Big Brake Conversions...

S3RYE

S3RYE

Interior Next!!
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Hi,

Basically ive been driving my car pretty hard lately.. last night was out with a friend (E46 M3) and was having a bit of fun... he had a real scary moment ( i actually thought he was going to plough straight into back of me) after i hit the brakes hard.. so much so that he had to go round me and miss a turning!! anyway so there was me thinking wow... i cant beleive the S3 brakes are outpowering M3 brakes.. (obv we know an M3 has a bigger heavier engine and heavier car in general! but they have 4 pot brakes with big ventilated drilled discs) anyway as i pulled onto my driveway (skip on there that i have to park right up to) i nearly went straight into it!! brakes basically werent working! had to stomp the pedal HARD!! absolutely crapped myself!! :faint: i mean this was after maybe 3-4 serious hard brakes!!

so anyway after we got back it really got me thinking! when the S3's are standard the brakes really are sufficient.. i mean maybe on a track they arent great but for fast road use they are pretty good! but once you step the power up they really do start to turn into cheese...

so ive come to the conclusion.. i think i need a BBK before i go with stage 2+ otherwise im going to end up :slapped:

im keen to know of anyone else running standard brakes with modified engines has had scary moments like this!! i mean ive had the normal fading and spongy pedal many times but last night they were terrible... :huh:
 
A change of brake fluid to DOT 5 or 5.1 rating and some better pads and drilled discs of your existing diameter will help resist fade a lot and give a big improvement, for not too much extra £££.
I've been meaning to do mine for ages...Roads of the North of Scotland and English Peak District have taken their toll....

TT-RS set up would be perfect, but £££ !!
 
I really like the sound of the R8 rear caliper set up (4 pots again ) . Shark were doing them a while back for £960 that includes

2 x Brand new Rear R8 calipers
2 x OE discs (345mm)
1 x set of pads
2 x Braided hoses
2x Mounting brackets

group buy? i'd be up for a set

BRISKODA EXCLUSIVE: Audi R8 Big Brake Kits for UNDER
 
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Shark has none left? you like em nath yeah? Big difference? I'm sure shark can supply the mounting kits? There must be someone with a trade account we can convince!!
 
I'd love to upgrade my brakes but at the moment my remap/engine mounts/suspension combo is coming 1st.
I'll definetly be needing a proper upgrade soon though, especially if I'm going to bite the bullet and go for the GT3071r :)
 
gynads said:
Shark has none left? you like em nath yeah? Big difference? I'm sure shark can supply the mounting kits? There must be someone with a trade account we can convince!!
Click to expand...

These kits were assembled via Dave Brown not Ben @ Shark, he was just advertising them. He only got 5 calipers, 2 went abroad, one is on a Leon in Scotland and the other on a Scirrocco in bolton. But yes they are epic.
 
benskin07 said:
I know S3Alex was running standard brakes for a while. May be worth sending me a pm
Click to expand...

Yes...until I got that attended to as well.

I'd been waiting for AP to get their act sorted and release the 6 pot kit for the S3,but after a few let downs,I took the advice of jonnyc(AKA Johnny Cocker the LMP1 driver) who recommended that VW Racing kit here...

Search the site

This is honestly the equal of the AP setup I used on my Escort Cosworth....

S3Alex's Album: Old car.....

no fade,plenty of bite and progression and a very straightforward fit.
 
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Yeh that's the thing. I'm sure the vwr kit is ford gt calipers?? = very heavy? I found a company in poland that break porsches and have loads of calipers for sale for reasonable prices, I'm just unsure about weight!? They got some 997 turbo fronts:hubbahubba:
 
audi upgrades
S3RYE said:
Yeh that's the thing. I'm sure the vwr kit is ford gt calipers?? = very heavy? I found a company in poland that break porsches and have loads of calipers for sale for reasonable prices, I'm just unsure about weight!? They got some 997 turbo fronts:hubbahubba:
Click to expand...

what company is it mate?
 
S3RYE said:
Yeh that's the thing. I'm sure the vwr kit is ford gt calipers?? = very heavy?
Click to expand...

Mate have you just made that up off the top of your head? VWR's two most recent BBKs have been developed with Caparo AP and Project Mu (the 4 pad system).

All this Porsche/R8 brakes on a road going family hatch is nothing more than bragging rights - UNLESS - you car is tuned for power (360+*) and/or you are going to track it. The S3/3.2/.:R32 system is definately not the be all and end all. but it is more than adequate for the speeds on UK roads. As has been mentioned a set of pads (DS2500, etc) and some proper dot 5.1 fluid will make a difference.

Alternately you could spend some of your cash on advanced driving skills/track lessons which will teach you to properly anticipate hazards and to plan well in advance - thus negating the need for Big Brakes on the roads in any event. People who stomp on the brakes at the last minute show nothing more than a bad appreciation of the road ahead.

However, it's your cash and decision, so good luck.

EDIT: * or the equivilant big diesel power like DMB .
 
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AuldReekie said:
All this Porsche/R8 brakes on a road going family hatch is nothing more than bragging rights
Click to expand...

Um, not really, I felt my 2.0TDI were nothing short of diabolical to be honest, and wanted better brakes, so bought the R8s and S3 rears, now I know I'll never having braking issues and will stop in any situation.
 
Sorry Mate.. Nothing to do with my driving, you prob don't drive your car hard enough.. Nothing to do with bragging rights, and I've had plenty of driving instructions. My best mate was a instructor at brands, silverstone etc..

And no! I didn't make it up, I thought I read that on one :drag:of Dave browns posts actually! No need to be dismissive but:applaus: if it makes u feel better! I'd prefer to not nearly hit the skip on my drive that's all!

Oh by the way before this thread gets taken out of context. Would just like to say thanks for all good info so far and to add to that, something I forgot to mention earlier, my s3 shits on a std e46 m3 conv:moa:
 
S3RYE said:
Yeh that's the thing. I'm sure the vwr kit is ford gt calipers?? = very heavy? I found a company in poland that break porsches and have loads of calipers for sale for reasonable prices, I'm just unsure about weight!? They got some 997 turbo fronts:hubbahubba:
Click to expand...

Don't know where you got that idea from.

If you read the link I'd posted to the kit,you'd have seen that the system was developed in conjunction with Caparo(who make the T1),and the entire kits inc discs weighs 12kg,whereas the OEM system weighs in at about 20kgs,so there is not only a massive weight saving,but also a huge performance increase.

If you're going to pass comment on something you either don't have,haven't seen or haven't tried,it's probably best to get the facts straight first.


Weight....very similar to the comparable AP system.
 
U know what's also funny? Don't audi put a bbk on a TTRS which has 340bhp out the box? Oh yeh braggin rights? Also did audi tell you once @ 360bhp then you need one? Cause I'm certain audi don't care/know whether the brakes are sufficient at over 270-300 bhp? :shrug:
 
Lol! I weren't tryin to diss the kit guys! If jonnyc rates it, it must be good! Tbh I was bit smashed last night! But this whole don't need bbk business is inaccurate!
 
S3RYE said:
U know what's also funny? Don't audi put a bbk on a TTRS which has 340bhp out the box? Oh yeh braggin rights? Also did audi tell you once @ 360bhp then you need one? Cause I'm certain audi don't care/know whether the brakes are sufficient at over 270-300 bhp? :shrug:
Click to expand...

Once you start modifying their cars,Audi really don't want to have anything further to do with them,in any sense,but then the same can be said of virtually any other car company.

The RS's brakes are Brembo if I remember,and are well up to the job,but I guess the point is that if you need that as an OEM fit to stop the RS properly,with 340bhp+,then for an S3 with similar power and weight,the owner would need to look at the same.

If you've had a good look at the OEM S3 brakes when they're off the car,you'll see what I mean...the calipers are heavy,cast iron jobs and obviously the pads were not aimed at tuned cars.
Most of the aftermarket pad "upgrades" such as EBC are about as much use as chocolate fireguards in real terms.
 
Mine are hopeless with well under 300 brake and have caused a few heart stopping moments, especially when my friend on his R6 decided to cut across me with no indicators and my pedal hit the floor!!!
Don't know if a remapped TDI would really need them but you can never have too much braking can you.
 
akash_sky1 said:
Mine are hopeless with well under 300 brake and have caused a few heart stopping moments, especially when my friend on his R6 decided to cut across me with no indicators and my pedal hit the floor!!!
Don't know if a remapped TDI would really need them but you can never have too much braking can you.
Click to expand...

To be honest,it's all down to kinetic energy and the ability of your braking system and tyres to dissipate that.

Most systems will cope with a single maximum braking effort,but repeated or hard use will see them fade rapidly...if a remapped TDi weighing 1600kgs is travelling at 60mph,it has exactly the same KE as an S3 weighing the same and travelling at the same speed,so you could argue that under similar situations,the same setup may be useful.

I think the individual driver has to decide what is safe or adequate,and I certainly didn't feel the OEM system was up to the job once the power had gone up significantly,and found exactly the same with a few previous cars.
 
N8 said:
Um, not really, I felt my 2.0TDI were nothing short of diabolical to be honest, and wanted better brakes, so bought the R8s and S3 rears, now I know I'll never having braking issues and will stop in any situation.
Click to expand...
The standard brakes that came on your car N8 where a lot smaller then the standard brakes on a S3 so should not be compared as the same. Your disk size is now the same as an S3 if i remember correct. So from then on it just comes down to pads size and the amount of pressure the brake system can put on the pad. Best person to talk to would be as already mentioned Dave Brown as he is a VAG braking expert and a person i have a lot of respect for.
 
akash_sky1 said:
Don't know if a remapped TDI would really need them but you can never have too much braking can you.
Click to expand...

Well said lad :applaus:

devonmikeyboy said:
The standard brakes that came on your car N8 where a lot smaller then the standard brakes on a S3 so should not be compared as the same. Your disk size is now the same as an S3 if i remember correct.
Click to expand...

I wasn't comparing them to the S3, the other guy was saying R8/Porsche brakes on a family hatch are uncessary, I was giving my 2p, no the discs are 350mm :laugh: Yes Dave supplied them as he is my braking hero :wub:
 
I find my brakes sh!t in my standard 2.0 tdi a3,well what am I going to say after a re-map ?I do love the TT-RE ones but cant affaord them at the moment as my other porject is taking all the $$$
 
I dont have them, hopefully will have them within a few weeks time. Will also need bigger wheels than my current 17" alloys too LOL
 
I need some better brakes soon too..braking from 135 the other week got the worst wheel judder in my life. Also need to floor them pretty much all the time LOL.
New Clutch & DMF, H&Rs, Brakes, Autotech and map gonna be expensive month! Oh and holiday to Goa !!!
 
I love my TT-RS/S3 setup

Perfectly normal braking around town and for everyday use, but if i really hit the pedal, the car feels like it's going to snap into 2 from the braking power!!!

Also looks the nuts ;)
 
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