torga's Daily Build - black, 6mt, two-door shenanigans

[torga]

So a few days ago, I impulse bought a set of TT-RS front brakes. I fully intended to keep it simple and do a full R32 upgrade, but one night I just idly asked FB Marketplace if there were any TT-RS calipers in town.... and there were... for an absolute bargain. Especially in the condition they're in. They're practically flawless. I bought them from a guy who intended to put them on his B5 S4 but just never got around to it. Saw them on Sunday night, had them in my hands Monday after work.

Here are some photos.

Here are a few photos of them next to the R32 fronts I originally was going to use. The R32 calipers look CHUNKY compared to the TT-RS clamps.

For anyone curious about weights....

The TT-RS front caliper/carrier comes in at an even 9 lbs. and the R32 front caliper/carrier weighs 16.6 lbs. That's a huge difference! Almost a factor of two!

With my original R32 plan, I planned on doing StopTech slotted rotors all the way around. With the TT-RS fronts, the way I see it, I have three options:

Option 1: The Medium-Full Send
I stick with the solid StopTech slotted for the rear and I buy the crazy, 2pc full-floating Girodisc rotors for the front. I absolutely do not need these. But hot damn, are the Girodisc rotors sexy. Just eye-candy. Just imagine that setup behind the wheel. The full-send version of this plan would be buying the R32 2pc semi-floating rotors that ECS sells, for the rear.

Option 2: The Frugal Boy
I stick with the solid StopTech slotted for the rear and I buy OE rotor replacements for the fronts. Simple, get the job done. This would save about $400 in total over option 1. However, I've read that the stock rotors had a tendency to make noise with these calipers. Dunno how much of an issue this could be, though.

Option 3: The Understated Boy
Let's face it... 370mm front brakes on this car would definitely be excessive. I know, I know, it's my car, I can do whatever the hell I want with it. But for a more low-key upgrade -- and a cheaper rotor replacement cost down the road -- I could instead opt for this VAGBremtechnic carrier adapter, which brings these calipers inward to be usable with the 345mm rotors of the Mk5R32 and Mk6R. Then I'd pair them with the StopTech slotted rotors from before. This option only saves $300 over Option 1.

 

[Saabingti]

Lucky man! Those are beautiful.

What's the difference in rotor cost between Option 2 and 3? Could Option 3 pay for itself in the first replacement?

 

[KollinWithaK]

I dont see a full-full send option?

 

[torga]

Lucky man! Those are beautiful.

What's the difference in rotor cost between Option 2 and 3? Could Option 3 pay for itself in the first replacement?

F/R rotor replacement for option 2 would be about $800. The same for Option 3 would be about $600. For Option 1, F/R rotor replacement would be about $1,000.

I dont see a full-full send option?

Full-Full send is nested within Medium-Full send, at the end. Well, I guess Full-Full send would be to get the fully-floating Golf R rear rotors from Ceika. That's the only fully-floating 2pc I know for the R platform. Full-Full send would end up costing close to $2800, all said and done. WOOF.

 

[Saabingti]

F/R rotor replacement for option 2 would be about $800. The same for Option 3 would be about $600. For Option 1, F/R rotor replacement would be about $1,000.

So even though Option 3 is $100 more expensive up font compared to Opt 2, it's $200 cheaper per consumable replacement event. Math seems easy, but math doesn't ever take emotions or cool-factor in to account...

edit: nor does math take end performance goals in to account and those larger rotors might help with breaking force/heat. The 4pots on a smaller rotor may still be fine or more than fine for what you want but idk.

 

[torga]

So even though Option 3 is $100 more expensive up font compared to Opt 2, it's $200 cheaper per consumable replacement event. Math seems easy, but math doesn't ever take emotions or cool-factor in to account...

If I were only concerned with math, I'd just be getting new rotors/pads and sticking with my stock brakes!

 

[Saabingti]

If I were only concerned with math, I'd just be getting new rotors/pads and sticking with my stock brakes!

Very true! Hence the second sentence and the edit.

 

[torga]

edit: nor does math take end performance goals in to account and those larger rotors might help with breaking force/heat. The 4pots on a smaller rotor may still be fine or more than fine for what you want but idk.

I think that the smaller rotors would be more than fine for the soon-to-be track use -- this isn't a super heavy car. Solid rotors for learning and eventual 2pc for when I want more. So I should add that Option 2 will almost certainly end up leading to Option 1 when rotor replacement comes due. And Option 3 will likely have me get 2pc replacements as well.

 

[uglybastard]

just get fake rotors and call it a day

 

[torga]

just get fake rotors and call it a day

I'll just weld on some more iron on my stock GTI rotors -- build up some diameter to meet the new calipers.

#BuiltNotBought

 

[torga]

Mirror photo op! I circled back around the parking lot just to nab this.

 

[torga]

This past Sunday, I was at a club meet during an IRDC race at Pacific Raceways. During an intermission in the day's events, they let the club members out on the track for a few "parade laps", which apparently meant "don't be stupid" once we got away from the prying eyes at the paddock. I'll definitely need to raise the rear a bit, as well as add some neg camber to my LR -- I was rubbing only on that corner. Was a really fun day and I met some cool guys. Saw some really special cars!
Got a cool shot from one of the photographers there.

 

[torga]

Found another photo from a different photographer that day!

 

[torga]

Man, been a stranger for a while. Not much has happened. I decided to stick with the original Golf R brake plan, so I flipped the TT-RS brakes. I would've had to run an 8-10mm spacer in the front to make it work. I'm very pleased with my fitment as-is and didn't want to get a different set of wheels just to make some brakes work, so back to original plan. Absolutely do not want to run the extra camber or skinnier tire necessary with a 10mm spacer -- my shit is barely not rubbing as-is.
In "upgrade" news, I finally got an R32 undertray. My friend recently bought an '08 A3 that doesn't have a splash guard, so I told him I'd give him mine as an excuse to finally get the R32 tray. After a car club discount at a local dealer, the R32 tray was only $80, brand new. Now I have to remove my splash guard for oil changes because I'm an idiot.
I'll report my absolutely massive MPG gains soon.

 

[brat_burner]

Now I have to remove my splash guard for oil changes because I'm an idiot.

Nah, just get the cheap extractor.