MK5 R32 Brake Calipers

[Barks]

Hello does anyone know if MK5 R32 brake calipers will fit a S3 8l hubs, I belive they are for 334mm discs, so would they then work with MK4 R32 334mm discs??

Would 18's then be needed??

Any Ideas?

 

[Mpathe]

pretty sure they dont fit without making some brackets up as the mark 5 has a different hub, why not just use mk4 r32 calipers as they have the same hub as the 8l s3 so should fit straight on

 

[cabby86]

As has been mentioned above, the MK4 R32/MK1 V6 TT front brake set up would be a much better option, I am planning to upgrade my S3 to this set-up shortly, just trying to source the correct parts at the moment.

Cheers

Chris

 

[Barks]

Thats what I thought, its just there are some MK5 ones on ebay. Thanks for the info

 

[<tuffty/>]

Mk5 are a different PCD and tbh still not a brilliant setup...

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showth...s-S3-minor-modding-thread&p=789007#post789007

<tuffty/>

 

[Barks]

Tuffty,

I keep looking at the AP Racing/TVR calipers on ebay, it is just the 330mm 2 part discs + extras work out really expensive:-

calipers £325
2 Part discs £300
Alloy bells £100??
caliper brackets £90?
Hoses £60
Pads £80

would those apracing calipers be compatable with mk4 334 discs with the correct caliper brakets, (has bill had them made for the 330mm?? or just a one off?? Would they fit with some 2mm spacers/shims?

Using the mk4 discs should know a bit of the cost

 

[Barks]

Sorry tuffty forgot to ask what is the peddle travel/feel like now/ did you bleed the ABS module in the end?

 

[1animal1]

my mate just bought some Boxster S 4 pots for his Leon off ebay @£150...bargain!!...although i think its the ancillaries that make the cost up

 

[<tuffty/>]

Tuffty,

I keep looking at the AP Racing/TVR calipers on ebay, it is just the 330mm 2 part discs + extras work out really expensive:-

calipers £325
2 Part discs £300
Alloy bells £100??
caliper brackets £90?
Hoses £60
Pads £80

would those apracing calipers be compatable with mk4 334 discs with the correct caliper brakets, (has bill had them made for the 330mm?? or just a one off?? Would they fit with some 2mm spacers/shims?

Using the mk4 discs should know a bit of the cost

Sorry tuffty forgot to ask what is the peddle travel/feel like now/ did you bleed the ABS module in the end?

You can use them with LCR 323mm discs if you want to keep the price down. Bill does brackets for those too as they need to be decked a bit for the size difference.

Max width of the disc you can use is 30mm IIRC but Mk4 R32 discs are 32mm from memory and aint cheap to replace either. If you want good stoppers at a budget then get those calipers with LCR 323mm discs.

Brackets, bolts, pads and hoses will cost the same but you will not have the expense of the 2 piece stuff.

I haven't re-bled the brakes as yet but tbh, all feels ok... no different to the OEM feel wise just much better stopping power.

<tuffty/>

 

[jojo]

From past experience, there is no cheap way to get BIG brakes, unless you bag a bargain off a mate or ebay. If you want BIG brakes, you have to pay for them! 8L S3 specific, Mk4 R32 calipers and disks has got to be most cost effective if you can find some complete right? But they are twin pots(I think?), so why not just pay a bit more and get 4 pots in the form of LCR/Brembo GT kit brakes?

 

[<tuffty/>]

AP Racing (TVR) calipers - £325

Approx prices from memory when I bought mine from Bill
DS 2500 Pads £117
Brackets - £141
Caliper Bolts - £24
Braided hoses - £58
LCR 323x28mm - from around £140 a pair

Totals £805


For comparison...
Brembo GT Junior kit from Awesome GTI (323mm discs, std pads)
http://www.awesome-gti.co.uk/product.php?xProd=10949&xSec=381
£1291.21

Porsche Boxster kit (312mm discs)
http://www.awesome-gti.co.uk/product.php?xProd=3680&xSec=381
£1027.54

I am sure if you hunt around you can find Brembo kit cheaper or stumble across a set of boxster calipers on ebay or somewhere but calipers on ebay go for silly money mostly and you still don't know what you are buying half the time...

Brembo stuff is expensive ATM due to the Euro, the AP's are a bargain tbh...

<tuffty/>

 

[mk1chopper]

If your just after bigger disc you could go for an option like this http://www.thettshop.co.uk/performance.asp?cat=6227&product=600522

You can get the brembo kit for just under £1200 and the benefit of the brembo kit is its all brand new and doesnt use bespoke items.

 

[<tuffty/>]

You can get the brembo kit for just under £1200 and the benefit of the brembo kit is its all brand new and doesnt use bespoke items.

...although you do pay a premium for their crappy discs and pads...

The AP's on ebay are brand new as is all the other kit listed... AP Racing calipers weren't bespoke last time I looked??

<tuffty/>

 

[mk1chopper]

Not saying the calipers are bespoke, but the brackets will be. Didnt know they were brand new either, I assumed they might be second hand coming off ebay. Would be intersting to find out if you can buy the calipers and carriers direct from brembo and then source your own discs and pads. I guess you probably cant or someone would have done it already and tuning companys would be able to offer you alternative kits.

 

[<tuffty/>]

The Brembo Junior calipers are the same ones used on SEAT Cupras IIRC and last I remember they cost around £330 each + VAT... You can buy Brembos direct from SEAT

The brackets are no less bespoke than any of the Brembo ones tbh... that is the point of the way they fix... there are plenty of EVO brembos etc on the 'bay that have built in fixing brackets and generally can only be used on the car they were designed for...

Not sure what your point is...

You say...

Would be intersting to find out if you can buy the calipers and carriers direct from brembo and then source your own discs and pads

...how is that different to to the suggested AP Racing solution?

<tuffty/>

 

[mk1chopper]

Well as you said with the brembo kit you pay over the odds for their disc and pads. The reason I was saying about being able to buy the brembos is because they were used by the vag group on the seat cupra r, and have been proven as a good setup on the S3. There piston size is matched to the master cylinder on the S3/Cupra R iirc. I'm not knocking the AP cailpers or the setup your recomending, and I cant really comment on either of the brake setups as I have not tried either, and dont do track days so cant say I'm experienced in the need for performance brake setups either.

 

[jojo]

Wow!, £1200 quid for the Brembo GT kit? Has it gone up?! I paid AmD £750 fitted when they was still based in Bicester a few years back. Complete LCR brake setup usually go for 5-600 on ebay I think, but they are not that common.

 

[1animal1]

ive never hit a time where my brakes have faded to think that i need new brakes...perhaps i dont work them hard enough

although id love some brembos as they 'look' awesome

 

[s3_stig]

Is the mk4 r32 brake setup much better than the s3.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Is the mk4 r32 brake setup much better than the s3.

Arguably yes, twin pot caliper, larger disc etc.... however... Bill at Badger 5 has a Polo in at the moment having a big turbo conversion and this has R32 brakes.... they aren't that good tbh, granted they are running std pads but feel and fade are an issue and certainly no substitute for a decent 4 pot setup.

Biggest issue IMO is the price of replacement discs on them... there isn't an aftermarket replacement I know of off hand and they are the cast aluminium bell type as used by various S and RS class Audis... cheap they are not...

At least with a Brembo/AP Racing setup using the 323mm discs you will get better stopping power and cheaper consumables....

<tuffty/>

 

[s3_stig]

Ok thanks alot for the help! So around the £1000 mark would get s much better setup for the s3

 

[1animal1]

i think i'll be l;eaving the £1000 bling for what will amount to a sixth of the cars value

 

[<tuffty/>]

i think i'll be l;eaving the £1000 bling for what will amount to a sixth of the cars value

...innit!! lol

TBH unless you go BT or plan to track your car then DS2500's and some decent aftermarket discs on the front plus some Motul RBF660 fluid is more than enough and thats a fraction of the price.

When your car can produce 350+ bhp or you plan to track day the car (properly rather than potter) then 4 pots are really the way forward...

The setup I have (using the ebay AP Racing calipers) is great and still cheaper with 330mm 2-piece rotors than the current price of the Brembo Junior kit...

<tuffty/>

 

[1animal1]

that was a dman good find tufts....those AP's

 

[<tuffty/>]

More by luck than judgement Tim tbh, was looking for cheap Brembos like the rest of the world and remembered Bill runs AP's on his Ibiza... I was originally looking for 6 pots or something hoping to persuade him to upgrade and sell me his cheap but I found those instead

Wasn't gonna do the brakes straight away but they were too good a price to miss so....

Bloke still has loads by all accounts...

<tuffty/>

 

[s3_stig]

Thanks for the info tuffy

 

[OllieH]

Will be doing this AP setup as soon as I get an S3. Good brakes are a must have. Like the black aswell as they'll look cleaner and are stealth . Had the red brembo's on my DC5 Integra and they always looked dirty and stood out, which is something I don't want on my S3.

 

[james0808]

Is the mk4 r32 brake setup much better than the s3.

I upgraded my old Golf from 312mm to MK4 R32 and the difference is amazing.They even fit behind 17" alloys.

 

[Barks]

Tuffty, Do the AP calipers have the same caliper mounting centers and offset as the porsche/brembo calipers?

From your photos you show them under the original S3 17's are any wheel spacers required like with the porsche calipers??

 

[<tuffty/>]

The brackets are a tad different to the Brembo ones, Bill had to make a few tweaks to the Brembo ones he gets made.

Spacer wise, I offered the 17's up with no spacers but wasn't brave enough to tighten the bolts... There was a feeler gauge type clearance which may or may not be enough tbh so would recommend at least 5mm spacers but S3's look better 10mm front and 15mm rear IMO anyway.

There was no way they would fit without spacers on my RSTT 18's

Brembos are a tad narrower but are designed for 28mm wide discs only, the AP's will cope with 28mm and 30mm discs.

<tuffty/>

 

[Barks]

Thanks for the info, spacers required then,

I think someone recomended PW Motorsport for some 10's and 15's unless there are any other recomendations?

I gather the disc needs to sit bang in the middle of the caliper U 'clamping' area??

 

[<tuffty/>]

...I gather the disc needs to sit bang in the middle of the caliper U 'clamping' area??

Not sure what you mean mate??? The spacers are required to space the wheel out from the caliper not to align the disc with the centre of the caliper if thats what you mean?

The brackets Bill commissioned are essentially straight forward bolt on job done.... the disc offset is already taken into consideration

<tuffty/>

 

[Barks]

Yep I I got the wheel spacers thing, I didn't explain myself very well if at all, but I have got all the info the the ap racing datasheet:-

http://www.apracing.com/download/catalogue/Page%2046.pdf

The disc does fit central in radial profile with a 54mm offset to the mounting centers..


Any thoughts on remilling the PCD on Alfa Brera discs?? I have read somewhere on a golf site??


They do look great though, I think I will purchase tonight! and stop messing around

 

[Barks]

Calipers.... done...