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Consolidated Macan Brembo upgrade thread (READ FIRST POST)

scrapin240

Drag Racing Champion
Location
IzzaGolf
Car(s)
Golf
Any consensus on the best place to send calipers for powder coating? I'm considering ordering another set and going with powder coating instead of paint.

Ideally I would have them shipped directly to the powder coater to save on shipping but I don't know if these shops typically disassemble themselves (or charge for disassembly) before powder. But if wherever I purchase is offering free shipping I'll strip them myself and ship them in a flat-rate box. I would be going for "Porsche" yellow again, and I'm not that concerned with heat causing a color change on me since I don't track... but I want something that will hold up.

The paint on mine looks to be developing some fine cracks. The painter is standing by his work and immediately offered to re-do them. But he wants to do it right, and strip them down completely... which means taking them off the car for a couple weeks. I don't have to drive my car but I'd rather not have it down and since I'm now kind of leery about paint holding up I want to go powder anyway.

If I go powder there will, at some point, be a pair of slightly used (under 2,000 miles) but freshly painted yellow calipers for sale, haha.
well if you live in CA, especially LA, i'm sure there's a bunch of shops that do powder coating. After you take off your current set for the new powder coated set, then you can still take the painter up on their offer and then resell them with a fresh coat of paint.

I know you don't want the down time, but also, pretty sure the powder coater could easily strip the paint off. Heck you could install the factory calipers while it's in the shop, no down time
 
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B1mmer

Ready to race!
Location
Matthews, NC
well if you live in CA, especially LA, i'm sure there's a bunch of shops that do powder coating. After you take off your current set for the new powder coated set, then you can still take the painter up on their offer and then resell them with a fresh coat of paint.

I know you don't want the down time, but also, pretty sure the powder coater could easily strip the paint off. Heck you could install the factory calipers while it's in the shop, no down time
 

B1mmer

Ready to race!
Location
Matthews, NC
To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. I finally got the calipers back from the powder coater again with a great color. I got everything mounted last night. I did the rear rotors and pads this afternoon, bled the system twice and then went out to bed in the pads. Damn if I don’t have a super long travel and low pedal. And it’s not very progressive. It goes from barely any brake to medium braking to ABS. Not great at all. I had bled them twice, did the 2# RPV’s in line as well as the red grease on the seals and pistons upon reassembly. I’m pretty frustrated. They look great and the 3 different 17x9’s I run for autocross cleared (barely with one set) without a spacer. All of the wheels are 35 offset: TSW Bathurst, Rota Grid and Advanti Storm S1.
Here is picture of these mediocre brakes on my TT:



I am highly considering 4# RPV’s as a test. I know it cause rear brake drag for emichel6888, so I’m hoping my TT might be different. - AB
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. I finally got the calipers back from the powder coater again with a great color. I got everything mounted last night. I did the rear rotors and pads this afternoon, bled the system twice and then went out to bed in the pads. Damn if I don’t have a super long travel and low pedal. And it’s not very progressive. It goes from barely any brake to medium braking to ABS. Not great at all. I had bled them twice, did the 2# RPV’s in line as well as the red grease on the seals and pistons upon reassembly. I’m pretty frustrated. They look great and the 3 different 17x9’s I run for autocross cleared (barely with one set) without a spacer. All of the wheels are 35 offset: TSW Bathurst, Rota Grid and Advanti Storm S1.
Here is picture of these mediocre brakes on my TT:



I am highly considering 4# RPV’s as a test. I know it cause rear brake drag for emichel6888, so I’m hoping my TT might be different. - AB
Your issue is air, not RPV. Go out and do some hard stops activating the ABS. Them do a high pressure bleed.

What was your bleeding method?

They felt same way when I first installed. Now they're feel just like factory. No RPV.
 

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
To say I’m disappointed is an understatement...
I have to agree with @GTIfan99, you've gotta have air in the system. Did you also bleed the rears? I didn't do rears when I installed the brakes (thinking there was no need since I hadn't touched them) and it made a big difference. And even my Golf my pedal feels way better than it sounds like yours does.
well if you live in CA, especially LA, i'm sure there's a bunch of shops that do powder coating. After you take off your current set for the new powder coated set, then you can still take the painter up on their offer and then resell them with a fresh coat of paint.

I know you don't want the down time, but also, pretty sure the powder coater could easily strip the paint off. Heck you could install the factory calipers while it's in the shop, no down time
I'm sure there are a bunch too, it's overwhelming. That's why I figured you lot would have a recommendation, haha. I'll dig back into yelp/instabook/facegram and find a place if not one has a recommendation. My plan is to sell my current ones with their fresh paint, and to give someone a great deal at that (if they like yellow).

Factory calipers aren't an option for me, my car is a Golf, haha. I'm pretty sure my original calipers (for 252mm rotors) would work on the aluminum steering knuckles but I don't know where they are anyway, not sure where the rotors are either... I came to the Macan setup from Brembo 17z's (sold) on steel knuckles (also sold, with the B8's still in them).
 

B1mmer

Ready to race!
Location
Matthews, NC
Your issue is air, not RPV. Go out and do some hard stops activating the ABS. Them do a high pressure bleed.

What was your bleeding method?

They felt same way when I first installed. Now they're feel just like factory. No RPV.
I used a motive bleeder and start from the corner furthest from the MC. I just went out a little while ago and did what you said, prior to reading this. I will bleed them again the morning when I will be throwing on some autocross wheels for a local event. I did bleed all 4 corners twice, but pushing some fluid around may yield more air. I’ll report back. Thanks - AB
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I used a motive bleeder. I just went out did what you said, prior to reading this. I will bleed them again the morning when I will be throwing on some autocross wheels for a local event. I did bleed all 4 corners twice, but pushing some fluid around may yield more air. I’ll report back. Thanks - AB
It took me several times over a 2 week period. Did you have the brake pedal compressed with a board while removing old calipers and installing new?
 

B1mmer

Ready to race!
Location
Matthews, NC
It took me several times over a 2 week period. Did you have the brake pedal compressed with a board while removing old calipers and installing new?

I did. I followed emichel6888 instructions to the letter. I think you are onto something about engaging ABS because the pedal felt different after getting into it and I know there is no way to cycle the ABS pump during a bleed. A 5 am bleed and tire change is in store for tomorrow. I am glad you posted as I have the first ProSolo of the season in 2 weeks and considered throwing the stock stuff back on for it. This gives me some hope. Thanks. - AB
 

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
I believe you can cycle the ABS with ODIS. A member here replaced there ABS module when retrofitting ACC. Couldn't get the ABS bleed cycle to work with a VCDS and ended up doing it with ODIS. You should be starting from a better position since you didn't have your ABS module disconnected. But some actual ABS stops will probably be more fun.
 
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Will_

Autocross Champion
Location
SF Bay Area
Car(s)
2017 GTI S DSG
I did. I followed emichel6888 instructions to the letter. I think you are onto something about engaging ABS because the pedal felt different after getting into it and I know there is no way to cycle the ABS pump during a bleed. A 5 am bleed and tire change is in store for tomorrow. I am glad you posted as I have the first ProSolo of the season in 2 weeks and considered throwing the stock stuff back on for it. This gives me some hope. Thanks. - AB
If you haven’t done the OBD11 tweaks mentioned in post 1 I would highly recommend those as well. Made my pedal firmer, more linear, and had a higher initial bite.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I used a motive bleeder and start from the corner furthest from the MC. I just went out a little while ago and did what you said, prior to reading this. I will bleed them again the morning when I will be throwing on some autocross wheels for a local event. I did bleed all 4 corners twice, but pushing some fluid around may yield more air. I’ll report back. Thanks - AB
Also, you're using the wrong order for bleeding. VW's order is LF, RF, LR, RR. It seems counter intuitive, but it works.
 

B1mmer

Ready to race!
Location
Matthews, NC
If you haven’t done the OBD11 tweaks mentioned in post 1 I would highly recommend those as well. Made my pedal firmer, more linear, and had a higher initial bite.
I can’t do this. It’s not legal for the class I run the car in with the SCCA. If do One Lap of America in this next year, I’ll consider it. - AB
 

B1mmer

Ready to race!
Location
Matthews, NC
I believe you can cycle the ABS with ODIS. A member here replaced there ABS module when retrofitting ACC. Couldn't get the ABS bleed cycle to work with a VCDS and ended up doing it with ODIS. You should be starting from a better position since you didn't have your ABS module disconnected. But some actual ABS stops will probably be more fun.
What is ODIS? I don’t know that acronym. - AB
 

emichel6888

Go Kart Champion
Location
TX
I did. I followed emichel6888 instructions to the letter. I think you are onto something about engaging ABS because the pedal felt different after getting into it and I know there is no way to cycle the ABS pump during a bleed. A 5 am bleed and tire change is in store for tomorrow. I am glad you posted as I have the first ProSolo of the season in 2 weeks and considered throwing the stock stuff back on for it. This gives me some hope. Thanks. - AB
Did you lube the piston seals? Did the MC reservoir ever run out of fluid? With dual chambers you have to look carefully. I am not familiar with the TT brakes, are they the same as the GTI PP/Golf R calipers? Just wondering if you have the same size MC, I would imagine it is.
As others have already said, if it is that bad you probably do have air in the system. The only procedure I have seen (and used) to get air out of the ABS unit is to use a pressure bleeder (which you mentioned having) and pump it to 30 PSI, and then bleed both front calipers at the same time. Just get a gallon of cheap fluid and fill up the pressure bleeder so you don't run out. Once you get it working properly then you can flush it with some good high temp fluid. I accidentally let the MC reservoir run dry one time and this method worked well for me.

Also as mentioned did you change the brake booster settings as mentioned on the initial post? If not and you have air in the system I could see it acting as you described. With the seals lubed pedal function should be at least as good as the stock system. Then if you really want a seriously firm linear pedal with more height and feel, add the RPV's in the front wheel wells. No worries I am sure you can get it sorted, if you set them up properly we know these calipers do work great.

What pads are you using? That can also make a big difference in pedal feel/function. Oh and don't forget to release the brake pedal when you are bleeding the system. The MC seals act like check valves so you can actually bleed the brakes with a pressure bleeder with the pedal depressed but it works a lot better if you release it first. Good luck!
 
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