Got my brake upgrade done today

Crappy 256mm discs:

280mm Black Diamond Combi bad boys on with Predator pads:

Excuse the mismatch in colour between the carriers and calipers. I have G60 calipers to be fitted by the garage when it goes in for it's MOT (we didn't have the tools to disconnect the weird connector thing on the brake hose)

Behind the wheel shots:

Here is one of my old pads from the drivers side. The pad had actually sheared off from its attachment. This may be one explanation for the dodgy noises the brakes were making:

However there was no uneven wear on the disc. The same couldn't be said for the passenger side one. Maybe not 100% obvious in the picture but there was a lot of uneven wear on this one:

Gave them a test run and they don't feel to much different. Hopefully they will begin to improve once they have bedded in. They certainly look a lot better anyway

how much room is there between the wheel and caliper?

I'm gradually aquiring the bits to do this convertion, and was worried i may need spacers with the G60 calipers...

I've got lensos on and the caliper seems really close to the wheel. and I've only got 239mm discs...

lookin good mouse!

u notice the difference?

my setup up bites nice and firm :)

bob_drinks_beer what is the et on the wheels you have i am running et 35 and they clear if this is any help

what do u need to do this ? i could do with upgrading mine due to weight :(

15inch wheels for a kick off mate and u are running 14's aint you?

there is a guide in the brakes FAQ

Christian

look sweet dude, really need to get round to this swap myself one day, does your abs still work with them?

bah i'll stick with the popor braking then :p

does your abs still work with them?

Interested in this reply myself!

mine has a fault at the mo anyway so dont know!

I'll need to run them in until I noticed a difference. I also need to change the discs round as I got them muddled up lol

yeh but does the ABS still work?

bah i'll stick with the popor braking then :p

or you could upgrade to valver breaks and get what i got brembo disc and ebc pads

i think i should have valver breaks on a 1.6 glx ?

bah i'll stick with the popor braking then :p

or you could upgrade to valver breaks and get what i got brembo disc and ebc pads

you have to change the hubs and that to upgrade bit of a hassle really

i think i should have valver breaks on a 1.6 glx ?

hmmm not sure on that thin they may still be only 239mm ones

there not 239 i know that as gsf had it up on screen whewn i was getting a price for new ones there vented

Looking good mouse. Did you find the standard brakes inadequate then?

Your passenger disc looks just like both of my discs looked when I changed them, haven't a clue what caused my uneven wear though

Sal. x

I have uneven wear on my drivers side, if i drive with my window open i can hear in scraping!

I'd try to write how it sounds but i'll probly end up sounding like a d**k!

Edited 26 February, 200818 yr by mike6n

Standard brakes were like having none at all really. I was puzzled with the uneven wear on my passenger side as the pad was fine. Yet the driver side had the loose pad and was worn evenly

Standard brakes were like having none at all really.

That's not right, 256mm's should be ample for the car. Simply fitting larger disks and different pads shouldn't be the first port of call for totally shit brakes.

Also depends on what you want from the brakes. With a lot of servo assistance it can make the brakes feel like they bite well, but then once you get past this there isn't much more to give (Audi A6 is like this, they bite on quick but then soon have nothing much left to give). On the flip side some brakes don't bite initially but the more you press the better they get (Polo GT..they need a real good press to get anything out of them.)

have yo still got the gti caliper on then?

I'm happy with my standard 256mm brakes for now thankyouverymuch! I have got the Black Diamond Predator pads though, really really can't recommend them enough!!

Standard brakes were like having none at all really.

That's not right, 256mm's should be ample for the car. Simply fitting larger disks and different pads shouldn't be the first port of call for totally shit brakes.

That's the thingTav, they SHOULD be, but they aren't at all. A lot of GTI owners think their brakes are ok standard so maybe I just got bad brakes

have yo still got the gti caliper on then?

Yep. The G60's will be fitted on Thursday. We didn't have the tools to take off the brake hose - it had some weird crimp connection thing

Standard brakes were like having none at all really.

That's not right, 256mm's should be ample for the car. Simply fitting larger disks and different pads shouldn't be the first port of call for totally shit brakes.

That's the thingTav, they SHOULD be, but they aren't at all. A lot of GTI owners think their brakes are ok standard so maybe I just got bad brakes

That's why I asked about your brakes as mine are more than ample for the car imho, but I have heard a few GTi owners complaining about their brakes.

Sal. x

yeh but does the ABS still work?

Yes it will...

if your going from an 8v to 16v brakes and you change the hubs you will need to move the ABS stuff over too

16v and GTI lot dont need to worry at all