Upgrading the brakes on a GTI

[patroddy]

I'm looking at upgrading the brakes on my GTI so the obvious answer is G60 fronts, but what exactly would i need to complete the conversion.

Then what would be the best option to upgrade the rear brakes?

Thanks

Paddy

[CLAYTONJONES]

As far as i know all you need is the G60 Carriers and 280mm discs

[Dblock]

A caliper carrier from a g60 or the likes. Bigger disc done. Don't bother with the rear it will not help upgrading it the rear does very little.

[patroddy]

A caliper carrier from a g60 or the likes. Bigger disc done. Don't bother with the rear it will not help upgrading it the rear does very little.

this may be so but they'd then look silly in comparison

[Dblock]

Each to their own.

[lupogtiboy]

As DBlock says, its really not worth the hassle or expense of upgrading the rear brakes in an everyday environment. If you plan on racing it, then fine!

I'm running standard GTI calipers and pads on MK3 Golf GTi carriers with G60 discs on the front, massive improvement in both stopping power, fade and that the ABS doesn't cut in when you brake on a series of bumps!

[patroddy]

As DBlock says, its really not worth the hassle or expense of upgrading the rear brakes in an everyday environment. If you plan on racing it, then fine!

I'm running standard GTI calipers and pads on MK3 Golf GTi carriers with G60 discs on the front, massive improvement in both stopping power, fade and that the ABS doesn't cut in when you brake on a series of bumps!

thats what i want but i can't see the point in spending the money up front and not the back i like to do stuff properly

[Dblock]

If you want to do it. "Properly" why you cheaping out with the g60 kit. Get a proper big brake kit. Change the rears without real research is a brave move. See what happens if your rear brakes are too strong.

Get a matching big brake kit for the front and rear. Smaller and less pistons at the back though.

[patroddy]

if you have bigger brakes on there rear it means sideways i understand that but i know g60;s are the best brake to use as the car only has 125bhp so using g60s should easily allow them to stop far better than they do already if it was big power i would do a bigger brake set up, all i asked is what is the best upgrade for the rear.

[lupogtiboy]

You don't need the G60 calipers as Lupo Gti ones are pretty much the same, just the carriers and G60 discs

[Karl_Mac_]

So what braking advantage is gained by increasing the disc size but retaining the same caliper :/

[REDLooP]

Its because of the large disk 280 v 256.

This allows more heat to be dissipated due to being a large surface area, plus their's more surface area for the pad to be in contact with the disc over one turn of the wheel.

Theirs not many options for the rear, have a look at the ibiza cupra r rear brakes, or go 5 stud, this brings lots of possibilities

[patroddy]

Its because of the large disk 280 v 256.

This allows more heat to be dissipated due to being a large surface area, plus their's more surface area for the pad to be in contact with the disc over one turn of the wheel.

Theirs not many options for the rear, have a look at the ibiza cupra r rear brakes, or go 5 stud, this brings lots of possibilities

id like to keep 4 stud obviously, id thought there would of been more with mk2s using it, could i not use a g60 rear seat up also?

[Dblock]

So what braking advantage is gained by increasing the disc size but retaining the same caliper :/

As said better cooling etc. Also better braking, its like using a lever. The bigger the disc the better the braking (to an extent).

Lastly I got cupra calipers for my car. A pads are much cheaper and there is a much much bigger range. I can even get ds2500 or yellowstuffs lol!

[Dblock]

id like to keep 4 stud obviously, id thought there would of been more with mk2s using it, could i not use a g60 rear seat up also?

Yes you can! the discs are smaller on a g60. Make of that what you will.

[rockey5uk2001]

I don't really understand why you are increasing the brakes?

I mean unless you are increasing the power?

Beacuse if you phone the insurance company and tell them you have bigger brakes its likely to increase your premium (not all companys)

If you dont tell them you breach the conditions of your policy making it void, and if you hit another car it causes a whole world of ****, for you and the other car, i have been in the "other car position myself"

Luckily my insurance treated it as an uninsured driver & so did the police.....

In the words of Dblock make of it what you will....

[lupogtiboy]

G60 rear discs are 239mm x 10mm

Lupo Gti rear discs are 232mm x 9mm

I can't see the point of all the messing around on the rear. On the front it was an easy job, and seeing as about 75% of braking is from the front, upgrading them makes sense.

[Karl_Mac_]

I'm calling **** on bigger discs. If the pad size is the same (because the caliper is) then you don't get any benefit.

The cooling benefit will be massively exceeded by the additional unsprung weight.

You'd have better braking performance uprating the pads and swapping to 5.1 fluid.

[REDLooP]

Well having a bigger discs gives your pad a larger circumference to clamp on to, in theory giving you the same advantage as having a bigger pad.

[Karl_Mac_]

Well having a bigger discs gives your pad a larger circumference to clamp on to, in theory giving you the same advantage as having a bigger pad.

How does it? The surface area of the pad isn't changed, so the area of friction hasn't changed. The extra disc your adding isn't being covered by the pad.

All your doing is adding extra weight.

[jon_273]

With G60 discs and carriers, the pad is further away from the point that the disc/wheel/hub rotates around, and therefore you get an increase in braking torque. Imagine having a longer handle on your trolley jack; it would take less effort to jack the car up.

The surface area of the disc is also increased, because although the distance across the face is the same (to match the pad), it's further away from the centre. Basically it's a bigger ring.

Also, some of the extra weight is offset by the fact that G60 discs are 22mm thick, whereas standard GTI discs are 25mm thick.

Now I had G60 discs and carriers with Ferodo DS2500 pads on my first GTI (they were on it when I bought it). My current one has good condition standard discs and Pagid pads. I don't find anything wrong with the standard brakes to be honest. The main benefit is they look better behind the wheels!

[Silver!]

I recently upgraded my front brakes to:

G60 Carriers

G60 Brembo discs

HEL S\S braided flexi hoses

Tarox Strada pads

MOTUL DOT5.1 fluid

The rears have yet to be done with (but we'll not go into that):

Brembo discs (standard size)

HEL S\S braided flexi hoses (where available)

Tarox Strada pads

I have just had my car on a 3,242 mile road trip, with very spirited driving, across France, the Pyranees, Spain and Andorra and the brakes were fantastic. Some really good roads with loads of hard downhill hairpin braking: a couple of others were boiling their brake fluid, but I got no fade at all. I was always happy with my standard brakes, but the upgrades really do make a big difference.

I wouldn't recommend the Tarox pads for use with any polished show wheels though as they really seem kill themselves for brakings sake.

[patroddy]

I'm just looking to make my car by the far the best it can be! I'm not doing it because I've got bigger power etc, id like to know that when i hit the pedal I've got the best braking i can possibly have hence why i want to upgrade what i can. and what pads would you recommend ray?

[Silver!]

I fitted Tarox Strada, but they really do create a load of dust. Great bite though.

Sure if you treat your wheels with a synthetic sealant, (I use Chemical Guys JetSeal 109 on the polished RWs) and regularly rinse them off all will be fine.

Not sure there is a straight forward disc upgrade for the rears.

PS my Brembo discs are OE replacement too, but oh so much difference.

[patroddy]

its an over winter job so ill probably pick your brains again as i get closer