6 Pot Brake upgrade???

[ozgti]

What do you guys think of this?

6 pot caliper/discs

Seem reasonably priced, but the only thing is ADR/warranty/reliability.

[Corey_R]

The link didn't work for me...

The 6 pot brake upgrades I've seen would require a 12mm spacer and only certain 18" wheels for clearance - such a the Porsche Cayenne kit from ECS Tuning. I'm not aware of what the ADR's are around wheel spacers.

I've always thought that the Golf GTI and R32 brakes were quite good, until seeing the most recent Motor 2010 Bang For Your Buck roundup where the GTI and R did a 100kph to stop in over 39m, compared to only 36m of the test winning Nissan 370Z. In fact, the Golf's were basically the worse of the test.

So due to that, I'm too interested in brake upgrade options for when I get my Golf R and do an APR Stage II upgrade. Having said that, I think maybe a 6 pot upgrade is overkill! Surely there is some middle ground

I know that there are Brembo and Alcon Brake upgrade kits for the MKV and MK6 Golf's available locally, but they start at ~$4500 and go to ~$5500 from what I've seen. I'm not really planning on entering club racing events, I just would like the car to stop in less distance! So I didn't really want to spend this type of money either

[Maverick]

What do you guys think of this?

6 pot caliper/discs

Seem reasonably priced, but the only thing is ADR/warranty/reliability.

This link should work - KIDO 6 POT BRAKE CALIPER KIT VW GOLF MK6 GTI 13" ROTORS: eBay Motors (item 250668990061 end time Aug-18-10 01:16:35 PDT)

If not search for item 250668990061

Personally I wouldn't touch them, they're coming out of Taiwan, the specs are vague and I wouldn't be willing to trust my life with an unknown set of calipers, discs and pads (even if they do look good) especially when as coreying pointed out that Alcon and Brembo are $4500 to $5500 for the equivilant.

Details from the ebay listing

CALIPER SIZE MIDDLE 6 POT

ROTOR SIZE 330MM(13")

LIST PRICE USD2070

SALE PRICE USD1500

PART NO. MD6-AR1

MANUFACTURER KIDO

MODEL V.W. GOLF MK6 GTI

YEAR 09~UP

Item : 　 　 　
KIDO MIDDLE 6 PISTONS CALIPER 　
Rotor / Wheel size : 　
ØO330(two piece rotors)- / 17" wheel 　
　
　
Color :ANODIZING RED 　
Other color need to charge extra fees,please ask me at first (For Example:Black, Silver Painting,blue,green) 　
　 　
Package contains : 　
Caliper x 2pcs +Adapter x2pcs +Two piece Rotor x2pcs + Brake Pads.
　 　
Material ： 　
Wrought aluminum alloy


YOU ARE BIDDING ON A COMPLETE FRONT BRAKE KIT FROM KIDO. EACH KIT CONTAINS A MATCHED SET OF CALIPERS AND ROTORS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR EACH APPLICATION. INSTALLING LARGER BRAKES WILL DECREASE YOUR STOPPING DISTANCE, PROLONG THE LIFE OF THE PADS AND ROTORS AND FILL UP THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CALIPER/ROTOR AND BARREL OF WHEEL

6 PISTON CALIPERSX2(PISTON SIZE IN Ø38,36,30)

● SLOTTED 330MM(13") TWO PIECE ROTORS X 2

●STAINLESS STEEL BRAKELINESX2(This parts need to added USD35)

● 1 SET OF RACING PERFORMANCE BRAKE PADS

● BRAKE ADAPTER X 2

[Golf Houso]

The link didn't work for me...


So due to that, I'm too interested in brake upgrade options for when I get my Golf R and do an APR Stage II upgrade. Having said that, I think maybe a 6 pot upgrade is overkill! Surely there is some middle ground

I know that there are Brembo and Alcon Brake upgrade kits for the MKV and MK6 Golf's available locally, but they start at ~$4500 and go to ~$5500 from what I've seen. I'm not really planning on entering club racing events, I just would like the car to stop in less distance! So I didn't really want to spend this type of money either

Having been in and driven a MKIV with 380mm 6 pot Brembo/APR brakes, I have to say it is astonishing. Hands down the best value for money mod on any big HP car!!!

[ozgti]

I have 2 sets of 4 pots, 1 Brembo and 1 AP racing, but the Brembo's are in the UK still. I'm going to need some serious clearance on the APS though. Does anyone have the specs on the standard disc dimensions?

Has anyone in Oz fitted 4 pots to a Mk 5/6?

[hooba]

I've always thought that the Golf GTI and R32 brakes were quite good, until seeing the most recent Motor 2010 Bang For Your Buck roundup where the GTI and R did a 100kph to stop in over 39m, compared to only 36m of the test winning Nissan 370Z. In fact, the Golf's were basically the worse of the test.

I wonder what role the tyres or pads played in that test....

Unless you are going to do regular track work in your GTI / R and are chasing incremental performance gains, there is nothing wrong with the OEM brakes IMHO. Anyone who rode in the R around Eastern Creek will attest to the fact that it stopped at turn 2 pretty well, lap after lap.

[dave_r]

there is nothing wrong with the OEM brakes IMHO.

Yeah I thought the OEM R stoppers were good enough. For spirited driving, I'd look into some decent pads before spending serious cash on rotor/caliper upgrades which would be slightly overkill unless doing regular track work.

Wouldn't touch that eBay **** though!

[hooba]

Wouldn't touch that eBay **** though!

Go on, at least it'll be "exciting"!

[fuzion]

4 pot setup is all you need to be honest.

unless you track the car, 6 is purely useless and waste of money.

a 4 pot porsche setup with merc discs should cost you no more then $2200-2500 locally inc pads, rotors, braided lines, carriers, calipers.

and oem r and s3 is 345mm with single pot which is more then ample for hard driving inc a bit of track use with right pads and rotors.

only upgrade if YOU actually need it.. to many people upgrading because 'looks good' or they think they're brakes dont stop well

[dave_r]

Go on, at least it'll be "exciting"!

LOL always is until someone gets hurt! I'll stick with pad upgrades for they're even needed.

[Corey_R]

a 4 pot porsche setup with merc discs should cost you no more then $2200-2500 locally inc pads, rotors, braided lines, carriers, calipers.

This is actually the option that I thought was most logical - using the Porsche parts. But where about would you go locally to obtain this type of setup?

[dave_r]

This is actually the option that I thought was most logical - using the Porsche parts. But where about would you go locally to obtain this type of setup?

Porsche I know a few people in the past who've walked into the Porsche service desk in Melbourne and bought bits over the counter. You just need to know which bits are suitable.

[prise]

I've always thought that the Golf GTI and R32 brakes were quite good, until seeing the most recent Motor 2010 Bang For Your Buck roundup where the GTI and R did a 100kph to stop in over 39m, compared to only 36m of the test winning Nissan 370Z. In fact, the Golf's were basically the worse of the test.

That's not necessarily the brakes and may have more to do with the nose heavy weight distribution of the Golfs (you also need to compare trye specs). A heavily loaded tyre becomes less efficient in braking and cornering relative to a lightly loaded tyre so unfortunately with a front weight bias the front tyres only get more heavily loaded under braking. Just have a look at the relative size of the front and rear disks if you want an indication of how much harder the fronts are worked during hard braking. It is no coincidence that the king of braking (Porsche) have a rear weight bias which evens up under braking.

Provided the brakes aren't fading and the ABS calibration is OK then the braking system should be able to hold the tyres close the optimum slip ratio. There is no guarantee that a larger 6pot setup will improve this and if it affects the cal of the ABS or increases unsprung mass it could even degrade brake effectiveness. On a race track with brake fade an issue it might be worthwhile, but not for road use.

[Banzai]

As others have said, tyres are the limiter for regular braking. Only look at bigger disks and calipers on the street if you can't get your ABS to fire.

The first upgrades should be decent pads, then fluid and braided hoses. Braided lines don't improve braking but they do improve pedal consistency as the lines don't go soft when the fluid get hot which causes them to swell under hard braking. Discs with better heat dispersion properties (decent 2-piece) are the next step.

Good performance fluids are more hygroscopic than regular ones and should be replaced at least annually. My preferred brake fluid for my non-VW is Motul RBF600.

On the track (or road competition) bigger disks and pads will allow you to stop more times before they overheat. If you have super sticky tyres or slicks you can take advantage of the extra clamping force.

Be wary about changing calipers. You need to maintain or improve the proportioning between front and rear or your braking will be unbalanced which can be pretty nasty.

[Maverick]

Be wary about changing calipers. You need to maintain or improve the proportioning between front and rear or your braking will be unbalanced which can be pretty nasty.

EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) automatically varies the amount of force applied to each corner.

In non EBD equipped vehicle there is a fixed front to rear brake bias which is what you're thinking of.

EBD is also the system responsible for applying more braking pressure on the rear brakes to minimise weight transfer to the front.