1.2 TSI Front Brakes and Suspension Queries

[aero-spaced-out]

Hello all,

I've let a bit of work I need to do on my 2014 1.2TSI go on just a bit too long without being done.

Need to replace my front discs, pads, calipers, front shocks, control arms (because I'm not prepared to try to push out a bushing and reinstall it).
Possibly need to do my front springs as I have known that my front shock has been damaged for too long and the spring has been baring the brunt of the force.

Made a blunder and ordered the wrong size discs, only to realise that AFTER I'd taken everything off the front drivers side. Couldn't even reinstall them as the bleed nipple on the caliper is just mangled and the 11mm is just wearing it away. So the car is now sat idle until it's fixed.
Heads up, I'll be sticking to PAGID for the brake stuff.
The suspension shocks will be SACHS and the control arms I'm looking at either Starline or TRW.
This is just personal preference, nothing more.

Front Brakes
Pretty much all of it needs done. Discs, pads and calipers.
I have done my rear before but never the front...
So itll be 288mm discs with calipers and pads to match. (Initially ordered 256mm before realising that they were the 288mm on the 1.2TSI, hard lesson learned there on lack of doing my due diligence)
Couple of things I have noticed…
The front pads have a wear indicator wire? Never noticed it when I was disassembling them. All pads for 288mm seem to be fitted with this wire into the pad, am I just to remove this or cut this off the pad for this model?
The front right caliper on the eurocarparts website DOES NOT look anything like the caliper I took off the car and it's left me in a bit of a situation where I don't have time to go look at the parts, I just have to order and hope it's right.

Suspension:
Leaking front passenger shock and console bushings are almost worn right through.
My biggest concern here is if I need to lift my engine to get access to one of the control arm bolt? If so does anybody have any recommendations on how I can do it safely without an engine hoist?
I'll be replacing both shocks and control arms but was hesitant on reusing the fittings. Had a few folk tell me that it'll be fine but I'm not one to leave it to chance of it just "being fine", especially after reading that these fittings are torque to yield. Any idea of fittings part numbers so I can get them ordered?

Torque Set Points
After seeing variation in the torque settings in different walkthroughs, I'm looking for the actual torque set points for the fixings.
Caliper bolts, guide pins, shock retaining nut, sway bar nut, ball joint fixings and other control arm fixings...
If there is any documentation out there for this I'd appreciate it!
Bit of a long and somewhat technical sided question but just looking for the correct information to keep myself right and safe.

[amer6R]

buy a brand new nipple
Spray the area with wd, let is sit
Heat it up with a blow torch, even a heat gun will work.
While its hot spray it again with wd-40 or some similar product.

Use locking pliers, and lock the on to the nipple and unbolt.
If its at some point feels stiff, screw it a bit in, than again proceed to screw it out.

Thats how i did mine.

[2226]

You can cut off the wear indicator wire from the pad.
A loud metal-on-metal screaming noise is much more effective than a little "ding" noise from a warning buzzer. j/k

Don't think you need to lift the engine to access the control arm bolts. I'd suggest new bolts though. I also need to get round to doing the bushings on my control arms; just don't have the tool$ at the moment.

I'll look through documents later today and see if I have stuff for suspension work. Should have the required torque figures.

[RUM4MO]

If you had access to the official VW Group parts listing, you would see that there is a comment along side the front brake pads, which indicates that you just chop off the wear sensor wiring.

I spent quite a long time trying to find new front pads that did not have a wear sensor - and failed, I thought that they would be cheaper, but it seems like no one including VW Group offer that option on the aftersales parts.

Just a personal choice - I chose Jurid as the original pads were rebranded Jurid, then found someone selling genuine VW Group front pads - okay a previous version so old stock, but the same as fitted to my wife's 2015 Polo at the factory, I'd guess that the newer versions will have lower copper content in the friction material as that seems to be the way things are moving to reduce environmental impact! The NOS VW Group pads kit that I bought were also Jurid items.

Buying new callipers in UK - if buying Pagid remanufactured ones, and it seems that can be a bit risky due to possible lower quality of remanufactured parts, always check Halfords prices, in fact always do that for Pagid discs and pads as well. Halfords use ECP to supply their Pagid parts on demand, which makes sense as ECP are the sole official importer of Pagid aftermarket parts in UK. For callipers I found the price difference to be staggering, plus Halfords are not interested in taking the old callipers back in - and so that makes them even cheaper for some crazy reason.

Bigg Red, can supply you with a calliper repair kit for very little money and deliver it to you very quickly.

Edit:- I think that the need to lift the engine was only for certain other engines and maybe also with auto trans, I originally also did have that worry, but for me it seems it will be okay - for me, time will tell - very soon.

Another Edit:- front callipers should be ATE/Teves FN3-54 which means 54mm pistons VW Group PR 1LN or 1ZC

[RUM4MO]

If you plan to keep this car, why not just buy a copy of the official workshop manual from somewhere, like easymanuals.co.uk - it tends to get sent out over the internet, mine has been very useful for torques etc, include "can be reused" - "replace" in respect to fixings.

On that subject, I've run a 2011 Audi S4 for 13 years, it needed new engine mountings - a known weakness, as the engine needed supporting and the lower frame lowering, then 4 wheel re-alignment, I left that job to a local VW Group Indie - I only supplied them with the new mountings, support brackets and bolts as there was a parts shortage issue at Audi, they did not replace any other bolts and most of them are torque to yield, so I still have that part of the job to do, and so over £70 worth of new fixings are waiting in the boot for me to swop them over!

Edit:- getting a copy of CAR DATA for your car will help you making any errors when buying in new parts, you can request that at any VW dealership and probably get it FOC, or order it up online from places like CCP (Facebook) or their website Coverdale Car Parts coverdalecarparts.co.uk for very little money.

[amer6R]

https://www.kolhosniki.ru/elsaonline

there you can find free manual, with torque specs