6
Just Clowning Around
- Thread starter clownish
- Start date
Cadubya
Autocross Newbie
Rear brackets for my rear BBK painted and dried. Spent at least 10 hours cleaning used 17z rear calipers from a Q7 to prep for paint. Rinse, wire wheel, rinse, wire brush, dry w/ air compressor, rinse, degreaser, soda blast, rinse, degreaser, rinse. Dry with propane torch just to make sure everything is dried. Rounds and rounds before finally wiping down for paint.
Spent under 30 minutes actually painting with a cheap $40 amazon paint gun. Now drying...
Spot caliper for ebrake and heat shield from main calipers.
Prepped main rear 17z calipers
Looks like a bumper cover for a RV car?
Spot caliper taken apart to paint
Shims from spot caliper
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What's the piston area difference over the OEM rear calipers?
clownish
just clowning around
Dunno. I can harass some people to help find that out - but you could do the same. [emoji23]
I was bored this winter so this was an easy and interesting project to handle while the car wastes away in the garage.
Checked the paint this afternoon and everything looks good. I like this G2 kit - it's designed as a DIY kit but the high enamel paint is easy to lay down, has a high gloss finish and doesn't require clear coating. Finishing it like normal paint isn't an option (buffing for orange peel etc.) but on brake calipers who cares? It'll be dirty a minute after getting mounted on the car.
Plus using a paint gun instead of a brush meant I covered the 17z calipers, the spot calipers for ebrake, brake carriers and odds and ends like heat shields and bolts all with one little can of paint. Probably 8oz? I have another can of paint but didn't even mix it up because the gun made paint use so much more efficient.
Still to come this week is finishing installing the new seals, pistons and dust boots. And Brembo stickers. Got some cheap high temp vinyls off ebay. They worked on my front calipers just being slapped on - three years later they still look new - so I got a few more.
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Cadubya
Autocross Newbie
All three caliper sizes options are way too big Jon. The brake pedal travel might be long as hell. The smallest option still has a piston area over twice the size of the OEM rear caliper options. Be careful man.
OEM:
GTI/RS: C38 > 1134 mm²
S3/R32/R: C41 > 1320 mm²
Q7/Touareg/Cayenne (there are 3):
34/36/38 mm : 907.920 + 1017.876 + 1134.115 = ~ 3060 mm²
32/36/38 mm : 804.248 + 1017.876 + 1134.115 = ~ 2956 mm²
30/34/38 mm : 706.858 + 907.920 + 1134.115 = ~ 2749 mm²
clownish
just clowning around
People make such a big deal of it but even without upgrading my brake mc it was okay for dailying. I will see how it is after we install it and if it doesn't feel right we will make sure to fix it.
I did end up replacing my brake mc to a tts sized one and if it's that big of a deal I'll do it again and find something larger.
Aren't these measurements for the fronts not rears? Edit: the 17z measurements are definitely wrong. The 17z caliper isn't a 6 piston but a 4 in the rear. I can measure them before rebuilding and see. Also the rotor would be a rear golf r so a 310mm I think.
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I did end up replacing my brake mc to a tts sized one and if it's that big of a deal I'll do it again and find something larger.
Aren't these measurements for the fronts not rears? Edit: the 17z measurements are definitely wrong. The 17z caliper isn't a 6 piston but a 4 in the rear. I can measure them before rebuilding and see. Also the rotor would be a rear golf r so a 310mm I think.
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Cadubya
Autocross Newbie
Yeah you're right. Those are the 6 piston fronts. If the rears are 4 piston then they need to be like 30/28mm pistons to be sized correctly. It's not just bias that's the issue. It's the amount of fluid you're going to have to move. They'll work, but it'll take a whole lot more pedal travel to get more braking power and if it's really bad you'll bottom out the pedal before abs can be invoked. I'm definitely down for an upgrade, but it has to make sense performance wise for me.
clownish
just clowning around
I should have measured those today. Was cleaning the pistons and assorted hardware and totally forgot. You've made me curious bout it now.
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Cadubya
Autocross Newbie
clownish
just clowning around
Ken got bored and assembled them for me. We installed this weekend. So never had a chance to measure.
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Cadubya
Autocross Newbie
clownish
just clowning around
Warning - Long post w/ tons of pictures.
Breakdown: stripped the interior of the car down almost entirely. To reach the parking brake cables which are buried under the center column meant removing all of it. Took out the backseat just for more working room. Huge pain in the butt to remove and another pain to put back in nicely. Still broke some clips so I am going to have to redo it later.
Remember to have your radio removal keys to get the MDI out otherwise it'll take a lot of screwing around to get that thing uncoupled.
Stripped down to the parking brake handle tower.
Parking brake cable hook up, located under the floor directly under the center armrest.
Actually did this first, but stripping the brake assembly in the rear. To start: Stock GTI rear calipers on some aftermarket rotors.
To install we have to replace the brake carriers which means removing the rear bearings. So have to strip the rears. Rotors removed.
Shields and bearings removed. Caliper, lines etc also coming out or already out.
The new brackets fit pretty well, but there was one side that needed a bit of grinding to chamfer the edge. Once that material was removed, the bolt holes all lined up flush and in line, whereas before it stuck out a few mm.
Some material shaved on the bottom arm of the bracket.
I have steel spindles. If the car has aluminum rear spindles, you'd have to shave the brackets a bit differently. there would be a small spacer included in the kit from Fabless Manufacturing for the 6mm hole where the brake shield is bolted on in OEM form. These brackets reuse the hole just as a guide.
The problem when the bracket was not right. This issue was in both sides - just needed to grind off a little where it was marked to give more clearance.
Fitting the Wilwood spot caliper, which used a mk4 r32 parking brake cable. The FM brackets run the cable in a U shape but it's pretty broad.
How the cable runs. To fit it, had to remove a bracket on each side and trim the metal tubing where the brake cable enters the chassis about an inch.
Most of the bracket hardware for the calipers.
Spot caliper for parking fitted with the hardware - spring, spacers, etc.
Test fit.
Brake line running close to strut but it's quite rigid so it should be okay. If not, just zip tie it down.
Replaced front rotors and pads while at it. And bled and replaced brake fluid.
Cleaning bleeder screws and keeping the fluid from leaking everywhere.
Pedal feel is actually improved. Car is a bit twitchy and it feels like engagement is actually high than it was before. Once it breaks in further may look into adjusting front/rear bias. A butt feel/guess makes me think it is closer to 50-50, on brakes intended to stop 5000 lb vehicles. Maybe the new pads/rotors and new fluid contribute to that. Already have a rs3 master cylinder installed for over a year now. Parking brake works properly - stops the car from moving which is all it's intended to do here. Brakes feel good but haven't driven it more than bedding in and to the grocery store so it'll take some time to add miles on it. Initial impression is that I like it a lot.
A metric ton of work to get this installed on this weekend - can't thank my friends enough.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Breakdown: stripped the interior of the car down almost entirely. To reach the parking brake cables which are buried under the center column meant removing all of it. Took out the backseat just for more working room. Huge pain in the butt to remove and another pain to put back in nicely. Still broke some clips so I am going to have to redo it later.
Remember to have your radio removal keys to get the MDI out otherwise it'll take a lot of screwing around to get that thing uncoupled.
Stripped down to the parking brake handle tower.
Parking brake cable hook up, located under the floor directly under the center armrest.
Actually did this first, but stripping the brake assembly in the rear. To start: Stock GTI rear calipers on some aftermarket rotors.
To install we have to replace the brake carriers which means removing the rear bearings. So have to strip the rears. Rotors removed.
Shields and bearings removed. Caliper, lines etc also coming out or already out.
The new brackets fit pretty well, but there was one side that needed a bit of grinding to chamfer the edge. Once that material was removed, the bolt holes all lined up flush and in line, whereas before it stuck out a few mm.
Some material shaved on the bottom arm of the bracket.
I have steel spindles. If the car has aluminum rear spindles, you'd have to shave the brackets a bit differently. there would be a small spacer included in the kit from Fabless Manufacturing for the 6mm hole where the brake shield is bolted on in OEM form. These brackets reuse the hole just as a guide.
The problem when the bracket was not right. This issue was in both sides - just needed to grind off a little where it was marked to give more clearance.
Fitting the Wilwood spot caliper, which used a mk4 r32 parking brake cable. The FM brackets run the cable in a U shape but it's pretty broad.
How the cable runs. To fit it, had to remove a bracket on each side and trim the metal tubing where the brake cable enters the chassis about an inch.
Most of the bracket hardware for the calipers.
Spot caliper for parking fitted with the hardware - spring, spacers, etc.
Test fit.
Brake line running close to strut but it's quite rigid so it should be okay. If not, just zip tie it down.
Replaced front rotors and pads while at it. And bled and replaced brake fluid.
Cleaning bleeder screws and keeping the fluid from leaking everywhere.
Pedal feel is actually improved. Car is a bit twitchy and it feels like engagement is actually high than it was before. Once it breaks in further may look into adjusting front/rear bias. A butt feel/guess makes me think it is closer to 50-50, on brakes intended to stop 5000 lb vehicles. Maybe the new pads/rotors and new fluid contribute to that. Already have a rs3 master cylinder installed for over a year now. Parking brake works properly - stops the car from moving which is all it's intended to do here. Brakes feel good but haven't driven it more than bedding in and to the grocery store so it'll take some time to add miles on it. Initial impression is that I like it a lot.
A metric ton of work to get this installed on this weekend - can't thank my friends enough.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Cadubya
Autocross Newbie
Warning - Long post w/ tons of pictures.
Breakdown: stripped the interior of the car down almost entirely. To reach the parking brake cables which are buried under the center column meant removing all of it. Took out the backseat just for more working room. Huge pain in the butt to remove and another pain to put back in nicely. Still broke some clips so I am going to have to redo it later.
Remember to have your radio removal keys to get the MDI out otherwise it'll take a lot of screwing around to get that thing uncoupled.
Stripped down to the parking brake handle tower.
Parking brake cable hook up, located under the floor directly under the center armrest.
Actually did this first, but stripping the brake assembly in the rear. To start: Stock GTI rear calipers on some aftermarket rotors.
To install we have to replace the brake carriers which means removing the rear bearings. So have to strip the rears. Rotors removed.
Shields and bearings removed. Caliper, lines etc also coming out or already out.
The new brackets fit pretty well, but there was one side that needed a bit of grinding to chamfer the edge. Once that material was removed, the bolt holes all lined up flush and in line, whereas before it stuck out a few mm.
Some material shaved on the bottom arm of the bracket.
I have steel spindles. If the car has aluminum rear spindles, you'd have to shave the brackets a bit differently. there would be a small spacer included in the kit from Fabless Manufacturing for the 6mm hole where the brake shield is bolted on in OEM form. These brackets reuse the hole just as a guide.
The problem when the bracket was not right. This issue was in both sides - just needed to grind off a little where it was marked to give more clearance.
Fitting the Wilwood spot caliper, which used a mk4 r32 parking brake cable. The FM brackets run the cable in a U shape but it's pretty broad.
How the cable runs. To fit it, had to remove a bracket on each side and trim the metal tubing where the brake cable enters the chassis about an inch.
Most of the bracket hardware for the calipers.
Spot caliper for parking fitted with the hardware - spring, spacers, etc.
Test fit.
Brake line running close to strut but it's quite rigid so it should be okay. If not, just zip tie it down.
Replaced front rotors and pads while at it. And bled and replaced brake fluid.
Cleaning bleeder screws and keeping the fluid from leaking everywhere.
Pedal feel is actually improved. Car is a bit twitchy and it feels like engagement is actually high than it was before. Once it breaks in further may look into adjusting front/rear bias. A butt feel/guess makes me think it is closer to 50-50, on brakes intended to stop 5000 lb vehicles. Maybe the new pads/rotors and new fluid contribute to that. Already have a rs3 master cylinder installed for over a year now. Parking brake works properly - stops the car from moving which is all it's intended to do here. Brakes feel good but haven't driven it more than bedding in and to the grocery store so it'll take some time to add miles on it. Initial impression is that I like it a lot.
A metric ton of work to get this installed on this weekend - can't thank my friends enough.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Awesome write up. Looks great man.
clownish
just clowning around
One of my DeAutoKey fog light bulbs failed. 2/3 leds died and the harnesses are very corroded. I forgot to record when I installed them but it's been less than 15,000 mi with no winter driving at all. Not too impressed.
They warrantied the bulb I asked about and we will rebuild the harnesses so that they are properly weatherproofed etc. The resistor harness was not well made and the connectors between bulb and ballasts are 8pin connectors more suited to computers or interior devices than car applications. We will rebuild everything to be sturdier and properly weatherproof.
In the meantime we put the stock bulbs back in because I'll be busy for the next two weeks driving around. Should be a 3,000 mi road trip so it'll be kinda fun.
At the beginning of the month I hit 78,000 mi. By the end of this road trip I should be over 80,000. I'm at 78,500 or so right now.
Random photos since the car is buffed and cleaned in preparation for this trip. Including the annual application of rainX which I hate because it's so much work to buff off properly. At least the stuff works wondered
And one of a friend's.
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They warrantied the bulb I asked about and we will rebuild the harnesses so that they are properly weatherproofed etc. The resistor harness was not well made and the connectors between bulb and ballasts are 8pin connectors more suited to computers or interior devices than car applications. We will rebuild everything to be sturdier and properly weatherproof.
In the meantime we put the stock bulbs back in because I'll be busy for the next two weeks driving around. Should be a 3,000 mi road trip so it'll be kinda fun.
At the beginning of the month I hit 78,000 mi. By the end of this road trip I should be over 80,000. I'm at 78,500 or so right now.
Random photos since the car is buffed and cleaned in preparation for this trip. Including the annual application of rainX which I hate because it's so much work to buff off properly. At least the stuff works wondered
And one of a friend's.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited: