Ok, so i've done a few modifications, but before I go any further I want to upgrade the standard brakes (plus they're about ready for replacing anyway!). I've been looking at the JKM Big Brake kit, but JKM are a long way away from me & they no longer offer it in Skoda "Minz" green :(.

So if what i've read on the forum is correct (and i've understood it!) I believe that I can fit the 345mm brakes from an Audi S3, or is that from a TT or TTS? If thats the case, what parts would I need? Any idea what the cost would be or the actual part numbers are?

I could of course just buy the JKM kit and re-paint it, but that seems a shame, unless thats the most cost effective way forwards! You see I still want to keep the OEM look and will want to keep the green caliper scheme

Any help in sorting this would be appreciated

you could of course just uprate your discs to a higher spec, say tarox discs, and then pairs them up with DS2500 pads, fit stainless steel brake lines and uprate the brakefluid to super dot 4 or 5.1, and you will get a massive difference with massively reduced fade.

Dan_the_v8man used just ds2500 pads on standard discs and said it was a marked improvement.

plus it 'll cost you around half the cost of the jkm kit i bet.

Edited 7 March, 200917 yr by simonskerton

Ok, so i've done a few modifications, but before I go any further I want to upgrade the standard brakes (plus they're about ready for replacing anyway!). I've been looking at the JKM Big Brake kit, but JKM are a long way away from me & they no longer offer it in Skoda "Minz" green :(.

So if what i've read on the forum is correct (and i've understood it!) I believe that I can fit the 345mm brakes from an Audi S3, or is that from a TT or TTS? If thats the case, what parts would I need? Any idea what the cost would be or the actual part numbers are?

I could of course just buy the JKM kit and re-paint it, but that seems a shame, unless thats the most cost effective way forwards! You see I still want to keep the OEM look and will want to keep the green caliper scheme

Any help in sorting this would be appreciated

The 'JKM kit' is the kit you mention - straight off an R32 / S3 - its all OEM parts hence it looks very standard indeed.

If you buy the calipers yourself from the dealer then surely you will be in the same position ie having to paint them green! Think the R32 ones come as blue and the S3 ones as red but dont quote me on that.

The brakes are very good btw,

Lee

i got a VW main dealer to price me the parts up to uprate to the r32 setup and i was looking nearly £800 and that was with my discount!

DS2500 made a big difference for me but they can be very noisy at low speeds, never really had a problem with fade afterwards though some times felt there was room to improve with power, but i dont think that was any fault of the pads

Im fancying the JKM big brake kit for the passat as I can really feel the extra weight of the car when it comes to stopping compared with the vRS

The 'JKM kit' is the kit you mention - straight off an R32 / S3 - its all OEM parts hence it looks very standard indeed.

Thats the sort of thing I'm after

If you buy the calipers yourself from the dealer then surely you will be in the same position ie having to paint them green!

True about the painting, but a dealer has offered me a "substantial" discount on all parts if I do this through them, so i wanted to see if it would work out any cheaper

'Fraid every penny helps at the moment and they do need doing!!! Just got back from a run into the Peak District & by the time I got back the standard ones weren't feeling anywhere near as sharp

Thats the sort of thing I'm after

True about the painting, but a dealer has offered me a "substantial" discount on all parts if I do this through them, so i wanted to see if it would work out any cheaper

'Fraid every penny helps at the moment and they do need doing!!! Just got back from a run into the Peak District & by the time I got back the standard ones weren't feeling anywhere near as sharp

Ah, thats different - as its the same items then buy them from the cheapest source

Lee

Well if all goes to plan I've sourced all the parts I need for this upgrade locally and saved a few quid

Firstly, I've seen some posts on american MkV forums that suggest that if you do this mod on a MkV you have to alter settings with VCDS to prevent errors with the ESP/ABS. Does any one know if this is ths case? Has anyone had to do this?

Secondly, I want to paint the calipers green to match the existing ones, I've 3 options:

1) paint all 4 with the Foliatec paint in "mushy pea" green,

2) paint the new calipers with Smoothright Green (I have a tin on hand), or

3) Have them professionally painted (not with heat resistant paint though).

What does anyone whos done this recommend for the best finish?

option 2)

Save your £££s with a big brake kit and just upgrade your pads with Ferodo DS2500s; they offer a marked improvement on the OE pads and are more than up to the job required. Not noisy at low speed in my experience either.

S3 ones are black, Cupra Red and R32 Blue. All the same caliper.

The Hammerite Smooth is a good option to keep the Skoda theme.

Save your £££s with a big brake kit and just upgrade your pads with Ferodo DS2500s; they offer a marked improvement on the OE pads and are more than up to the job required. Not noisy at low speed in my experience either.

agree there superb but mine were noisy as hell at low speed, sounded like a group A rally car pulling up. other than that excellent pads

I found DS2500s made my S2 sound like a bus pulling up on the 314mm discs I was using.. changed to 347mm Brembo discs and left the same pads in and not a peep. Strange, but it was the discs causing the noise.

i was on oem 312mm

I found DS2500s made my S2 sound like a bus pulling up on the 314mm discs I was using.. changed to 347mm Brembo discs and left the same pads in and not a peep. Strange, but it was the discs causing the noise.

Maybe the S2 had different disc composition (hardness); not problem at all for me with DS2500s in an Octavia vRS on 312mm OE discs.

strange that yours are silent and mine with the same setup squealed like hell

Did you copper grease the rears? And did you thoroughly clean the calipers before fitting the new pads? Do the vRS calipers use shims to stop squealing?

strange that yours are silent and mine with the same setup squealed like hell

Could easily be down to the way the pads were 'bedded in'.

I had a set of DS2500s previously in a Fabia and was too gentle bedding them in. They squealed, particularly on light applications, so much so that I had to go back to the garage, have the pads removed and the edges chamfered off and refitted.

In my Octavia vRS I was almost brutal in the way I bedded the pads in (they are, after all, technically a 'Race' pad) and they have been as sweet as anything over the past 16,000 miles.

to be fair, Im not a believer on this gentle braking for the first 500 odd miles and took an approach similar to yours

Each manufacturer makes different recomendations about bedding in their pads. This was what Colin D found about DS2500:

http://briskoda.net/technical-guides/brakes-ferodo-ds2500-pads-bedding-directions/49984/

ATE seem to be a popular choice for fitment on VAG group cars and a search of the internet suggested :

"400 to 500 miles of moderate driving is recommended. Consumer should avoid heavy braking during this period."

Usually the manufacturer supplies speciffic instructions with the pads, following these should ensure better life of the friction material, reduced noise & better braking.

My mother in law had new pads on her Astra a few weeks ago and was told what to do by the local fitter but, "did her own thing"! Result was the car developed a squeal under gradual braking. So back to the fitters yesterday to find the pads completely glazed over! Pads re surfaced & chamferd and a new set of instructions later the problem was solved! She now has to drive for the first 200 miles with "gradual braking"; That will be hard for her, but more pleasurable for her passengers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited 17 March, 200917 yr by uncle bulgaria
Typos spotted!

Each manufacturer makes different recomendations about bedding in their pads. This was what Colin D found about DS2500:

http://briskoda.net/technical-guides/brakes-ferodo-ds2500-pads-bedding-directions/49984/

Well spotted.

In other words; don't pussy foot around with gentle applications; short sharp dabs are required.

Has anyone fitted these uk-mkivs as a slight upgrade?

Has anyone fitted these uk-mkivs as a slight upgrade?

Can't see anything other than the MKiv log in page!

Has anyone fitted these uk-mkivs as a slight upgrade?

Not quite but watch this space

Jesus! now they are what you call brakes, good thing you'd loose traction before the caliper mount would give in :P

what about EBC Red Stuff pads they are ceramic coat. they squeek at first, but when they bed and warm up they make the brake nice and sharpish.