Golf GTI MkII 8v rear callipers

[rjk555rjk]

Hi,

Help needed, please! Have a MkII 8v that's failed its MOT because of a dodgy rear handbrake. Apparently it needs a new nearside calliper, as the handbrake mechanism that's built in is shot.

But can I find the correct calliper anywhere?!

Brought one that was assured to be correct, only to find it won't fit. Has anyone else had this problem, and can anyone help? Can buy a new one from VAG, but that's £110 + VAT - huge hill of money I don't have. Second-hand it is, or pattern part, if only I could find one.

Help appreciated!

Thanks,
Richard.

[mervynp]

www.gsfcarparts.com/ have them listed at £49.50 a side for both pre and post '88 cars, although they will probably not be OEM. Otherwise try www.vagparts.com.

[rjk555rjk]

That's great! Many thanks mate.

Richard.

[lotisi]

If you can't get the correct caliper let me know. I can fix yours for you, I used to recondition them for an independant VW speciallists.

[save ferris]

Had the same happen to mine a few years back, I think its a fairly well known problem.

[speedtwelve]

IIRC Mk3 GTI rear calipers will fit, but they have to go on upside-down as the handbrake cable attachment lever is reversed compared to the Mk2 unit. You'll need a N/S/R Mk3 caliper to replace an O/S/R Mk2 caliper etc. I'm pretty sure I did this to my Mk2, someone correct me if I'm wrong!

[lotisi]

You could do this but you would have to take the caliper off to bleed the rear brakes as the bleed nipple would be at the bottom, not a problem as such , sounds feasable.

[zcacogp]

You can probably make it work much better yourself in about 10 minutes, with nothing more than some waterproof grease and some fine sandpaper.

Take the caliper off the car, and disconnect the handbrake cable. Then take the return spring off it (look closely at it so you can remember how it goes back on), and lever the bit it connects to (the moving part) out away from the body of the caliper. It sound co me out by 1cm or so. With me so far?

Then cut a strip of fine sandpaper and use it to clean up the shaft of the bit you just levered out. Get all the crud off it. Then slather it in waterproof grease, push it back in and reassemble.

OK, it'll take more than 10 minutes, but not more than 40. I used to do this with both the rear calipers on my Mk2 8v before MOT time each year. It made the handbrake work noticably better (which was the problem.) Admittedly it pretty much seized up over the coming 12 months, but that was OK - you got used to driving not using one.


Oli.

[20vturbo]

i had the same prob with my mk2,there are 2 type of calliper for the mk2,i got myen from euro car parts and it was about 50 to 60 pound.took 20mins to fit and bleed.you can spend time fixing it but for peace of mind i would change it.any Q,s ask me