Doing the pads on a mates mk4 (51 plate) Golf and just wondering if I needed a special tool to wind in the handbrake spiral on the rear calipers ??
Done a few but never a Golf and always managed to “get by” with a set of molegrips and/or a large screwdriver ..

Any info much appreciated 8)

Yes, you need a wind back tool for the piston.
You can try to do it by applying force to the piston while you screw it back in but it’s a pain in the arse to do it like that, in fact I’ve never managed it that way despite trying loads of times!

golfs are notoriously stiff

even with the tool it was a chode on my mk4

can get the tool for 20 quid in halfords

Make sure the wiper seal round the piston is intact when you finish esp if you bodge it as once this seal goes its a matter of time before your looking at siezed calipers.

The windback tools, turn a 3+ hour swearing fest and fight into quite literally a 2 minute job.
I did one side of my van the hard way, because I had no choice (Mole grips, g-clamps, prybars and huge amounts of skin loss and swearing)

Then went out and brought the tool the next day.
I have never regretted it 😀

The rears on golfs need to be wound back with the right tool as it spins the piston on the internal hand brake mechanism. If it is pushed straight back in it can brake the mechanism and then you have to replace the calliper. The fronts can be pushed straight back in though, but I use the tool on all of them as it makes it quick & easy.

Make sure the wiper seal round the piston is intact when you finish esp if you bodge it as once this seal goes its a matter of time before your looking at siezed calipers.

I’ve found this on every set of VW or Vauxhall rear pads I’ve done. The dust cover is almost always held solid by the corrosion on the piston. What I’ve found to work is to lift the seal away from the piston in a couple of places and give a tiny squirt of GT85 into the groove that the seal sits in.
Once the piston starts turning it will turn quite freely without tearing the cover.

HALFRAUDS do it again !!
Update – windback tool sourced for £23 – Halfrauds wanted £32 for the exact same item !!
Job done so thanks for the advice.
Thanks for dustseal tip NMRname – worked a treat