No Brakes! Conversion time

[audinary]

Hi everyone, hope you had a happy Christmas.

My brakes have become gradually more and more fade-prone, and after a somewhat dicey trip back home on the M25 have become hopeless. Real caliper on disc graunchy grindy stuff.

I bought a set of Pagid pads, and was going to have a go at fitting them tonight, and so with ten spare minutes between customers, I got the car on on a lift at work to have a look at the job, and check the discs aren't too bad.

I'm glad I did. They're absolutely ******. I'm a bit embarrased, to be honest, they should never have got to this stage, and they sailed through an MOT a month ago...

So. Being that I need new discs I feel I might as well do the traditional B6 312mm discs and TT Calipers trick. I'll be ordering the bits tomorrow, I've taken the car off the road for the time being, have to make do with a spare Ka we have knocking about.

Does anyone have a Euro Car Parts part number for the carriers? I'll use Euro as we have a trade account there. If not a part number, could someone give me "The Precise Thing To Ask For"? Sounds stupid, I know, but on a tight-ish schedule I'd hate to get the wrong bits

Thanks in advance...

 

[audinary]

Oh yeah, forgot to say I fancy the upgrade just for the hell of it. I know I'm unlikely to feel the benefits with my sort of driving, but one of these days I might well find myself leaning towards trackdays, more power, etc....

 

[adamss24]

Discs are cheap, just get a set meant for any v6 engined audi a4/a6 after 2001, carriers will cost a bit more though- about £90 each and ECP dont sell them, dealer only ! There are few on ebay but they not cheap either...

 

[phoenixv6quattro]

Discs are cheap, just get a set meant for any v6 engined audi a4/a6 after 2001, carriers will cost a bit more though- about £90 each and ECP dont sell them, dealer only ! There are few on ebay but they not cheap either...

Yeah, couldn't agree more Adam................Love you Mara...

 

[stoakseya4]

Cough cough...

Someone mention wanting to do a brake upgrade...
Check my sig/classifieds.

 

[audinary]

Thanks guys, unfortunately all the Classified gear is well out of my price range (e.g more than I paid for my car!) and I'm not after anything as trick as a Porsche set-up.

This'll sort me out, won't it? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/312mm-caliper...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item4a9cf7153b

Will I need anything else? Apart from the discs of course

 

[audinary]

Aww, damn it. I think I'll stay standard. If I could get the carriers over the counter for eBay money I'd do it, as it is I need to get the discs fitted by Sunday or I have no transport to work.

Besides, I've never actually experienced my car with new discs and pads.... might be amazing!

 

[Matt82]

pagid pads from gsf are fine. i dont see why you cant stick with standard discs (288 arnt they?)

get some nice brake fluid in and youre laughing

 

[audinary]

pagid pads from gsf are fine. i dont see why you cant stick with standard discs (288 arnt they?)

get some nice brake fluid in and youre laughing

That's what I thought. Treat my car to some brake fluid for the new year!

Next step is to replace my rapidly becoming-slick Ditchfinder tyres.

 

[Matt82]

i had a friend a while back with a 20vt a3, her inner front pads had been worn to the backing plates (because the slider pins had never been cleaned)

the symptoms were almost total brake fade without really trying hard. new brake fluid had been run through about 6 months earlier and the pedal was almost going to the floor because of the massive amount of heat.

even with new discs and pads (needed new discs too because the inner surface was ruined) the brakes still wouldnt function properly (really bad initial response).

i ran some ate super dot4 through and it was tip top after that. the severe overheating had killed (boiled and introduced air into) the previous brake fluid

she used to drive that car pretty hard (200bhp a3) and never had problems with the brakes... until we went to the ring, she asked me to put some mintex 1155s in and they squeeled like stuck pigs. she went back to the pagids and has been happy since

 

[audinary]

I must confess this is the first time I have ever literally used my brakes to destruction. The outer surfaces of the discs were pitted and had a slight step, but not as bad as some I've seen. The inner surfaces, though, had probably a 4mm step.

As I say, somewhat embarrassing as I try to keep my car spot-on. Unfortunately, my weekly checks never looked at the insides of the discs...

Anyway. The purchase has been made, Pagid discs and pads. Shall fit on Sunday. New fluid and I'll be done.

Plus, the most I ever expect to get out of my car will be 180hp If I ever get around to it... bigger discs would be fun but not strictly necessary!

 

[Matt82]

you sound like you know your apples and pears, but wire brush and grease those slider pins to make sure they dont stick

 

[audinary]

Farq. New pads and discs now on, every joint in my body aches after working in one half of a double garage (the other half is full of kitchen extension ephemera) with the door open and the snow coming in. Also, getting under the car on axle stands at 6'5" is a ******.

Anyway. The old pads were totally lacking friction material, and the discs were heavily stepped, you could see where the callipers were gripping the discs sans pads. Hugely embarrassing, but I now have lovely progressive and balanced brakes.

The old pads had Audi logos and I reckon theres a good chance they were the original items.

All credit to Audi for designing a car which can still stop even with no pads!