Mk5 Front Brakes

[CLCC]

Just had my garage tell me im going to need new discs and pads on the front in the not too distant future, but I have a couple of questions. They have just replaced the rear discs and pads for me.

Firstly, on my Mk4 Mondeo (Titanium X 2.0l petrol), I had internally ventilated discs both front and back, but my Mk5 (Tit X 2.0l (180) Diesel) only seems to take solid discs on the rear. Does anyone else find that to be a step in the wrong direction? Or has my research failed me and you can get ventillated discs for the rear?

Secondly, should an enthusiastic amateur such as myself consider changing the front pads and discs myself, or is it better left to the professionals? 

Thanks 

[Dee_82]

With the amount of heat being generated on the rears under load, its pointless having them vented, if you had something a little more beefed up or you hit the track every now and then, then it would be useful.  but your probably looking at around a 65/35% split, give or take 5%, weight of the car, plus the speeds your doing on a road, I seriously doubt you would heat up the rears enough on the road to overheat solid discs. 

[pragmatix]

My Mk4 had solid disc on the rear, maybe yours was an aftermarket fit, as Dee say no point in them unless your on the track.

[CLCC]

Maybe I just imagined that I had ventilated rear discs! 

[isetta]

"Secondly, should an enthusiastic amateur such as myself consider changing the front pads and discs myself, or is it better left to the professionals? "

In my opinion it is an easy job.  But the consequences of getting it wrong can be serious.

Trouble is no on reading this knows your abilities or your common sense so it is difficult for anyone to say.  Also does it need doing-

when my car had 22k miles on it the Ford dealer told me the pads urgently needed doing. I checked pads, loads on them. Car now over 39k miles and the pads are still fine. 

Also loads of people I know have been told they need new discs when there is really nothing wrong with them other than a slight lip on the edge and perhaps a 3mm band of rust round the edge. some garages just scare people into replacing brake stuff because of the safety implications.    Of course yours might need doing but I would not assume it just because a garage tells you.

 

[Dee_82]

aye, this is true, the actual surface of the disc needs to be certain min thickness but its unlikely to be problem, I take a pry bar to the discs and take that rust band off that builds up, if you dont it can just end up fowling on the calliper anyway.

Brakes are a doddle provided you know what to do and B, your bleed nipples dont snap 😄

to be honest though, if in any doubt at all, dont take the risk. or perhaps in other words, if you cant torque up the calliper bolts correctly, time to hand it to a garage, who probably wont torque them up either but at least if they fail you can blame them 🙂

 

 

[Irvinh]

Changing the fronts is a doddle, but I always buy new calliper carrier bolts, two per corner, as they can be difficult to re-use after removing them. DIY at home means jacking up each side in turn, or two trolley jacks at once. You need to put the steering on full lock, both ways, to access the calliper bolts. The rear brakes have the handbrake attached to the calliper, I leave them to the my local garage. My handbrake is electrically operated and release.

[unofix]

Just as well you've been able to help @CLCC out with that info 👍, he's only been waiting since August 2018.