Brake pad retaining spring

They're just anti-rattle springs. The brakes will still work OK without it. Mike.

As I thought, but didn't want to take a chance - car is currently up for sale, but I know it needs pads, so I've got it booked in to have them done.

However, knowing it's just an anti-rattle spring, it means I can still do test drives if anyone wants to come and see it.

There is a possibility that if the pad is particularly loose without the spring, it might vibrate and make a noise. Preventing that is one of the springs functions. Mike.

Aye, not a big deal. I'll be honest with anyone who comes to see it - it's better for most people that I pay to have them done rather than say 'I'll give you 50 quid off 'cos the pads need doing'.

IMHO, anyway.

I always replace them at the same time as the pads.

Just an anti-rattle/squeal device.

I think you can probably get these sort of thing fairly cheaply as a kit from Halfords (or of course the VW dealer) - should only take a few minutes to fit, and then no strange noises to explainaway to a customer.

Nice and easy, if the remains of the spring weren't in their hole in the caliper.

Bloody stupid design. Seems to be some kind of electrolytic corrosion going on in there.

Can't really just whack another in as the brakes are starting to scrape a tad due to the main VW dealer locally being a tightwad and fitting pads without wear sensors last time round.

(I didn't take it there, the previous owner did, I wouldn't trust a VAG dealer as far as I could throw 'em)

Surely then you've had a warning light on?

We're talking VAG dealers here. No bodge known to man would be a surprise.

The sensor relies on the brake disc completing the circuit across the contacts in the sensor. Not on being an open circuit or it'd be on all the time not just when the brakes are applied and have worn down too far.

Chris

I think that's probably the way these are done.

Whatever it is, I seem to have the 'acoustic' indicators on the pads currently fitted.

All the types I've seen have a self test loop of some sort as well. So omitting a sensor causes the light to come on too. Of course you could bridge the circuit or simply tape a good sensor 'up out of the way' but I can't see a garage going to that trouble.

The ones I've come across (Austin/Ford/Alfa/Nissan) have just been a single wire embedded in the pad, that just shorts to the disc when the pad wears down. The ones on the Saab are simpler still. There's no electrics at-all, just a bit of bent metal that scrapes on the disc and makes a graunching noise. I think Saab call them "acoustic wear indicators"!

Cheers,

Colin.

Yes - but I'm willing to bet the plug has two connections to give this loop through test. Certainly the case on the last two Rovers I've had - SD1 and P6. 'New' BMWs (and many other German cars) use a plastic covered sensor which isn't part of the pad - it just clips into a groove. But that is the same - it is a loop which will trigger the warning light when the plastic wears through and earths the sensor *and* if either not plugged in or the loop broken.

SAAB like to be different. ;-)

My Toyota Celica uses the same system, and TBH I don't think it's a bad idea. At least in theory there is nothing to go wrong. Mike.