Thread: Octavia front brake judder

Help!
I am new to the forum - so hopefully this is a well known problem and a fix is available.
After 85,000 happy miles in my 1998 Octavia SLx TDi Estate my local dealer advised me that the front discs needed replacing as they were pitted on the side shielded by the dust cover. After a couple of thousand miles the new brakes developed a judder. I replaced the discs and the problem went away - for about a thousand miles only! I replaced the discs again about a thousand miles ago - but you guessed it - they appear to be warping again. Has anybody else experienced this problem and how was it fixed?

Originally Posted by Nodrog

Help!
I am new to the forum - so hopefully this is a well known problem and a fix is available.
After 85,000 happy miles in my 1998 Octavia SLx TDi Estate my local dealer advised me that the front discs needed replacing as they were pitted on the side shielded by the dust cover. After a couple of thousand miles the new brakes developed a judder. I replaced the discs and the problem went away - for about a thousand miles only! I replaced the discs again about a thousand miles ago - but you guessed it - they appear to be warping again. Has anybody else experienced this problem and how was it fixed?

Hi Nodrog...hope I'm not too late with this but I've only just joined the forum. Firstly when fitting new discs the mating surfaces between disc and hub MUST be scrupulously clean - even a speck of dirt or rust can cause the disc to run out of true. Oh, and don't apply grease either, this is bad practise and can exacerbate the problem you describe. Secondly always fit new good quality pads with new discs, even if the old ones look ok, otherwise the brakes will never bed-in properly. Finally, bed the new components in by braking gently for at least 200-300 miles to avoid excessive heat build-up which could warp the discs - and don't hold your foot on the brake after using them (causing localised overheating where the hot pads are clamping the discs). Remember, gently gently, allowing the components to cool naturally and avoiding floodwater when brakes are hot. Hope all this is helpful and not too obvious...good luck Nodrog - let me know how it goes. Big Kev.

Originally Posted by Big Kev

Hi Nodrog...hope I'm not too late with this but I've only just joined the forum. Firstly when fitting new discs the mating surfaces between disc and hub MUST be scrupulously clean - even a speck of dirt or rust can cause the disc to run out of true. Oh, and don't apply grease either, this is bad practise and can exacerbate the problem you describe. Secondly always fit new good quality pads with new discs, even if the old ones look ok, otherwise the brakes will never bed-in properly. Finally, bed the new components in by braking gently for at least 200-300 miles to avoid excessive heat build-up which could warp the discs - and don't hold your foot on the brake after using them (causing localised overheating where the hot pads are clamping the discs). Remember, gently gently, allowing the components to cool naturally and avoiding floodwater when brakes are hot. Hope all this is helpful and not too obvious...good luck Nodrog - let me know how it goes. Big Kev.

Hi Big Kev, Thanks for the advice - but I doubt that run-out due to a badly seated discs is the reason. On each occassion replacing the discs has totally cured the problem but only for about 1000 miles. However, I do not know if the pads were changed as well as the original set showed no sign of wear at 85k miles and perhaps both the garages that have worked on the problem may have been tempted to re-use the old pads. I will investigate further. I always brake gently - which explains why there was little wear in discs or pads after 7 years and 85k miles of driving. I will keep you informed of progress!
Nodrog

I had this problem several years ago with an astra. nw discs supplied by a vauxhall dealer were causing the problem. I went elsewhere for new discs and it cured the problem. regards. neil.