How to retro-fit the 312mm front brakes to a Mk7 Golf

[CharlesK19]

Hi Golf Dave and other members,

I am planning to do this brake upgrade for my '17 GSW. I live in Canada and was wanting some insite on where to buy the caliper carriers from.

I specifically want the grey/unpainted carriers that come off the Audi A3 to match the calipers on my GSW. I don't want to mess around with red GTI carriers and try to sand and repaint, etc.

I know I could hunt around the forums or ebay and eventually find some carriers off the A3, but if I can't, can I have your opinion or anyone else's where I should buy the carrier from?

First off, ECS tuning has them, for around $180 USD each. Also Rock Auto has them for $200 or so CAD. Those are listed as OEM options.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/front-caliper-carrier-right/8v0615126a/

https://www.rockauto.com/en/parts/volkswagen,8V0615126A,caliper+bracket,1714

My question is if I buy those, are they coated or raw alloy, or raw cast iron? Do they need paint or a coating to protect from rust??

Second I could buy a kit offered from BFI, that comes with rotors and pads, but it's also very expensive. They say they are OEM raw alloy carriers... Also do they need a coating?

https://blackforestindustries.com/products/mk7-golf-1-8t-front-brake-kit-upgrade

My third option, and one I hope you can shed some light on, are TRW branded carriers, I believe TRW is an OEM manufacturer. And I've seen them on a few UK websites. I also have no experience ordering from the UK to Canada, and don't know which website is best to order from.

https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/oenumber/8v0615126a.html

It says in the description these are Cast Iron carriers... Again.. Do they need a coating??

Thank you so much! Sorry for such a noob question.

Cheers

 

[tigeo]

I would try to find a set of stock fronts off an Alltrack - they are unpainted. I got mine for $120 delivered including calipers/whole thing.

 

[golfdave]

The grey ones are basic coated..not painted.....all are what is known as "grey cast metal/iron"...& yes TRW are the OEM

To be honest if you want the best protection paint them before you fit them..

Also please remember that the only difference between a left & right side one is that the two different slide pins (one has a bush on it) are inserted the other way around....so if you find a left side cheaper, buy two & swap the positions of the pins on one carrier to make a right side...

 

[CharlesK19]

I would try to find a set of stock fronts off an Alltrack - they are unpainted. I got mine for $120 delivered including calipers/whole thing.

Wow... how did I miss that the Alltrack came with 312mm carriers??? I guess I assumed if the GSW did, of course the Alltrack would! I was searching all night exclusively for Audi A3 carriers. Argh!

The grey ones are basic coated..not painted.....all are what is known as "grey cast metal/iron"...& yes TRW are the OEM

To be honest if you want the best protection paint them before you fit them..

Also please remember that the only difference between a left & right side one is that the two different slide pins (one has a bush on it) are inserted the other way around....so if you find a left side cheaper, buy two & swap the positions of the pins on one carrier to make a right side...

Gotcha, I would probably do that, just to be extra cautious. A lot of rain where I live. Thanks for the info!

 

[davide.bonetti]

is there such an upgrade for rear brakes as well?

 

[golfdave]

is there such an upgrade for rear brakes as well?

Not much point as the majority of the braking is done by the front brakes..& the rears on these cars are over braked, & the fronts are under braked.....You can fit the bigger discs from the GTI (& the bigger vented discs from the R) if you want...& again you'll need new brackets etc.

 

[davide.bonetti]

Not much point as the majority of the braking is done by the front brakes...

you have a point. however, just for curiosity, I was looking at ETKA to switch from PR 1KE to PR 1KJ, and the caliper carriers are the same. what actually changes is only the caliper itself, so I wonder if it maybe has longer supports to keep it further away from the rotor... but even if so, how can the carrier be the same?

for the rest it looks like a straightforward upgrade, with only the shield behind the rotor being different.

 

[golfdave]

you have a point. however, just for curiosity, I was looking at ETKA to switch from PR 1KE to PR 1KJ, and the caliper carriers are the same. what actually changes is only the caliper itself, so I wonder if it maybe has longer supports to keep it further away from the rotor... but even if so, how can the carrier be the same?

for the rest it looks like a straightforward upgrade, with only the shield behind the rotor being different.

The rear caliper has the bracket to connect to the hub built in..the "carrier" bolts to the caliper...basically the opposite way of connecting parts compared to the front brakes....so to do the rears you need a new caliper with a longer built in bracket...

 

[davide.bonetti]

gotcha. not gonna happen.

I might do vented discs just for the look but that's it.

 

[Nifa]

Planning to do this upgrade to Skoda Octavia Combi (3 FL, 2018) with 1.4 TSI. Front pistons are 57mm and discs 288 mm. Just wondering before doing anything that what type of discs 1.4 TSI golf got on the rear axle versus my torsion beam rear in that Skoda? (Dont want to ruin brake balance in hard stop) Are discs the same or do I have smaller ones?

 

[golfdave]

Planning to do this upgrade to Skoda Octavia Combi (3 FL, 2018) with 1.4 TSI. Front pistons are 57mm and discs 288 mm. Just wondering before doing anything that what type of discs 1.4 TSI golf got on the rear axle versus my torsion beam rear in that Skoda? (Dont want to ruin brake balance in hard stop) Are discs the same or do I have smaller ones?

You should not upset the brake balance as the rear piston calliper should be the same diameter even if you have a manual handbrake & not the button....just the way VAG make the braking systems..

Anyway the fronts do all the hard work due to weight balance shift to the front

 

[Nifa]

You should not upset the brake balance as the rear piston calliper should be the same diameter even if you have a manual handbrake & not the button....just the way VAG make the braking systems..

Anyway the fronts do all the hard work due to weight balance shift to the front

Hi, yeah. But Octavia 3 1.4 tsi with torsion beam rear is equipped with 253 mm (10mm non ventilated) diameter discs at back. Golf and Octavia 3 1.8 tsi (and later 2.0) got both multilink rear with 272 mm discs (10mm non ventilated). Yeah sure it wont make big difference due the weight balance shift, but just thinking that is this so bolt-on fit for 1.4 ocu. Front is same with 288 mm discs and 57 mm pistons. But is that difference 253 vs 272 at rear starting to feel somehow, and are there more differences I should be aware of? Master cylinder?

 

[golfdave]

Hi, yeah. But Octavia 3 1.4 tsi with torsion beam rear is equipped with 253 mm (10mm non ventilated) diameter discs at back. Golf and Octavia 3 1.8 tsi (and later 2.0) got both multilink rear with 272 mm discs (10mm non ventilated). Yeah sure it wont make big difference due the weight balance shift, but just thinking that is this so bolt-on fit for 1.4 ocu. Front is same with 288 mm discs and 57 mm pistons. But is that difference 253 vs 272 at rear starting to feel somehow, and are there more differences I should be aware of? Master cylinder?

Your Octavia will have a manual hand brake...those 272mm have electric hand brake in Europe on the Golf.....

Also if they only fitted one size/type to the torsion beam axle, & the bigger ones only to the Multi-link, the mounting points will be different for the brake caliper, so you may not be able to swap them over unless you also swap the suspension over..which is more difficult on the Octavia than on the Golf...

 

[Nifa]

Your Octavia will have a manual hand brake...those 272mm have electric hand brake in Europe on the Golf.....

Also if they only fitted one size/type to the torsion beam axle, & the bigger ones only to the Multi-link, the mounting points will be different for the brake caliper, so you may not be able to swap them over unless you also swap the suspension over..which is more difficult on the Octavia than on the Golf...

Ive been told that there no all mounting points for multi-link in octavia, if its equipped with torsion.
I am just wondering is it ok to mount those 312mm to front, even if the back discs are smaller 253mm ones and not the 272.
It have the same symptoms, braking is a bit on / off. For me smaller (253) discs in back are ok with bigger front, if the car just behave in braking as it should be.

 

[golfdave]

Ive been told that there no all mounting points for multi-link in octavia, if its equipped with torsion.
I am just wondering is it ok to mount those 312mm to front, even if the back discs are smaller 253mm ones and not the 272.
It have the same symptoms, braking is a bit on / off. For me smaller (253) discs in back are ok with bigger front, if the car just behave in braking as it should be.

Like I said its more difficult to swap the suspension over on Octavia....

I can't bring up the correct ETKA page for the torsion beam brakes to see how they mount & if any bigger sizes were done of brakes for torsion beam...I know they went upto 150PS 1.5lt engine size, in torsion beam Octavia MK3.....

The fronts if you have the 288mm you can swap to 312mm, as for the rears I am out of ideas......choice is yours..