my typical is to leave one pad in the caliper, and push the piston back in with a c-clamp. (Either with or without the bleeder screw open, as some will say don’t push old fluid back up the line). But you mention a screwdriver and ‘rewind’ the piston back in. Is it different from a ‘normal’ car in that it needs to be turned, or just pushed back in like most? (The old Saabs had a special tool to turn the parking brake back in when they put it on the front brakes… but I digress). I’ll have a look through the videos as well - thanks for compiling. |
Originally Posted by J. Patterson
(Post 25887130)
I use a Motive pressure bleeder but I use it dry. Refilling the reservoir after each wheel. I used to use it with fluid in it but once I had a hose split and make a mess in the frunk of a Porsche. Lesson learned :-).
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