as title says whats best to do i,ve heard a golf master cylinder helps but how is this done? also what brakes would help me stop a little better as the standard set up can only be described as pooooo

without spending silly money I would say:

new dot 4 or better fluid

braided hoses all round

256mm calipers from 80s audi coupe etc...

new brembo discs

new decent pads, something like ferodo ds

refurb the rear drum assemblies replacing anything in there that looks worn out. Give everything not replaced a good clean and adjust them up nicely.

Bigger master cylinder might be worth trying. It raises the bite point of the brake pedal so there is less travel but means you have to press the pedal harder. Doesn't really make the brakes better as such, just depends how you like them to work. Personally, I prefer the feel of the bigger master cylinder.

so whats involved in fitting bigger callipers? is it just a case of swapping them over or is their more too it than that?

Bolt on upgrade, but you need 14" rims. Plus they are quite rare unless you use GM calipers.

what are rare? the callipers? can someone tell me exactally what i need for this upgrade please

i was thinking about this the other day; i assume standard CL steels wont fit on with the G40 setup but would GT steels fit over the top?

answers on a postcard

you need the 256mm calipers and carriers off certain 80s Audis. The 256mm golf parts wont fit. There used to be a thread in FAQ saying exactly which cars to look out for but it's seems long gone. I'm sure it'll be somewhere if you do a search.

Also, in more recent days people have started using some GM parts but I don't know which cars or ages you need to look for.

the 239mm vented G40 calipers will fit behind GT and non-GT steels just fine. If you have space issues then you can use non-g40 carriers with g40 calipers.

you need the 256mm calipers and carriers off certain 80s Audis. The 256mm golf parts wont fit. There used to be a thread in FAQ saying exactly which cars to look out for but it's seems long gone. I'm sure it'll be somewhere if you do a search.

Also, in more recent days people have started using some GM parts but I don't know which cars or ages you need to look for.

the 239mm vented G40 calipers will fit behind GT and non-GT steels just fine. If you have space issues then you can use non-g40 carriers with g40 calipers.

so witch audi is the certain ones?

I don't know off the top of my head. There are a few, pretty sure the late 1980's Audi 80 Coupe GT was one model that had them. It has definately been covered in at least one or two other threads so a bit of searching should dig up the relevant info.

This is the alternative way:-

Ok - this is what you need:-

golf 256mm discs / vauxhall astra gte 16v pads

a length of 12mm external metal pipe with 1mm thick walls to take the internal diameter 10mm (length currently unknown, but it will need trimmed)

banjo adapter

Go the the scrappy and find a set of calipers off a vauxhall cavalier 2.0 8v or 16v, carlton 2.0 or larger, astra gte 16v. the calipers will cost you about £20. these are loads bigger than the VWII calipers normally found on a G40 or early GTi. main differences - bolt is threaded M12 - VW is M10 - use the 12mm metal pipe to sleeve the original bolts up so they fit. Next Vauxhall use 22mm discs VW 256's are 20mm. keep an eye on your pad width. The vauxhall brake feed has a banjo type connection appose to the VW screw in - these will need adapted.

One of my mates is a motorcross racer. He told me this is the current setup he's running on his mk2 scirocco - same basic setup as a G40 so should be easily adaptable! - total cost inc your new discs and pads should be less than £100!

when you do the setup make sure you use super blue racing dot 4 brake fluid = the stuff makes a big difference indeed ! it copes with higher temp and give's less pedal travel.

kinda looking for as much as possible a bolt and go set up if i can i can tbe doing with boging things up