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

[Cuzoe]

Mk7 GTI PP rear brakes will bolt onto the MK7 (NAR) TDi, which has torsion beam rear... so that is an upgrade path if it can be confirmed the torsion beam rears/brakes are the same. NAR Mk7 TDI does have 253mm rear brakes. For what it's worth, I'm running 6 piston Brembo brakes up front with the 253mm rears and the car feels better than stock, strong but linear braking as opposed to on/off.

 

[Nifa]

confirmed the torsion bea

Mk7 GTI PP rear brakes will bolt onto the MK7 (NAR) TDi, which has torsion beam rear... so that is an upgrade path if it can be confirmed the torsion beam rears/brakes are the same. NAR Mk7 TDI does have 253mm rear brakes. For what it's worth, I'm running 6 piston Brembo brakes up front with the 253mm rears and the car feels better than stock, strong but linear braking as opposed to on/off.

Hi, thanks. I think i'll leave the 253 mm at back if you have experience with bigger front + orginal 253 mm rear, since the front is (most likely) the issue with that on/off. I were just concerned from that 312 / 253 combo, since most of the swaps seems to be on cars with 272 mm rear.
Just for curiosity torsion beam and multilink have same wheel hub at back it seems? I bet the torsion beams are the same, since its vag

 

[motley]

Hello everyone and huge tanks to @golfdave for this priceless write up!

I'm an A3 35TFSI owner and after a year of ownership I realised that my brakes are too small. They look even smaller with 19 inch wheels. That's why I started looking for information on brakes upgrade and found this thread. I read through the entire thread and I'm ready to order new rotors and carriers already. However I'd like to ask you a question that I didn't see anyone asked (or perhaps I missed it somehow).

The 312mm discs must be heavier than the 288mm ones. The carriers should be just a little heavier, I guess. Did anyone experience any negative MPG and/or comfort change after this upgrade due to the added unsprung mass?

 

[golfdave]

The 312mm discs must be heavier than the 288mm ones. The carriers should be just a little heavier, I guess. Did anyone experience any negative MPG and/or comfort change after this upgrade due to the added unsprung mass?

I put the 312mm discs as 1kg heavier than the 288mm versions.....but I had reduced the alloy wheel weight by 2kg as swapping to better/lighter aftermarket alloys....& that's the best way if you're looking for better MPG, comfort/handling..those 19" rims look nice but totally ruin the ride/handling & MPG compared to my wheels...

 

[motley]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Dave. You did the right thing by replacing alloys with the lighter ones. I've done just opposite lately. My new 19" wheels are 900 gram heavier than the old 19" ones. I'm still trying to figure out what causes that comfort drop (the old ones were fine). Perhaps my suspension, shocks in particular, can't handle this increase of the unsprung mass and the car feels shaky. I didn't have it when the old wheels were on and the ride was smooth.

Sorry, it sounds like an off-top, but 1 kg change of the unsprung mass can do it to the car and I guess I would need a set of new alloys (again!) if I upgraded to bigger brakes.

 

[golfdave]

My new 19" wheels are 900 gram heavier than the old 19" ones. I'm still trying to figure out what causes that comfort drop (the old ones were fine).

The design of the wheel, with the spokes dished outwards & a stiffer alloy will affect the handling..also the tyres if different could have a stiffer sidewall even though the same size as before...

Personally I wouldn't run more than 18" on this car & my 17" winter alloys would fit around the big 345mm 4 pots Porsche Macan caliper conversions that people are doing, as they are designed to fit around BBK.

 

[motley]

Yeah, I run 18" winter wheels but my summer setup is 19"
I just bought a set of new trw callipers with carriers and pads for just €139 shipped. Now I need to choose rotors, so questions come. Should I rather choose brake pads of the same brand as the rotors or can I use the oem (trw) pads with for instance Brambo rotors?

Does anyone have a picture of 312mm drilled discs with 19" lightweight wheels (OZ Legerra HLT, Bola FLD etc)?

 

[golfdave]

Yeah, I run 18" winter wheels but my summer setup is 19"
I just bought a set of new trw callipers with carriers and pads for just €139 shipped. Now I need to choose rotors, so questions come. Should I rather choose brake pads of the same brand as the rotors or can I use the oem (trw) pads with for instance Brambo rotors?

Does anyone have a picture of 312mm drilled discs with 19" lightweight wheels (OZ Legerra HLT, Bola FLD etc)?

You can mix & match OEM stuff, so TRW, ATE, & the plain Brembo.

Don't go for drilled discs...been there done that..waste of money.

A few grooves to clean the pads is OK..I run Brembo "Max" discs which I find have a better groove than my previous ATE "Infinite loop" discs.

 

[motley]

Do you have any unwanted sound when braking?

 

[golfdave]

Do you have any unwanted sound when braking?

No..not with either the ATE or my Brembro grooved discs...

Previous car had 20+ grooves (Tar.ox & EBC) on discs & that made a noise....more grooves more noise..

 

[Nifa]

Installed those 312 mm in Octavia 3 with torsion back. Much better braking feel. Front is now a bit more heavier feeling when turning wheel (as expected). I am now using Skoda superb's 18" "Modus" wheels with better ET than the Octavia 3 orginal rims and they are maybe a bit too heavy.
Most likely I should get some lightweight forged 19"... But wife..

 

[golfdave]

Installed those 312 mm in Octavia 3 with torsion back. Much better braking feel. Front is now a bit more heavier feeling when turning wheel (as expected). I am now using Skoda superb's 18" "Modus" wheels with better ET than the Octavia 3 orginal rims and they are maybe a bit too heavy.
Most likely I should get some lightweight forged 19"... But wife..

312mm disc are circa 1kg extra weight each compared to 288mm discs.....

I reduced 2kg weigh per alloy/tyre unit moving from the OEM 17" alloys to aftermarket ones for the same size rim & tyre as OEM...

 

[motley]

Well, I've done it too (my auto mechanic did actually) I bought all the parts on ebay due to the best price. I paid €120 plus shipping for a calliper kit that included two brake callipers, two carriers and a set of pads. I also paid €119 (shipped) for a set of Zimmermann drilled/coated discs. I considered the brembos too, but they were more expensive and heavier than the zimmermanns. The 312 mm zimmermann brake disc weights 8.3 kg while the brembo one weights 8.6 kg. In comparison, I put the old 288 mm disc on a scales and it shown 7.3 kg. So I added 1 kg to the unsprung mass which I, to be honest, didn't notice during first 80 km of driving. Here are some pics.

Again, a huge thanks to @golfdave for this amazing write up!

 

[carbon_gecko]

hey GolfDave quick question, would the caliper bracket from a mk7 passat with 312mm rotors fit as well as the gti 312MM bracket? i just wondering if the passat had a different knuckle mount.

 

[golfdave]

hey GolfDave quick question, would the caliper bracket from a mk7 passat with 312mm rotors fit as well as the gti 312MM bracket? i just wondering if the passat had a different knuckle mount.

2016 yr Passat has the same aluminium GTI knuckle....looking at the parts list cross applications...so in theory it should fit even though the part number for the bracket is different..