MkVII Brakes (Pads, Rotors and Calipers) - Discussion and Questions

[LMF]

I am planning to change the front brake pads for my Golf 7 and I am looking for something with less brake dust. This is my first VW and I am going to change the brake pads myself, I have experience with changing brake pads of my previous cars and friends’ car but they all Jap car eg Corolla, Skyline, Silvia etc … I was wondering are there anything I need to consider? The only different I can think of between the VW and those Jap cars that I worked on is the sensors.

Has anyone try the Bendix Euro+ … are they good?

I can only find info on changing brake pads for Golf 6 GTI and I am assuming the procedure for MK6 and MK7 should be 99.9% the same.

[brad]

ATE ceramic pads or QFM A1RM from Brakes Direct. Remsa get very mixed results from "no difference" to "heaps less".

I have a pathalogical dislike of Bendix products and cannot recomend them.

They aren't a difficult pad to change although you might need a triple-square bit?

You will want to do the rears as well - the design of the braking system has the rear brakes come on first under light braking and therefore the rears dust-up & wear just as much as the fronts.

[DV52]

ATE ceramic pads or QFM A1RM from Brakes Direct. Remsa get very mixed results from "no difference" to "heaps less".

I have a pathalogical dislike of Bendix products and cannot recomend them.

They aren't a difficult pad to change although you might need a triple-square bit?

You will want to do the rears as well - the design of the braking system has the rear brakes come on first under light braking and therefore the rears dust-up & wear just as much as the fronts.

Brad: I've not changed the pads on my car, but won't changing the rear pads be complicated by the EPB? See Ross Tech video below


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHJMI4QkSy8

[brad]

Yes, your right. You'll need to borrow a VCDS cable.

Well done that man!

[DV52]

Thanks Brad. I'm sure that you know much more than I do about these things (I've read some of your previous posts). I just thought that I was missing something. Actually, I was hoping that I was wrong and that the job was just like the mk6 - but alas I think not!

Anyhow LMF, if you do change the rear pads, I'd be interested to know if there are any complications in using the VCDS cable to retract/close the callipers. The RT instructions look fairly straight-forward, but there's no better information than feedback from someone who has actually done it!

[brad]

Oh well. Do the easy ones at the front & see if you can live with the rear dust.

I rarely work on other peoples cars these days, so my chances of doing an electric rear handbrake are fairly remote.

[LMF]

Thanks for the replies people. I think I may change the front myself and leave the rear for the mechanic as I don't have the VCDS cable ... I heard some good things about the ATE ceramic pads from some overseas forum but where can I get this in Australia???

[brad]

HSY are the importer but they won't sell direct so you have to ring them & find out who their ACT retailer is.

[frogg]

Good evening all.

I did a quick search...but either there is nothing around or I cant use the search function.......

Got told today that I need new Rotors and pads on Mk7 GTI after 30,000km - they say I have max of about another 5,000km left in them. Not too bad from what I understand.

I was quoted at just under $600 to supply and fit.

I tried calling GSL Rallysport, but they seem to be a little confused as to which Rotors are on the Mk7.

They *believe* that they have a 315mm rotor as the Mk6 did....but they need to double check.

Anyone out there able to shed any light? Are they the same ones? Any suggestions where I can source them from? Happy to change them myself If I can get them for a reasonable price.

Thanks.

[Mikey1]

Good evening all.

I did a quick search...but either there is nothing around or I cant use the search function.......

Got told today that I need new Rotors and pads on Mk7 GTI after 30,000km - they say I have max of about another 5,000km left in them. Not too bad from what I understand.

I was quoted at just under $600 to supply and fit.

I tried calling GSL Rallysport, but they seem to be a little confused as to which Rotors are on the Mk7.

They *believe* that they have a 315mm rotor as the Mk6 did....but they need to double check.

Anyone out there able to shed any light? Are they the same ones? Any suggestions where I can source them from? Happy to change them myself If I can get them for a reasonable price.

Thanks.

See your mechanic or retail stockist and ask them to contact HSY Autoparts (hsy.com.au) for availability of ATE discs, which you can view on the ATE website: ATE Brakes -ATE Web Catalogue (http://www.ate-brakes.com/www/ate_de_en/themes/20_catalogues/online_catalogue_en.html)

Unfortunately, there are no pads listed yet, which is annoying as their ceramic pads are brilliant for everyday use.

Try also ECS Tuning (ecstuning.com) since the Golf VII GTI is now on sale in the US.

[donweather]

New rotors and pads after just 30,000 kms seems quite harsh. Could I ask if your traction control gets a workout a fair bit?

[brad]

dealers are usually quite conservative. Shine a torch through the wheels & have a look. If the friction material is <3mm then it's time to start doing your homework. I bet they are at about 6-8mm.

If you have the GTI PP then they are 340mm rotors.

If it's a std GTI then they are 312mm

The brake pads look slightly different - they are longer & not as high. (PR codes: 1ZE, 1ZP, 1ZA, 1ZD, 1LV, 1ZC, 1ZG)

I think Ferodo, Textar & Pagid do the correct pad. Check their cattledogs for the partno. Send the diagram to Brakes Direct & they should be able to match them

[tom89]

dealers are usually quite conservative. Shine a torch through the wheels & have a look. If the friction material is <3mm then it's time to start doing your homework. I bet they are at about 6-8mm.

I agreed with this. I wouldn't stress too much.

[Arnold]

New rotors and pads after just 30,000 kms seems quite harsh. Could I ask if your traction control gets a workout a fair bit?

I have just under 67000km on my Mark V GTI and have not replaced the original brake pads yet. Just had its 7 year service and no mention of them being in danger of wearing out just yet.

[gerhard]

My daughter now has a new 90TSI Comfortline DSG with driver assist.

She dropped over at the weekend and after only 900ks the front wheels were black and the dust also travelled up the doors. The rears were practically clean.

This is far worse than my MKV GTI and my wife's 6R Polo GTI. Both these cars get the dust of course, but usually more on the rear due to the design, but over general use front and rear are pretty much the same grubby mess.

So I'm on the hunt for front pads for the MK7, the rears can stay original as they are not dirty and require specialty replacement. It seems that the brake bias settings are different on this car.

So far the only listing I can find on MK7 pads has been from Ferodo, part number FDB4454. I emailed Bendix for a supply date and their reply was typical of businesses today - "We are unable to advise when we will have disc pads available to the MKV11 Golf mentioned, please continue to check on a website catalogue".

Has anyone managed to find some ceramics or other low dust pads? It's not driven as a performance vehicle, just a (very nice) daily.

[nutztoys]

Hi guys,
I have a 2016 1.4 tsi and are looking at the PP/R 340mm brakes.
Do I need to upgrade the master cylinder and if, will a cylinder from a GTI fit? Anything else need to be upgraded?

Bgds Dan.

[h100vw]

Hi guys,
I have a 2016 1.4 tsi and are looking at the PP/R 340mm brakes.
Do I need to upgrade the master cylinder and if, will a cylinder from a GTI fit? Anything else need to be upgraded?

Bgds Dan.

Got to ask why you need such big brakes with a small motor??

[nutztoys]

Honestly most for looks. They look so small with 19" wheels.

[tigger73]

Standard Golf brakes are 288mm (front)/272mm (rear), GTI - 312mm(f)/300mm(r), GTI PP/R 340mm(f)/310mm(r).

I think they should fit/bolt up OK, however these will not be cheap if you purchase new/genuine spare parts.

It would almost certainly be cheaper to change wheels to something with a more closed in design that doesn't show off your small rotors... though you do see quite a few modded up base model cars with tiny rotors. BBK's are expensive and more than likely you're not putting them on for performance - just for looks.

If you're keen I'd be looking at something second-hand and repainting it.

[nutztoys]

Wouldn't mind a refurbishd set.
Just worried that the master cylinder isn't up for the job.
Would the cylinder from a GTI bolt straight on?

[R_LINE]

May I ask...why the upgrade? Do you track the car? I don't see a point unless it's been raced or something.

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[Golf7Tdi]

Moderator please move if i have posted in wrong secion, couldnt find anywhere else.

Hey guys, i have a MK7 2.0 TDI.
A family friend has borrowed my car while i was overseas and has ruined the brake rotors and pads.
Im going to replace them myself, any advice for changing them?

Also, both pads are worn out however my front right rotor has been worn to be less than a fingernail thick ( i know its really bad ) while my front left rotor seems normal with no wear or scratches on it at all.
Has anybody had this issue or is there anyone that knows how i can fix this?

From my standpoint it seems like for some reason only the front right one is working lol
I braveky drove it home yesterday and it was only screeching on the right side with no noise coming from the left...

Last one, when i search for replacement rotors, there is 2 options for my car, 312mm and 288mm. Which is better suited?

Many thanks in advance!

[Umai Naa!!]

You need to replace the rotors as a pair.

You're also better off ordering parts from a supplier that uses your VIN to verify that they're the correct parts. Most leading European suppliers work this way.

[agentthumb]

I'm confused. One of your front rotor is worn down to less than a fingernail thick? Did you mean pad?

If it's the rotor, you have bigger issues. Their spec for replacement is usually 2mm of wear measured, which leaves plenty of material.

Check if your pads need replacing too. Do everything as a pair.

You will need a piston pusher to put the new pads in. You will also need VCDS to change the back pads as you will need to put them into maintenance mode.

Have a syringe ready to suck some brake fluid out of the master cylinder as you push the pistons back. Usually you are ok, but some mechanics top up the fluid during services as the pads are worn.

This creates a mess when you push the pistons back and all the fluid overflows the tank. Brake fluids are highly corrosive so you don't want that :)

The rotor size should be in your owners manual. Try to get rotors for European cars if you go aftermarket :) and get the best (non-performance) pads you can afford.

After all, the only things that will prevent a crash are your 4 tyres and brakes :)


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[Golf7Tdi]

I will replace them as a pair.
When i called up european suppliers and gave them my vin number they gave me the above optiona for rotors. Which is why im bot sure whuch ones are correct...

[agentthumb]

Also in addition to above, get some pad lubes for the rub points between the pads and the calliper. And some brake lubes are handy to lube up those guide pins for the calliper.

Oh, latex gloves. Lots of latex gloves. It's a messy job, and brake dust is carcinogenic, so avoid contact with skin and breathing it in.


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[Golf7Tdi]

I'm confused. One of your front rotor is worn down to less than a fingernail thick? Did you mean pad?

If it's the rotor, you have bigger issues. Their spec for replacement is usually 2mm of wear measured, which leaves plenty of material.

Check if your pads need replacing too. Do everything as a pair.

You will need a piston pusher to put the new pads in. You will also need VCDS to change the back pads as you will need to put them into maintenance mode.

Have a syringe ready to suck some brake fluid out of the master cylinder as you push the pistons back. Usually you are ok, but some mechanics top up the fluid during services as the pads are worn.

This creates a mess when you push the pistons back and all the fluid overflows the tank. Brake fluids are highly corrosive so you don't want that :)

The rotor size should be in your owners manual. Try to get rotors for European cars if you go aftermarket :) and get the best (non-performance) pads you can afford.

After all, the only things that will prevent a crash are your 4 tyres and brakes :)


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How necessary is it to put the back brakes into maintenace mode while changing the front ones. Cant i just straight forward swap and change the front rotors without a computer?

No the rotor on the right has gone down to less than a fingernail thick because its been driven with metal to metal... but the one on the left looks pretty decent, no scratches on it or anything which is what has baffeled me...

Both of the pads are compleletly worn

[agentthumb]

How necessary is it to put the back brakes into maintenace mode while changing the front ones. Cant i just straight forward swap and change the front rotors without a computer?

No the rotor on the right has gone down to less than a fingernail thick because its been driven with metal to metal... but the one on the left looks pretty decent, no scratches on it or anything which is what has baffeled me...

Both of the pads are compleletly worn

You don't need to touch the back if you are just doing the fronts. So no computer required. :)

You will still need the piston pusher to fit the new pads.

So your mate kept driving it with the horrendous metal on metal contact noise? I hope you are not friends anymore :P


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[Golf7Tdi]

I'm confused. One of your front rotor is worn down to less than a fingernail thick? Did you mean pad?

If it's the rotor, you have bigger issues. Their spec for replacement is usually 2mm of wear measured, which leaves plenty of material.

Check if your pads need replacing too. Do everything as a pair.

You will need a piston pusher to put the new pads in. You will also need VCDS to change the back pads as you will need to put them into maintenance mode.

Have a syringe ready to suck some brake fluid out of the master cylinder as you push the pistons back. Usually you are ok, but some mechanics top up the fluid during services as the pads are worn.

This creates a mess when you push the pistons back and all the fluid overflows the tank. Brake fluids are highly corrosive so you don't want that :)

The rotor size should be in your owners manual. Try to get rotors for European cars if you go aftermarket :) and get the best (non-performance) pads you can afford.

After all, the only things that will prevent a crash are your 4 tyres and brakes :)


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You don't need to touch the back if you are just doing the fronts. So no computer required. :)

You will still need the piston pusher to fit the new pads.

So your mate kept driving it with the horrendous metal on metal contact noise? I hope you are not friends anymore :P


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I cant use a clamp of some sort? Instead of a proper piston pusher?

Yeah i didnt know ehat to say i just laughed lol

But i cant wrap my head around why the left rotor still looks brand new and the one on the right is worn to the limit lol

[agentthumb]

I cant use a clamp of some sort? Instead of a proper piston pusher?

Yeah i didnt know ehat to say i just laughed lol

But i cant wrap my head around why the left rotor still looks brand new and the one on the right is worn to the limit lol

If you have a C clamp big enough, you can make it work :)

It's probably as you said, the rotors were probably worn equally until one of the pad wore out first. Once it's metal on metal, it doesn't take long!


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[Golf7Tdi]

If you have a C clamp big enough, you can make it work :)

It's probably as you said, the rotors were probably worn equally until one of the pad wore out first. Once it's metal on metal, it doesn't take long!


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Sorry mate, one more thing, will i really need a syringe to suck out some fluid or will it be okay just to push the piston back? Sorry if its a dumb question as this is the first time doing it myself

[agentthumb]

Sorry mate, one more thing, will i really need a syringe to suck out some fluid or will it be okay just to push the piston back? Sorry if its a dumb question as this is the first time doing it myself

No such thing as a stupid question. Only stupid assumptions :)

You don't have to have it. Depends on what your mechanic has done between services. When the cars roll off the factory floor, the brake fluid is filled to the full line with new brake pads.

As the pads wear over time, the pistons in the calliper moves further and further out to keep the pads in contact with the rotors. This leads to the fluids in the reservoir dropping below the "Max" line but should still be well above the "Min" line. Some mechanics leave it as is (which is what you are supposed to do), other's top it up.

Topping it up creates a problem when you replace the pads. As the new pads will be thicker than your worn pads, you have to push the pistons back to their outer position to accept new pads. This forces brake fluid back up the line into the reservoir, which if topped up, will overfill. And it will leak everywhere (trust me, I learned the hard way :P )

Best to have a syringe or something ready to remove the excess fluid when you are pushing on the pistons.

Also, check to see if your brake fluid is currently near the "Max" line as an indication to see if your mechanic has topped up the fluid.


If you decide to remove fluid, only remove what you need to. The last thing you want is for the level dropping below "Min" line, and air getting into the system.

A note regarding the guide / slide bolts holding the calliper onto the car, they only require very little torque to do up. I wouldn't go past 30 Nm of torque. Don't over torque it as the bolt will easily strip.

[Golf7Tdi]

No such thing as a stupid question. Only stupid assumptions :)

You don't have to have it. Depends on what your mechanic has done between services. When the cars roll off the factory floor, the brake fluid is filled to the full line with new brake pads.

As the pads wear over time, the pistons in the calliper moves further and further out to keep the pads in contact with the rotors. This leads to the fluids in the reservoir dropping below the "Max" line but should still be well above the "Min" line. Some mechanics leave it as is (which is what you are supposed to do), other's top it up.

Topping it up creates a problem when you replace the pads. As the new pads will be thicker than your worn pads, you have to push the pistons back to their outer position to accept new pads. This forces brake fluid back up the line into the reservoir, which if topped up, will overfill. And it will leak everywhere (trust me, I learned the hard way :P )

Best to have a syringe or something ready to remove the excess fluid when you are pushing on the pistons.

Also, check to see if your brake fluid is currently near the "Max" line as an indication to see if your mechanic has topped up the fluid.


If you decide to remove fluid, only remove what you need to. The last thing you want is for the level dropping below "Min" line, and air getting into the system.

A note regarding the guide / slide bolts holding the calliper onto the car, they only require very little torque to do up. I wouldn't go past 30 Nm of torque. Don't over torque it as the bolt will easily strip.

Thanks very much, ill post if i have any issues... seems pretty easy, ill just take my time and be carefull...

Thank you!

[agentthumb]

One more thing to note, brake fluid attract moisture. So don't leave the lid to the reservoir open while you are changing the pads.

[Golf7Tdi]

Thanks mate, got it done :)

Not too hard after you know what your doing,

Appreciate the help!

[agentthumb]

Thanks mate, got it done :)

Not too hard after you know what your doing,

Appreciate the help!

No worries :) did you enjoy the "bed in" process? :D


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[ilium007]

Hi guys - I need new pads for a Mk7 GTI PP and looking at either the Remsa or EBC Redstuff pads. I am machining OEM rotors this time round.

Any opinions on either of these pads ? I know the EBC Redstuff pads are ceramic but are supposed to still give good cold stopping performance - would like any advice on noise levels.

I am in Brisbane and have only found Brakes Direct to supply.

[Umai Naa!!]

If the discs are already lipped, I'd throw them away. By the time you machine the lip off, and skim the surface true again, they'll be pretty close to undersized. You get virtually zero tolerance with them, and Remsa pads will just trash them anyway.

Can highly recommend ATE Ceramics, with ATE discs.

You can get these from any one of 5 ATE Brake Centres around Brisbane.

[ilium007]

If the discs are already lipped, I'd throw them away. By the time you machine the lip off, and skim the surface true again, they'll be pretty close to undersized. You get virtually zero tolerance with them, and Remsa pads will just trash them anyway.

Can highly recommend ATE Ceramics, with ATE discs.

You can get these from any one of 5 ATE Brake Centres around Brisbane.

Ok thanks - I'll see if I can find tolerance specs. The vehicle has done 20,000km. One track day (well... the driver) trashed the OEM pads.

[ilium007]

If the discs are already lipped, I'd throw them away. By the time you machine the lip off, and skim the surface true again, they'll be pretty close to undersized. You get virtually zero tolerance with them, and Remsa pads will just trash them anyway.

Can highly recommend ATE Ceramics, with ATE discs.

You can get these from any one of 5 ATE Brake Centres around Brisbane.

Rang ATE direct as the service centres in Brisbane wouldn't sell parts.

Front rotors: $205+GST each
Pads: $243+ GST set

Over budget ! Any other recommendations ?

[ilium007]

Purchased rotors and pads from Brakes Direct - professional service from the guys down at Hendra in Brisbane.

[Servo]

Purchased rotors and pads from Brakes Direct - professional service from the guys down at Hendra in Brisbane.

What did you end up going with? I'm thinking of getting the DBA slotted front and back

[ilium007]

The DBA slotted weren't available as they only hit the market last Monday. I could have had them custom made by DBA but it would have taken a week. Just went with the DBA standard street series as DBA Sydney only had 1 x heavy duty solid rotor in stock. Slotted would have looked better :grin:

Parts I used were:

DBA2830E | DBA Street Series Standard Brake Rotor
1470.01 | Remsa Brake Pads (included new calliper slide bolts)

Got it all from Brakes Direct in Brisbane.

Just sitting in the car on the side of the road now waiting for them to cool down after first bed in run. So far they seem as good if not better than OEM.

29717

29720

29719

[Servo]

Nice. I had slotted DBA's on my old Polo and they were fantastic and never squeaked.

[ilium007]

Just drive this one again and these brakes work better than OEM.

[KorwinAU]

I'm wondering if anyone out there has tried to upgrade the rear calipers on a standard MK7 GTI at any point. I recently upgraded the front brakes with PP Calipers and some ECS 2 piece rotors. I went to do the same with the rear however the parts I ordered turned out to be for a manual hand brake rather than the electronic brake. I"ll need to return the rear calipers as they aren't much use to me but does anyone know if there is any difference between the PP and Non PP when it comes to models with the electric rear park brake? Eye balling the rear rotors at the moment and the braking surface area seems to be identical which suggests the rotor diameter is the same, of course the rears are solid and not vented unlike the replacement rotor's I have so it's a different thickness (22 vs 10).

[dudgemo]

You'll need the caliper carrier as well as the caliper it's self.

Part numbers are;

Caliper carrier: 5Q0615425
Caliper left: 8V0615423A
Caliper right: 8V0615424A

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[beroukas]

Hey Guys, had a read through the thread first and didn't really get an answer so i thought i'd post away.

Got a 2014 MK7 R, 45000 Kms and VW mentioned my pads are low but discs only 50%. 2 weeks later the MFD is indicating low pads. (surprise surprise)

Rather than just throwing some new pads to get by, i was considering doing an upgrade on the disc's & pads (front only for now). I dont want to create any noise(squeal) or additional dust to standard but wondered if there is the an aftermarket street performance disk,pad arrangement that is trending as a good choice for my car.

No Track use, just daily spirited driving, intend to get a stage 1 tune by end of the year it would be good to do some future proofing

Thoughts?

Cheers in advance

[Umai Naa!!]

The ATE Ceramics are probably your best bet, but price them up first.

Actually, PM me your details since you're in Sydney, and I'll see what I can do.

[gerhard]

My 08 GTI wears the rear pads faster.

Don't be a cheapskate and do fronts only - do the whole car.

[Kachingg]

Yeah thats true the vw's apply the rear's 1st under normal light braking i have gone though 2 sets of back brakes vs 1 set of fronts in my mark 6
Getting a mark 7.5 this week been looking at a bbk or upgrading rotors/pads but have called several vw performance centres in melbourne none of who have bothered to get back to me :( maybe they think i am just a tyre kicker? disappointing as i want some further mods including coilovers and tune further down the track and would use the same company that helped me out with brakes... oh well will just paint calipers atm for a good look and upgrade later when i do coilovers and tune maybe they will listen then

[beroukas]

Thanks for the feedback all..

I'll go flash a torch on the rears and have a look.. although my VW Service only mentioned the fronts, which is strange if the rears grab first..

Too much driving in reverse [emoji16]

What disc with the ATE Ceramic.. I've used the DBA Slotted in the past..


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[Kachingg]

From all i have read the dba t3/t4 slotted seem to be a good pick

[Umai Naa!!]

ATE recommends their own discs, for optimal performance.

[Kachingg]

Yup i bet they do
And all other's are inferior i bet hmmm
Do your research fit what you think is good for you all have pro's and con's usually price with aftermarket rotors

[Reedy]

Hey, just had a 60000klm service done and my mechanic said I've got huge grooves on just the inner of both front rotors. I did not get to see them but I put my hand over and felt, the seemed very deep. Car brakes ok with no squeaking.
Anybody else had this? I'm seeing if VW will cover this under warranty. Funny thing is there is plenty of meat still left on the pads. I don't drive hard.


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[Kachingg]

The oem rotors are made from a soft iron to pass the eu test for stopping with cold brakes when the brake booster fails
That said 60k is low for that to happen but you have a r so i bet the vw warranty people will go hard driving/it's a wear item
Ect did your mechanic say they needed replacing?
If not keep using them also usually the oem brakes have 1 or 2 pistons on the inside of the caliper that press against the rotor and the other side gets pulled onto rotor
That can also lead to the wear you are seeing
If vw won't come to the party with replacing them
Get some aftermarket dba/rda ect rotors more expensive yes
But much harder iron plus better looking if you go for the slotted look
Let us know how you get on with the warranty claim

[Umai Naa!!]

Yup i bet they do
And all other's are inferior i bet hmmm
Do your research fit what you think is good for you all have pro's and con's usually price with aftermarket rotors

Yeah, cool...

[Reedy]

The oem rotors are made from a soft iron to pass the eu test for stopping with cold brakes when the brake booster fails
That said 60k is low for that to happen but you have a r so i bet the vw warranty people will go hard driving/it's a wear item
Ect did your mechanic say they needed replacing?
If not keep using them also usually the oem brakes have 1 or 2 pistons on the inside of the caliper that press against the rotor and the other side gets pulled onto rotor
That can also lead to the wear you are seeing
If vw won't come to the party with replacing them
Get some aftermarket dba/rda ect rotors more expensive yes
But much harder iron plus better looking if you go for the slotted look
Let us know how you get on with the warranty claim

Thanks for that mate. Yes I bet they say hard breaking, which I don't do as there is plenty of meat on the pads left, still worth a try. My mechanic said they are fine and it breaks fine, as if he had not told me I wouldn't off noticed. Yes it will be some T3's and remsa pads sooner rather than later, even though it's fine I still know it's there. Booked in at VW tomorrow, I'll let you know. As I say, pads are like new and the outer of the rotors are perfect. It's just both the front insides.


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[Reedy]

Ok. According to VW these deep grooves are suppose to be there, it's how they balance the rotor?? I'll try and get some pictures next time.


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[csingh]

Anybody on here fitted the Forge big brake kit?

Any feedback, comments, etc?

Thanks

[Kachingg]

Ok. According to VW these deep grooves are suppose to be there, it's how they balance the rotor?? I'll try and get some pictures next time.


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Really! That's a surprise i will check mine when i get it now see if its the same.. not a r model tho

At least you will get 60k+ more out of them tho :rolleyes:

[Umai Naa!!]

On the friction surface, grooves are a sign of wear.

Where the vents are, yes there is a groove all the way around, including a relief or two, for the purpose of balancing.

[Reedy]

Just watched a YouTube video of someone changing their front rotors and there are no grooves in their rotors. I hope VW don't mean the gaps between the outer and inner part of the rotor as they had to charge me $85 for wasting their time. I'm going back to my mechanic tomorrow to take some photos. I'm wondering when I said grooves and chunks missing they just looked at the space between the inner and outer part. I'm going to be disappointed if I take pictures tomorrow and it's obvious the inner of the rotor face is damaged....

I'll keep you posted.

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2017/07/f3a911eba0d333e2585139b25402f215-1.jpg


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[Reedy]

Ok, just been back to my mechanic to take some pictures. There has been a mix up in translation. From the pictures you can see deep grooves going round, these grooves are only on the outer edge and are about 20mm wide. Same on both sides of the car. VW must have thought I meant on the inner of the rotor where the spaces are for ventilation.
http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2017/07/de4b7fd4dacfa37aa33a9480a586c58e-1.jpghttp://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2017/07/899b49b470ba7ab6446d6b62f000fb90-1.jpg


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[Umai Naa!!]

Yeah, they're done.

[Reedy]

I know. Thing is though they charged me $85 and didn't even see this. I'm back down there next week for new window switches I'll have to go through it again with them and then wait for the excuse 'Heavy Breaking'.


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[Kachingg]

Yeah thats bad

you will probably be asked if you have tracked the car :confused:

On the plus side good excuse to upgrade your brakes

Good luck getting them to see fault

[Reedy]

Yes there is always a plus side. I'm thinking T3's on the front with remsa pads. Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated just for a daily driver. I had the T2's with remsa pads on my GTI with no issues. I do here of people mentioning ceramic pads? Any thoughts?

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[Kachingg]

Yes there is always a plus side. I'm thinking T3's on the front with remsa pads. Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated just for a daily driver. I had the T2's with remsa pads on my GTI with no issues. I do here of people mentioning ceramic pads? Any thoughts?

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I was looking at ceramic pads pro,s are long life and 80% reduction in dust less rotor wear as well
the con is you have to push pedal a bit harder when pads are cold still give good stopping power but need a good push till they get a bit of heat tho i think you could cancel a lot of that out with a good rotor as the reviews i read online were mostly just replacing stock pads with ceramics and staying stock with rotors

[Reedy]

Cheers mate.


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[KorwinAU]

Thanks for that info :)

Another quick question, is the caliper motor the same part number between the two?

[Kachingg]

Thanks for that info :)

Another quick question, is the caliper motor the same part number between the two?

Thats a question i don't know the answer to sorry mate

[KorwinAU]

The search continues then. So far all I've got to go on is this random German ebay listing for a series of spares pulled from a standard TDI.

Verkaufe Stellmotor fur Handbremse (3Q0998281) von VW Golf 7 VII in Bayern - Prackenbach | eBay Kleinanzeigen (https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/verkaufe-stellmotor-fuer-handbremse-3q0998281-von-vw-golf-7-vii/689581385-223-5931)

The part number matches up with the rear left motor for the 8V calipers.

Genuine Volkswagen Audi - 3Q0998281 - Parking Brake Motor - left (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/parking-brake-motor-left/3q0998281/)

I mean they have to go back to the parts bin at some point, seems foolish to make multiple e-brake motors for cars on the same platform.

[Kachingg]

Hey guys has anyone done this to the mark 7?
(love everything about my new 7.5 except the brakes are a bit wooden)
If so how much?

Most important is where or who would do it?
I have rung 3 vw performance shops before recieving my car but not 1 got back to me by phone or email, maybe thought i was a tyre kicker?

Would love a bbk but rims wont fit them(calipers will hit inside of rims and spacers are illegal) plus warranty issues with new car, next best bet is r brakes as oem wont be warranty issues as long as correctly fitted just finding them and getting fitted (would love some t3 or t4 rotors so would only need calipers, mountings and the other bits) is the issue

Thanks guys

[Kachingg]

Hey all

Update for those interested in r brake upgrades

I accepted a quote for $1990 for a r brake front upgrade including almost new (less than 800klm) calipers new drilled zimmerman rotors(340mm) new lines and fluid
For the rears which i am upgrading as well i had to buy a new kit from germany for $665 landed including calipers,parking servo's,mounting brackets and pads have not got a price for zimmerman rotors or fitting yet prob another $400 to $600ish

Also going to be up for getting them painted as fronts are black and rears red (going to have to go bright gold again)

Will keep this updated and i may ask the mods to make a seperate thread for it so others can find it easy if they are thinking about it

[KorwinAU]

So completed today my rear brake upgrade from the standard GTI rears to the PP/R/S3 rears. Good news is that my suspicions where correct and the servo motor used for the e-brake is identical between the platforms meaning the motor off any MQB platform car with an electronic park brake will work. I've bolted on some 2-piece ECS rotors and braided lines and some EBC Red Stuff pads to match the swap I did at the front.

IMG_20170902_122531.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/121mgmtUzjNsc_8sSFDkm-h4Twol0dQvQ6w/view?usp=sharing)
IMG_20170902_122517.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L_yEXRDLEOAeSE8T8A8Myi0UFHIiYPbDgw/view?usp=sharing)

Some earlier shots of the fronts.

IMG_20170716_134934.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/134LnuXG5lwpSF1JOJPoSVBsSGlNAVFopmg/view?usp=sharing)
IMG_20170716_134921.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JfcIN80zQSHjHPDaLrzaZNNNPsAx3UjArw/view?usp=sharing)

[Kachingg]

So completed today my rear brake upgrade from the standard GTI rears to the PP/R/S3 rears. Good news is that my suspicions where correct and the servo motor used for the e-brake is identical between the platforms meaning the motor off any MQB platform car with an electronic park brake will work. I've bolted on some 2-piece ECS rotors and braided lines and some EBC Red Stuff pads to match the swap I did at the front.

IMG_20170902_122531.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/121mgmtUzjNsc_8sSFDkm-h4Twol0dQvQ6w/view?usp=sharing)
IMG_20170902_122517.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L_yEXRDLEOAeSE8T8A8Myi0UFHIiYPbDgw/view?usp=sharing)

Some earlier shots of the fronts.

IMG_20170716_134934.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/134LnuXG5lwpSF1JOJPoSVBsSGlNAVFopmg/view?usp=sharing)
IMG_20170716_134921.jpg - Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JfcIN80zQSHjHPDaLrzaZNNNPsAx3UjArw/view?usp=sharing)

looks nice mate just what i am going to do to mine :)

Whats the difference between the gti setup and the r/pp you have now? Is it noticeable on the road or only when your tracking/driving hard?

What pads did you fit? i am going ceramic as not tracking it so better for road use


Where did your get the rear calipers from i had to order mine in from Germany! could not find any at a reasonable cost out here wreckers either did not have em or wanted way to much



Checked all the parts numbers and identical so pulled the trigger in the ebay listing it had fits all mark 7 models s3 audi ect so you are correct same caliper and servo motor across entire range which makes sense when you think about it big cost saving in tooling and parts inventory

[KorwinAU]

The rear calipers I got from shopdap in the US, swapped them over when I initially ordered the wrong ones. I'm using EBC Red Stuff ceramics on all 4 corners, I'm not tracking the car on any sort of regular basis so a high performance street pad was my best option. I'm yet to take it for a proper drive to see how the breaking holds up over a longer harder drive but the bonus for the time being is the reduction in un-sprung weight, makes the car feel a little more nimble. The peddle feel is more linear so there is a much better level of control over the amount of brake pressure I can apply.

Also it looks great...

[Kachingg]

Yeah they do look very nice thats the main reason i am doing mine also the pedal feel is a bit wooden hope it picks up a bit
Did you order the manual handbrake one from the states?
I was looking at calipers over there but found a great set in germany
Also did you have to get the larger brakes engineered for compliance or it was ok because they are oem?

Great look on your car really picks it up well done

[KorwinAU]

The only thing I'd say of note so far is that running ceramics all round will result in a slight reduction in initial bite feel from the brakes over metallic pads like the factory ones. Nothing major just takes a little adjusting to.

[Kachingg]

The only thing I'd say of note so far is that running ceramics all round will result in a slight reduction in initial bite feel from the brakes over metallic pads like the factory ones. Nothing major just takes a little adjusting to.

Yeah thats what my research has turned up 2 but i am ok with that i am vry easy on brakes being a heavy truck driver always using engine braking and leaving large braking gaps also new calipers will have slightly larger pads so should balance out ok

Got the new calipers they are off for painting will get them fitted when i am back from holidays

30384

30957

painted now :) off for fitting on 1st november

[Kachingg]

31149

Looks as good as i thought it would :)

[blaast]

It's time for new pads (and rotors?) on our Golf R-line, 80,000kms.

Approximately how many kms are left from when the wear indicator comes on (light traffic driving)?
Is it likely the rotors will last two pad changes, or should rotors be done too?
Would you do front and rear, or only the front if rear are okay?
What are your recommendations for pads and rotors (since the last post was 3 years ago)?

Brakes Direct suggested standard DBA rotors with Brembo pads.
Front DBA Street Series Rotors - $87.97ea (2 req) - DBA2810 DBA Street Series Standard Brake Rotor (https://brakesdirect.com.au/aus/dba2810-dba-street-series-standard-brake-rotor.html)
Front Brembo Ceramic Pads - $117.97set - P85126N | Brembo Ceramic Brake Pads (DB2383) (https://brakesdirect.com.au/aus/p85126-brembo-brake-pads.html)

Thanks in advance!

[Lucas_R]

You should safely have several thousand km’s of brake pad material left when the low pad indicator lights up on your dash.

I just fitted ATE Ceramic pads to my Mk7 GTI Performance and am extremely happy with them. Mainly wanted them for the low dust factor of the ceramic compound combined with the lower disk wear rate.

https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2020/10/ea34071727eaa164c14cb82ac0199919-1.jpg

https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2020/10/43cdf50eeab9a993a983285dd00404ad-1.jpg

https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2020/10/61d6c4e0bebf1af087575527a1f92ae5-1.jpg

https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2020/10/c0dc94a9a68002482ad48cddf3665879-1.jpg

[davman]

Just be careful when you buy "Ceramic" pads for the low dust factor. Not all Ceramics are the same.
I too have used the same part number ATE Ceramic as Lucas has - and they are fantastic from the dust factor.

I have recently put on some other brand of well know Ceramic and they are completely useless from a a dust factor. In fact I would say these ones make "Stuff-all" difference to brake dust over standard pads.

[Lucas_R]

I have used these Bremtec Euroline “Ceramic Technology” pads previously (sourced from Brakes Direct website), and although they are a bit better on dust compared to the factory pads - they are still a very dusty pad.

https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2020/10/99672b1a014ceb1d611147a12cdf57d0-1.jpg

[brad]

I use those DBA plain face rotors and they are a great "normal driver" replacement.

It's $80-$100/pair to machine rotors these days so why would you bother with the very soft factory rotors when new rotors are so cheap?

I haven't used the Brembo pads so can't comment.

I did try the Bremtec Pro on my daughters Honda (on Brakes Direct Recommendation) and wasn't impressed.

I would ask Brakes Direct what the DBA pads are like. They are probably re-badged Wagners which I have on the Octavia and the dust control, noise, instant grip is great.

[DrMat]

Just don't fit TEXTAR pads... OMFG worst brake dust ever, should go back to OEM!

[Reedy]

Ceramic Brake Pads for clean wheels
Ceramic Brake Pads for clean wheels (https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?share_fid=424&share_tid=121039&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Evwwatercooled%2Ecom%2Eau%2 Fforums%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D121039&share_type=t&link_source=app)


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[Reedy]

I’ve done 110000klms with this set up and still looking good and plenty of life left in them.


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[DrMat]

Yeah at the time i replaced pads couldn't find any ceramic in stock anywhere so asked the local mechanic to recommend something low dust.... ahem.