Brake change first-timer advice

[Codeca]

Essentially the title. I'm currently a bit strapped on cash so I'd like to find something on the cheaper side for an mk7 (2016) golf R that is daily driven and rarely (maybe once a month) taken to the mountains for some short spirited driving.(never tracked)

Is this a good set for the price, or are there better kits for cheaper? Just eye-balling my brakes, there is a bit of a lip on the front brakes(keep in mind I have no idea what i'm doing) and figure this kit
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-stoptech-parts/2012-2017-gti-passat-cc-cc-golf-s3-front/938.33043~stp/
+ socket wrench + jack + jack stands should be all I need? Also asking for cheaper options since there shouldn't be any reason why I would need drilled/slotted rotors for casual driving, but would like to get a bit less brake dust. Thanks!

Also, how do the brake sensors work? Will it warn me say, at 50%, 25% etc? or just when I need to do it ASAP since I noticed a lot of the vendors would take a month + to get the parts.

 

[Adurm]

Check rockauto as well. You may need some triple squares too. Pretty sure the rears do at least. 14mm? Oh and you need something to push the pistons back in so you can slide the carriers back on with the new pads.

 

[OldVWFan]

Besides rockauto.com look at brakeperformance.com, Performance Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors (brakeperformance.com), should go to a selection for the Golf R.

 

[Codeca]

Check rockauto as well. You may need some triple squares too. Pretty sure the rears do at least. 14mm? Oh and you need something to push the pistons back in so you can slide the carriers back on with the new p

just visually at least, it doesn't seem like I'll need the rears yet(rotors still seem flat/level, but not sure about the pads). So hopefully I can at the very least wait a few months before changing those too. Figured I'd just do the fronts for now.

edit: I do notice that after every wash where I pressure wash the wheels, the brakes in the back squeak a bit that day, but i'm assuming thats normal. Only mentioned since I do think its a bit weird that its always just the rear brakes rather than also the fronts.

edit2: Sweet jesus where do I even start with the brake pads/rotors on rock auto? Is there a commonly agreed upon budget option for front rotors/pads? I saw a list of names and numbers and my eyes just about glazed over lol. Would love some suggestions to get a base-line for what options I have before looking in a bit further in terms of material and such for my use case.

 

[Codeca]

Besides rockauto.com look at brakeperformance.com, Performance Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors (brakeperformance.com), should go to a selection for the Golf R.

Have you tried them before? Couldn't find much with my work google fu, but it doesnt help trying to look for a generic "brake performance" name. I saw their sale and am quite tempted to pull the trigger(wish they had coated blanks though, ah fuck im supposed to be budgeting anyway....guess thats why im in my situation to begin with)

I have too many questions that I can't find a straight answer for, but I promise this is the last one. Do ceramic pads still warp rotors? I saw posts just a few years ago stating they did within 5-8k miles, but also found reports saying all modern rotors nowadays shouldn't warp under ceramic heat. I don't know who to believe. I'm inclined to believe that I should be fine pairing standard blanks with ceramic pads from brakeperformance, but I have no idea to be honest.

 

[1970something]

FCPEuro also has front and rear brake kits for all levels of budgets. Bonus points because they have a lifetime warranty. You can send them back and get free replacements

 

[Adurm]

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...brake+&+wheel+hub,rotor+&+brake+pad+kit,13824

 

[Codeca]

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...brake+&+wheel+hub,rotor+&+brake+pad+kit,13824

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=9689152&cc=3354160&pt=13824&jsn=19
Thanks! It seems to be between that or the two below:
https://brakeperformance.com/brake-rotors/standard-replacement-brake-kit.php
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-kit-zimmerman-textar-kit

although im leaning towards the rockauto option atm since i've seen the powerstop brand thrown around frequently. Not so much the others. Is there also something specific in a wrench I should look for when it comes to the stock cadiz wheels? Say, torque pressure and what not. I also have impact drivers/drills + bits and bobs since I did previously work in fabrication before product design. But have no idea if they're too weak or too powerful for the specific wheel/bolts.

 

[Adurm]

Wheel bolts are 17mm. A long handle 1/2 inch socket wrench or breaker bar is helpful. Break the bolts loose with the car on the ground. Then again, might not matter with awd. Probably need a 14mm, 17mm, 19mm and 21mm socket and possibly box end wrench of the same size. Might even be a few torx bits holding lines or sensors on. They are probably t25 or t30. Torque wrench to 100 ft lbs probably too. Google a video. I'm sure Deutsch auto has one. They like to point out torque specs at the end of other videos. Oh a metal clothes hanger might be helpful to hold your calipers up while you work. Probably have to turn the wheel to get back there. I've only done this in a gti but the r cant be too different. Just bigger.

Edit: I'm not a fan of an air gun for putting wheel bolts on. Gotta be able to take them off on the side of the road possibly. You'll never get em off with the vw supplied tools.

 

[odessa.filez]

don't know if GTI is the same, but on the Golf caliper, a thin 17mm open end wrench is helpful to counterhold the bolts that keep the caliper guide pins in place. note the bolts are one time use.

I had bad luck with oem pads and noise, in my case with a manufacturer that makes the oe pads as well. only oe for me for now on.

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

don't know if GTI is the same, but on the Golf caliper, a thin 17mm open end wrench is helpful to counterhold the bolts that keep the caliper guide pins in place. note the bolts are one time use.

I had bad luck with oem pads and noise, in my case with a manufacturer that makes the oe pads as well. only oe for me for now on.

Thin wrench is key. I had to grind one down to get it to slot in.

 

[Oscar LaVista]

Centric rotors (no holes or slots) and Posi-Quiet pads.

 

[Codeca]

Centric rotors (no holes or slots) and Posi-Quiet pads.

They might be just out of my preferred price range, being around 350-400 for just the fronts from what I could find. But how much better are the centric rotors anyway? Not to be a smartass but genuinely curious, since there are kits like the "autospecialty kit"(what is this anyway? In house brand?) from ecs that includes front and rear rotors + brakes for 270). Is it mostly just peace of mind in terms of manufacturing? Assuming the materials are the same for budget daily rotors rather than track or specialty rotors. If they truly are much better I don't mind stretching the budget, but i'm trying not to since I also need quite a few tools to go along. Thanks!

 

[Oscar LaVista]

Centric owns StopTech and the StopTech rotors are supposed to be made from the same blanks as Centric. I saw that presented as fact years ago; whatever source it came from, I believed it.

How much better than some other brand? Well, somebody would have to do some real engineering testing. Anything less would give you an answer in varying percentages of BS.

In my own experience, on three different cars that all used the same rotor, the OEM rotors stopped much more smoothly than the two quality aftermarket brands I used, brands that I do not perceive now to be as good as Centric. This is many years ago and on American cars of the 70s and 80s. Still mostly BS.

IIRC, I have the high-carbon alloy (mid-level) rotors on the shelf for when I'm ready. If I was trying to pinch pennies, I'd run the lower-price Centric C-Tek parts. Of course this is strictly my opinion. I put a couple sets of quality-brand pads and rotors on another totally different German car with HORRIBLE dust or noise results. Wasted a bunch of money. Still mostly BS.

Whatever you buy from a reputable source with good reviews will probably be fine. You may not get quite the dust or noise level you want, but maybe you will. It'll still stop the car.

 

[draftgli]

AFAIK R’s all have electronic parking brake. If yours is so equipped you will need a scan tool (VCDS or OBD11) to allow you to release the parking brake - otherwise you will not be able to retract the caliper piston. Shouldn’t take much of a search to find the procedure.

Also, you may not have to remove the brake carriers to get the rear brake rotors off. Certainly worth a try as it would save you a lot of BS…looks like those rear carrier bolts are a PITA - particularly if you’re doing this on the ground with Jack stands.

I’ve been reading up on this a fair bit myself lately, as I’m due for brakes in my GTI. I’m probably buying parts from fcp euro to take advantage of the warranty down the road. Leaning toward Zimmerman blank rotors (neither slotted nor drilled). Undecided on pads as of yet.