OEM brake upgrade

[MaverickTDi]

Just wondering what options, if any, are available to utilise a set of bigger OE brakes on, so to speak, an inferior model? I'm contemplating changing my brakes on my 110 Avant TDi, which to be fair are plentiful, however just wanted something really good and shows off well under a nice set of wheels.

Would S4 brakes do the trick?

Thanks.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

Easiest option is the 312mm upgrade set of TT or S3 carriers and B6 312mm front discs. Il try find the discs i used, picked up some mintex red box for £25 and carriers for £50 with callipers iirc.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

These are what im using they are coated and abit noisey when first braking once they are bedded in they work quite well, the price is a typo so just message them get them to change it should be £44 instead of £440 lol

Audi B6 A4 3.0 Quattro 12/00-10/04 Front Brake Discs Drilled Grooved GPX2237 | eBay

you could clean off the pad surface on the disc with thinners i wish i would of done this as the coating is still in some of the grooves and it built up on the pads and had to give them a clean.

 

[Mackers]

ooooh,
sorry for the hi-jack as it where,
what can i change one my "X"Reg A4 2.5Tdi quattro. also what size are they as std.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

standard size is 288mm, 312mm is the most common upgrade any other upgrades ie S4,RS4 will need S4 uprights as the carrier lugs are different so you would have to change the uprights and if you change to the RS4/B6 uprights you need different lower arms as the ball joint taper size is bigger or smaller cant remember of top of my head.

 

[MaverickTDi]

Easiest option is the 312mm upgrade set of TT or S3 carriers and B6 312mm front discs. Il try find the discs i used, picked up some mintex red box for £25 and carriers for £50 with callipers iirc.

Yeah, they are the same standard brakes I had on my Bora TDi. So the parts list;

312mm discs
TT or S3 carriers - what model of S3?
TT or S3 callipers

Given this brake upgrades versatility I think you'll struggle to find someone who's selling callipers and carriers for £50? Perhaps someone how isn't aware of there desirability perhaps?

I assume this just bolts straight on, no mods needed?

 

[Bradderz_1988]

You dont even need calipers, you can use the exsisting ones you have just use the B6 discs and the S3 or TT carriers and your done, as for S3 model you need anything pre 02/53 iirc basically the same era as the B5 think its 8L iirc, TT is any MK1 iirc

best thing to do is search through ebay and just message everyone who is breaking one see what they come back with some wont split from calipers as i found out hence why i had to buy calipers and carriers.

 

[MaverickTDi]

You dont even need calipers, you can use the exsisting ones you have just use the B6 discs and the S3 or TT carriers and your done, as for S3 model you need anything pre 02/53 iirc basically the same era as the B5 think its 8L iirc, TT is any MK1 iirc

best thing to do is search through ebay and just message everyone who is breaking one see what they come back with some wont split from calipers as i found out hence why i had to buy calipers and carriers.

I like that idea a lot! That is a very cheap but good upgrade indeed. Yeah I'll have a search over the next few days and see what's about. This probably only applies if you were to be upgrading to say RS4 front brakes for bias reasons but is there anything for the rears too? I imagine the 312mm would maintain an even bias with the standard rears but just curious I guess?

 

[Bradderz_1988]

They do maintain a good bias the only thing is yours is FWD so theres no 'upgrades' as such that ive heard of as the bearings are integrated to the discs on the rear, there was a discussion on here a while back but it involved a lot of testing/research with iirc something to do with the A6 model, quattro models have a few options due to the S4 and RS4 models as all standard quattros have the same rear brakes iirc so S4 and RS4 ones will more or less bolt straight on with the right hoses and handbrake cable adjustment and you can also upgrade to the S4 B6 model rears with custom carrier brackets and hoses.

 

[MaverickTDi]

They do maintain a good bias the only thing is yours is FWD so theres no 'upgrades' as such that ive heard of as the bearings are integrated to the discs on the rear, there was a discussion on here a while back but it involved a lot of testing/research with iirc something to do with the A6 model, quattro models have a few options due to the S4 and RS4 models as all standard quattros have the same rear brakes iirc so S4 and RS4 ones will more or less bolt straight on with the right hoses and handbrake cable adjustment and you can also upgrade to the S4 B6 model rears with custom carrier brackets and hoses.

Ok fair enough, the rears do very little by comparison to the fronts anyway and it's not as if I can justify a bonkers brake set up for a fairly stock TDi. I might just stick some Brembo Max discs and mintex pads on the rear. I've emailed a few breakers on eBay regarding carriers, just waiting for a response.

 

[aragorn]

Ferodo Premier pads are the dogs danglies for a good "road" pad. I dont rate mintex reds at all, they seem great at first but after a while they seem to "go off" and become a bit ****.

IMO spending money on fancy disks is a waste of time, and has various downsides, just get some standard plain ones from the factors and nail them on. If you want to improve things further, then spend the money on good pads, however most pads which are more aggressive tend to have worse cold performance. 312's and Ferodo Premiers all round is a decent solid setup for most road based cars IMO.

You'll need to ensure your TDI has 288's at the moment. Some earlier cars had 280mm disks instead, and while that doesnt stop you converting to 312's, you cant use the 280mm caliper with the TT/S3 carrier.

You also cant use the TT/S3 caliper, as the piston is smaller than the A4 one.

If you have 288's currently, then you need the TT/S3 carrier, the 312mm B6 A4 3.0 disks, and some new pads.

If you have 280's currently, then you also need a pair of 288 spec A4 front calipers.

Its probably also worth looking at replacing the fluid while your there. I'd recommend ATE Blue.

Also, once its all done, you'll need to bed them in properly to get the best from them.

 

[JudderMan]

I'm in the same boat needing S3 carriers but as mentioned no one will split from the calipers so my question is are people buying S3 calipers? I don't want to be lumbered with them for months and months like I have with my previous car's replacement calipers that no one is buying..

 

[MaverickTDi]

Ferodo Premier pads are the dogs danglies for a good "road" pad. I dont rate mintex reds at all, they seem great at first but after a while they seem to "go off" and become a bit ****.

IMO spending money on fancy disks is a waste of time, and has various downsides, just get some standard plain ones from the factors and nail them on. If you want to improve things further, then spend the money on good pads, however most pads which are more aggressive tend to have worse cold performance. 312's and Ferodo Premiers all round is a decent solid setup for most road based cars IMO.

You'll need to ensure your TDI has 288's at the moment. Some earlier cars had 280mm disks instead, and while that doesnt stop you converting to 312's, you cant use the 280mm caliper with the TT/S3 carrier.

You also cant use the TT/S3 caliper, as the piston is smaller than the A4 one.

If you have 288's currently, then you need the TT/S3 carrier, the 312mm B6 A4 3.0 disks, and some new pads.

If you have 280's currently, then you also need a pair of 288 spec A4 front calipers.

Its probably also worth looking at replacing the fluid while your there. I'd recommend ATE Blue.

Also, once its all done, you'll need to bed them in properly to get the best from them.

Cheers dude, good info!

Well mine is a '98 S reg, is that considered early spec??? It's pre face lift and that's all I know.

Thanks.

 

[adamss24]

Cheers dude, good info!

Well mine is a '98 S reg, is that considered early spec??? It's pre face lift and that's all I know.

Thanks.

Look for passat v6 tdi facelift (2001 on), a6 2.5 tdi quattro, a6 2.8 v6 quattro V reg to 52 reg with cast iron uprights, golf mk4 anniversary, audi TT, skoda VRS,etc. All of the above had 312mm brakes. Upgrading to alloy uprights gives even wider options for brakes as nearly every set-up off modern audi's will fit.

 

[Arrkon]

I'm running 312s from an A6 c5, s3 carriers, stock calipers and ferrodo's.

Pretty damn good improvement in the breaking. Keeping my eyes open for some brembo calipers though

 

[Oranoco]

I'm running my original calipers on A6 carriers and B6 discs. They work very well indeed and I'm hoping with Saturdays swap to braided lines and synthetic Dot 5.1 fluid I won't boil the fluid at Bedford this year.

It really is a neat conversion, only took me 45 minutes all in to do mine

 

[Mackers]

what could i do to improve my brakes on my "X"Reg TDi quattro.

 

[Bradderz_1988]

OllieQS had s full setup for 312mm for £150 look in the ebay finds thread in the stickys. Also item 251212894269 on ebay for if you have the 280mms fitted mavericktdi.