Advice on upgrades to suspension and brakes

[Boatman1]

Recently remapped the Mk1 to 165bhp what a difference. I feel the brakes and suspension should also be upgraded to match the added power, what would those knowledgeable in this area recommend, thanks.

[retro]

I have literally just done my brakes today, upgraded to 312mm with brembo discs and pads.

 

You need mk1 Octavia VRS calipers and carriers, then the discs and pads. You can use the original lines apparently but mine were perished so I got Octavia lines too as they are 4cm longer. 

 

Can tell the difference straight away and they clear inside the 16" wheels with pro ably 2mm between the caliper and wheel weights so no need for bigger wheels.

 

You can also fit Octavia VRS calipers to the rear.

 

I have bilstein b4 dampers on mine and will look in to lowering springs eventually but I have heard eibach springs mentioned a lot. 

[Boatman1]

Retro, may I ask how much these discs and calipers cost?, thanks.

[retro]

9 minutes ago, Boatman1 said:

Retro, may I ask how much these discs and calipers cost?, thanks.

No problem 

 

Calipers and carriers were from eBay  £68 posted.

 

Rebuild kit from Bigg Red  £30.

 

I couldn't get the paint off so went back to Bigg Red and they charged £70 to soda blast, anti corrosion paint and then high temp ceramic bake on paint.

 

Discs and pads were from euro car parts with a weekend offer of 35% off and came to £120

 

Hoses were again from euro with 35% off and came to £35.

 

So all up it came to £323 but you could do it cheaper if you didn't rebuild the calipers  (I had to as seals were split) and you left them green. I wanted them black as I'm going to fit 17" spider and get the refurbished in metallic purple eventually and thought it would look odd.

 

 

Fabia VRS 312mm upgrade by Luke Ryland - Flickr2BBcode LITE
 

Fabia VRS 312mm upgrade by Luke Ryland - Flickr2BBcode LITE
 

Fabia VRS 312mm upgrade by Luke Ryland - Flickr2BBcode LITE

[Boatman1]

I'm a bit confused. Did you change all the discs and pads or just the front? I'm assuming from the price just the front. Did you have your original calipers reconditioned the resprayed/baked? Have you also changed the struts? Sorry if I appear a bit dense.

[retro]

Just now, Boatman1 said:

I'm a bit confused. Did you change all the discs and pads or just the front? I'm assuming from the price just the front. Did you have your original calipers reconditioned the resprayed/baked? Have you also changed the struts? Sorry if I appear a bit dense.

Just the fronts so far, eventually I will fit Octavia VRS brakes to the back.

 

No I had the Octavia VRS calipers painted.

 

Struts are Bilstein B4 but you can leave the ones on there now. I fitted them as an upgrade as mine needed replacing. 

[RobLarby]

312mm fronts with decent pads are more than enough imo

[sepulchrave]

15 minutes ago, RobLarby said:

312mm fronts with decent pads are more than enough imo

 

This is right, if you're braking hard the radical weight shift means the fronts are doing all the work, unless you're in the habit of driving around with a boot full of cement and four passengers then the rears are barely working.

 

This is the reason why you get through front pads quicker than rears and why the rear discs rust out before wearing out.

[stevobeavo]

I have a set of pads and discs for sale of you go this route. 

 

As said above no point upgrading the rears. Even on track the rears don't really get hot enough to justify it. 

 

Larger discs will run cooler and rust up even quicker. 

[Boatman1]

Sounds like you've spent a small fortune on your car Steavo, I may come back to you on the discs and pads, which caliper do the pads fit, Retro is recommending the Octy 1 caliper with 312mm disc.

[Yaris]

If you're looking on eBay, the mk1 Audi TT calipers and carriers are identical to the Octy VRS ones, so therefore fit.

 

The correct colour code for the original VRS green painted calipers is Pantone 348C

 

 

Edited 16 June, 2018 by Yaris