right, 99% done on fitting/tuning my AFH lump now, and as christmas is coming up and mum's pestering me for brake ideas i thought i'd stick some new brakes on as i don't think the 1p sized pads will cope too well with all this new found power

seen lots of posts aout VWII calipers, how do you go about fitting these to an early MK2, do i just need calipers and disks or will i need other bits as well?

any help would be great, or other possible brake conversions maybe (i will be fitting a master cylinder as soon as another GT turns up at the scrappies!)

edit: what about these?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vw-Golf-Gti-Mk2-16v-...=item414b378503

also, while i'm thinking about it, can i upgrade the master cylinder to a larger one before fitting a servo?
bigger brakes and small MC = nasty pedal travel!

what type of brakes does it have now? is it the square pad ones? They are very bad, later ones are better. You have 3 choices that aren't too expensive:

1) 239mm Solid: Upgrade to late mk2/all mk3 (except g40) VWI calipers and carriers. This setup has 239mm solid discs as before but better pads (more surface area). Apart from some new discs and pads this shouldn't cost you anything as they aren't worth alot
2) 239mm Vented: Upgrade to VWII calipers with either standard mk3 carriers or G40 carriers. (standard carriers give more wheel clearance). Expect to pay about £50 for a set of calipers. They are fitted to most 80-90s golfs and sciroccos and the polo G40.
3) 256mm Vented: Upgrade to Girling Calipers, which can be sourced from 16v mk2 golfs amongst other cars. (as per your link) You need a very specific carrier for them though. Golf ones won't fit. They have to be from a mid 80s audi 80 or 90. this shape one, not the later ones. Expect to pay £100 or more for the full setup.

I have option 2 on mine.

There aren't any replacement larger master cylinders for the mk2 but apparently the standard one copes suprisingly well even with the girling calipers.

any thoughts on the vauxhall setup with the astra mk2 16v calipers and golf disks?
is there an alternative to the audi 80 carriers?

option 2, are the calipers from the 8v golf GTi?
and the 16v is the girling?

just trying to get my head round which car i need to find for what parts

if i went with option 3, would it still fit under 14" wheels?

I think VWII calipers are fitted to all mk2 golfs bar the 16v, they are certainly fitted to 8v GTIs.

As far as I know the audi carriers are the only ones you can use. I've No idea about Vauxhall stuff.

excellent, thanks for the help

Moved to FAQ

By far the cheapest option is the Vauxhall 16v Callipers, as long as you can find the correct shoulder bolts and space the callipers a few mill

some info about vaux conversion, can someone who is a member on the caddy forum if its ok for us to the move the details here

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?na...pic&t=15014

so the vauxhall calipers are 256mm, the same diameter as the mk2 gti16v?
i was hoping to go with the bigger disks but finding the audi carriers was what put me off
off to the scrappy tomorrow so will see what they've got available but the GM sounds like the best option, bigger is better

research is golden

only 5 posts down in that thread



dependant on gm caliper you can run 256 and 280mm vw discs off a 16v mk2 or rado g60 and the like, respectively

wouldn't want to go any bigger than 256mm for now but good to know i've got the option of easily upgrading to something bigger in the future if i wanted to

went to the scrappy today and got some calipers off a vauxhall calibra (2l 16v) disks measure up to 256mm so hopefully they're the right ones
will start a thread after christmas (as they are technicaly a pressie from my mum, and she wants to wrap them up ) as a sort of "how to" on fitment

Have you made any progress on fitting these? I'm considering doing this conversion too.

When you got the calipers and carriers, did you get the mounting bolts as well? If so what length are the GM ones?

I know that M10x12 shoulder bolts are needed to mount the carriers, but I don't know what length without having a set of the original GM bolts to compare with. I'm looking at some calipers on ebay, but they don't come with any bolts.

hey sorry for letting this thread drop to the bottom of beyond

thinking i might sell the vauxhall setup now and go for the 239mm vented, finding a nice set of 14" wheels is proving way too hard, at least with the 239mm setup i can go with some 13's

never got round to fitting it as i haven't had the money for the hoses (£13 whole pounds) or the time to take the car off the road for however long it takes to get the brakes on and working

if i do end up fitting the 256mm setup i'll post up a load of pics and a bit of a write up, if not then the setup will be up for sale

why not read about 5 posts up in this thread, there is a full archived thread on the vw mk1 owners club which has all the information you require.

got round to fitting the brakes today, 90% done now, bit of a guide in the tech section

Couple of nuggest of info regarding 256mm brakes, for hefty braking and clearance for 14"+ wheels.

will NOT clear 13s unless running motorsport-esque wheels (wellers.compos.some 3 pieces splits)

256mm conversion using oem parts

MK1 bolt spacing 256mm carrier: 853 615 125
84-92 Scirocco
85-88 Passat/Santana
83-87 Audi 80/90/Avant/quattro
81-88 Audi Coupe/quattro

256mm conversion using GM parts - all credt goes to manicGTI from the vw mk1 golf owners club and redbaron from the caddy forum

part 1

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?na...pic&t=15014

part 2

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?na...pic&t=17294

Shopping list for the conversion:

VW:
-Mk2 Golf 16V 256mm Vented Discs (Same as Passat etc)

GM:
-90s 16V Spec Calipers and Carriers (with slider bolts etc)
-Matching Pads.
-Matching Vauxhall Front Brake Flexis (Bolt to Caliper with M10x1.25 Banjo Bolts/Copper Washers)

Other:
-Brake Fluid (ho hum!).
-Bolts:
EITHER: Extended M10 Bolts (carriers are thicker) with 12/10mm sleeve, easily made from mild steel tube from B&Q
OR: M12x25 Shoulder Bolts (High tensile, 12.9 spec)

brake set up came on Mk2 Astra 16V, Mk3 Cavalier 16V, Calibra 16V, and possibly mk3 Astra (?). Absolutly tons of them around and shouldn't cost more than ?30-40.

Can anyone tell me if they have had any trouble fitting the larger servo into their polo, or can you use the standard servo and just the mk2 16v master cylinder? any help on this would be highly appreciated as I'm looking to do this Vauxhall conversion very soon.

What is this, a carrier for the girling 54s with a bolt spacing suitable to fit the leg of a polo?

its a 3 piece boneless meal mate

edit: yes as this is a polo site, the information is factually correct, for the topic in hand, which going by the title, is brake upgrades for a mk1/2 (and although not stated - a mk3)

thank you and goodnight

Brilliant, thanks a lot. But where might I find one? I can only seem to locate ones for 280mm brakes, and thats from the caddy site.

Thanks for your help. This may seem simple to you, but the last thing I want is a faulty brake set up, and have them falling off when I'm trundling along! And I' wasn't debating whether its factual or not

the usual places, forums, breakers, ebay.

I'm also going to go with option 2 i have got some calipers coming what else will i need for this. also what model car do i need to look for when i come to buy new discs pad ect cheers

Mk4 polo VW type 2 calipers are they not the same as the vented mk2 golf option?
I managed to get a set of mk4 polo vw type 2's but after reading up not sure they can be used with the vented disks!
Anyone shead any light on this as i didnt notice mk4 polo brakes mentioned above


Cheers

VWII calipers can be used with either vented or solid discs, the pads are thicker on the solid discs setup. I imagine they are the same, VWII calipers on the mk3 golf are the same, and the mk4 polo's based on that.

Excellent thanks very much gaz

Off to order vented disks and the thinner pads then! i presume its the same as fitting a golf setup then and jus ignore the golf bit?

So can you use the vw11 calipers with vw1 pads and disks?

I know you wont gain anything but just curious.

I don't see why not, you just won't get full travel of the piston.

just looking through this, you dont need to run vauxhall calipers if you want 256, you could simply just buy a pair of mk1 golf caliper adaptor brackets http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-MK1-G...=item1e6c47332c

as the mk1 golf share the same mounting dimensions as polo's do, and you could have a choice then weater to run 256mm's or even run g60 brakes up front (which means the fitting of 15" wheels smallest), along with a 16v mk2 master cylinder...

it works out cheaper than using audi 80 items, and probably the cost/hassle of running vauxhall items

cost me 100 quid in all thats with new pads, disk's, calipers, carriers, bolts and lines with fluid etc .. These were all quility parts too ... so Not much i think , cost me 30 quid for the calipers with carriers ..

I think this was actually standard fitment on some MK2 Golfs, as i've seen quite a few. It seems a bit of a coincidence otherwise, unless downgrading to solid discs was a popular budget move (or rip off measure by garages) when having new discs fitted... Dunno why they'd be like that from factory, just so they're vented disc ready, maybe.

So what type 2 calipers CANT be used... I've got a mk3 golf type 2 and a mk4 6n type 2 and neither fit the thread in the caliper is WAY too course.

the 1.6 and 1.8 golfs/jettas were like this, they come with 239x12mm solid discs (where as vwI calipers run 239x10mm) with vwII calipers, all you need to do is change the discs to vented and pads of course. stupid really..

I thought the thread is in the hub?

I think he's having a problem with his nipples.

With the fitting for the brake line, the bleed nipple isent a issue.

I now know that 6n flexi lines fit the mk3 solid lines thanks to MiniMayhem so used them.

Anyone any pics of how the calipers sit on the carriers? mine JUST sit on the carrier on the top (where it hooks under the carrier)