17z brake conversion.

So long story short I ordered a brembo 17z big brake kit for my 2015 2dr from my buddy Rob over at rotorlab.com (great guy, awesome company). I got the kit and everything was great until I went to install it. I went to mount the caliper to the knuckle and realized there is zero chance that it was fitting. The caliper sat so far back in the wheel well that the face of the caliper was almost flush with the face of the hub (pictures provided). It took some hours of hella custom modifying, but I finally got one side done and will tackle the other side in the next couple days. It will be easier due to the fact I now have all the measurements and know exactly how to tackle it. My question to everyone is what do your knuckles look like? Was there a vin split in Mk7's i wasn't aware of? Rob had said he reached out to 3 other mk7 customers who did the brake swap and their fitment was perfect and their knuckles look nothing like mine. Just looking for potential answers to help myself, rotorlab (or any parts manufacture and others for the future. Thanks!!








Finished product:

yeahchuck said:

My question to everyone is what do your knuckles look like? Was there a vin split in Mk7's i wasn't aware of?

Click to expand...

Not that I'm aware of.

yeahchuck said:

Rob had said he reached out to 3 other mk7 customers who did the brake swap and their fitment was perfect and their knuckles look nothing like mine.

Click to expand...

GTI/GTD/R - aluminium knuckles (silver)
Golf/TSI - cast steel knuckles (black, perhaps rusty)


ps
I cannot see any pic

You did have the caliper ears milled right?

No pictures work for me either.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whoops Idk why the pictures didn't show. Also, the 3 other mk7 customers were all gti's. At least one was a 2015.

[/URL][/IMG]
[/URL][/IMG]

crxgator said:

You did have the caliper ears milled right?

No pictures work for me either.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Yes. Rotorlab did all of the machining. That was fine

I think your problem is that you are holding it wrong....

The caliper is supposed to fit on the side facing the hub...you have it one the rear side of the hub carrier.... The OEM brake caliper carrier sits on the hub side also, not how you have done it..

golfdave said:

I think your problem is that you are holding it wrong....

The caliper is supposed to fit on the side facing the hub...you have it one the rear side of the hub carrier.... The OEM brake caliper carrier sits on the hub side also, not how you have done it..

Click to expand...

I tried it that way also. The face of the caliper would it flush with my fenders (carbon wide fenders too) so theres no way that wouldve worked. I also verified with Rob from rotorlab and triple checked everything to make sure everything was being installed correctly.

yeahchuck said:

I tried it that way also. The face of the caliper would it flush with my fenders (carbon wide fenders too) so theres no way that wouldve worked. I also verified with Rob from rotorlab and triple checked everything to make sure everything was being installed correctly.

Click to expand...

Well then something is FUBAR as your hub carrier from the pics looks normal & if that kit is designed for the MK7 Golf then something is wrong, either wrong parts or bad machining...

Did something change on the MK7 carrier that requires machining? I was under the assumption that the 17z/18z brake kits bolt up just like the MK6 chassis with the correct caliper bolts with sleeves. It looks like the carrier tabs in OPs pics are way thicker compared to other setups I've seen.



I also read on the rotorlab website about their machining to better center the caliper over the rotor, but I think that is 100% optional (but nice to have done, sure).

They are that thick:-

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=5...h=879#imgrc=5b7OGVUs9aKKKM:&spf=1500494099037

I see, I suppose this is a steel versus aluminum variation then. I believe MK6s except the CC used steel carriers, which makes sense.

If that tab is thicker, unless it's spaced further back it should only require a longer bolt. Sounds like that is not the case.

flipflp said:

Did something change on the MK7 carrier that requires machining? I was under the assumption that the 17z/18z brake kits bolt up just like the MK6 chassis with the correct caliper bolts with sleeves. It looks like the carrier tabs in OPs pics are way thicker compared to other setups I've seen.

I also read on the rotorlab website about their machining to better center the caliper over the rotor, but I think that is 100% optional (but nice to have done, sure).

Click to expand...

The tabs were machined from rotorlab. It's super weird. All of the pictures I've seen show the carrier tab not as thick. I'm making it work, but it sucks.

yeahchuck said:

The tabs were machined from rotorlab. It's super weird. All of the pictures I've seen show the carrier tab not as thick. I'm making it work, but it sucks.

Click to expand...

They machine the tabs (at least how I read it) just to better center the rotor in the caliper, so you don't get uneven pad wear. They're probably taking off no more than a few millimeters. They aren't doing it to make up for the thicker tabs on alloy carriers, I think the issue is that 17z/18z calipers don't work on MK7 alloy carriers.

18z have been installed on our cars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk