New Brakes Question

[Nerdy Oreo]

Hey guys! I am going to be doing a brake job on my. Mk7 gti (non-performance pack) and I will be fully replacing both rotors and pads. I was looking at doing an "upgrade" and going with the following kit - - > https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-brake-kit-ebc-brakes-kit-00781

My questions are:
* Is there a better kit you recommend for a similar price or cheaper?
* Will I feel a big difference between the factory brakes and the above / recommended upgrade?
* What tools will I need (and do you have a link to the tool for the rear brakes?)
* Is there anything I'm missing / any tips and tricks you recommend?

 

[2LEEGIT]

That’s too much money for replacement rotors and pads. Delete those rotors and add the Zimmermann “OEM” rotors instead. Type of pads will be based on what you do with your car, commuter/winding roads/autoX/track events?

 

[Acadia18]

* Is there a better kit you recommend for a similar price or cheaper?

It is a bit much. Plenty of options depending on what you want.

For rotors, if you don't care about what they look like, Zimmerman blanks are the usual go to. It's about $200 for the pair, less than half of what those cost.

If you do care about them, looking cool (and trust me, nobody knows about that more than me) FCP does have the Zimmerman sport drilled rotors, which are about $340.

Or if you want the slotted look, I don't think there's anything wrong with those EBC rotors

For pads, the Red Stuff are pretty controversial pad. Some people swear they're great, some people swear their garbage. Some people think they used to be garbage, but change the formula and are now good. Personally, I think they're horribly overpriced. It's $230 for the full set, when you can get a good set of pads that work great for daily driving for less than a hundred bucks. I run PowerStop Z23 pads in everything. They're like $90 for a full set, stop fine, and have low dust and noise.

* Will I feel a big difference between the factory brakes and the above / recommended upgrade?

Probably not for daily driving, but I have a very numb butt dyno and don't feel the difference between most things. Any "improvement" you'll probably feel would be more attributed to having a fresh set of brakes, regardless of which ones they are.

* What tools will I need (and do you have a link to the tool for the rear brakes?)

Come on over. I have everything needed.

* Is there anything I'm missing / any tips and tricks you recommend?

You should consider it flushing the fluid as well, since it's probably never been done. Unless you track the car regularly, any Dot4 fluid should be fine. I like to use the Pentosin Super Dot4 because it has "super" in the name and the bottle looks cool.

As well, the caliper mounting bolts are technically one time use. I've never replaced them (I know many people don't), and didn't even know that for the longest time, but they are. If you're ordering from FCP, it isn't more than a couple of dollars to add them onto an order. So something to think about.

 

[Nerdy Oreo]

It is a bit much. Plenty of options depending on what you want.

For rotors, if you don't care about what they look like, Zimmerman blanks are the usual go to. It's about $200 for the pair, less than half of what those cost.

If you do care about them, looking cool (and trust me, nobody knows about that more than me) FCP does have the Zimmerman sport drilled rotors, which are about $340.

Or if you want the slotted look, I don't think there's anything wrong with those EBC rotors

For pads, the Red Stuff are pretty controversial pad. Some people swear they're great, some people swear their garbage. Some people think they used to be garbage, but change the formula and are now good. Personally, I think they're horribly overpriced. It's $230 for the full set, when you can get a good set of pads that work great for daily driving for less than a hundred bucks. I run PowerStop Z23 pads in everything. They're like $90 for a full set, stop fine, and have low dust and noise.



Probably not for daily driving, but I have a very numb butt dyno and don't feel the difference between most things. Any "improvement" you'll probably feel would be more attributed to having a fresh set of brakes, regardless of which ones they are.



Come on over. I have everything needed.



You should consider it flushing the fluid as well, since it's probably never been done. Unless you track the car regularly, any Dot4 fluid should be fine. I like to use the Pentosin Super Dot4 because it has "super" in the name and the bottle looks cool.

As well, the caliper mounting bolts are technically one time use. I've never replaced them (I know many people don't), and didn't even know that for the longest time, but they are. If you're ordering from FCP, it isn't more than a couple of dollars to add them onto an order. So something to think about.

Do you have any full kits you recommend? For both fronts and rears? Anywhere I can save a buck I appreciate lol. I will definitely take you. Up on the offer to help. Are the Zimmerman blanks front and rear for the $200? I do want better stopping power than factory but I'm assuming you only get that with new calipers too. Thank you for your input and insight.

 

[Nerdy Oreo]

It is a bit much. Plenty of options depending on what you want.

For rotors, if you don't care about what they look like, Zimmerman blanks are the usual go to. It's about $200 for the pair, less than half of what those cost.

If you do care about them, looking cool (and trust me, nobody knows about that more than me) FCP does have the Zimmerman sport drilled rotors, which are about $340.

Or if you want the slotted look, I don't think there's anything wrong with those EBC rotors

For pads, the Red Stuff are pretty controversial pad. Some people swear they're great, some people swear their garbage. Some people think they used to be garbage, but change the formula and are now good. Personally, I think they're horribly overpriced. It's $230 for the full set, when you can get a good set of pads that work great for daily driving for less than a hundred bucks. I run PowerStop Z23 pads in everything. They're like $90 for a full set, stop fine, and have low dust and noise.



Probably not for daily driving, but I have a very numb butt dyno and don't feel the difference between most things. Any "improvement" you'll probably feel would be more attributed to having a fresh set of brakes, regardless of which ones they are.



Come on over. I have everything needed.



You should consider it flushing the fluid as well, since it's probably never been done. Unless you track the car regularly, any Dot4 fluid should be fine. I like to use the Pentosin Super Dot4 because it has "super" in the name and the bottle looks cool.

As well, the caliper mounting bolts are technically one time use. I've never replaced them (I know many people don't), and didn't even know that for the longest time, but they are. If you're ordering from FCP, it isn't more than a couple of dollars to add them onto an order. So something to think about.

This what you recommend? https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-kit-zimmerman-kit-528841kt15

 

[manu97]

Do you have any full kits you recommend? For both fronts and rears? Anywhere I can save a buck I appreciate lol. I will definitely take you. Up on the offer to help. Are the Zimmerman blanks front and rear for the $200? I do want better stopping power than factory but I'm assuming you only get that with new calipers too. Thank you for your input and insight.

More stopping power is usually down to better tires. If you can activate ABS when slamming on the brakes, your brakes have the capability to lock up your tires - so grip is your problem.

If brake fade is your issue, then you need a compound that's better able to tolerate high heat - but that realistically won't be a problem on a street driven car.

 

[Nerdy Oreo]

More stopping power is usually down to better tires. If you can activate ABS when slamming on the brakes, your brakes have the capability to lock up your tires - so grip is your problem.

If brake fade is your issue, then you need a compound that's better able to tolerate high heat - but that realistically won't be a problem on a street driven car.

Yeah I have grooves on my rear riverside rotor so I am wanting to do a full replacement all the way around

 

[Acadia18]

This what you recommend? https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-kit-zimmerman-kit-528841kt15

That's for the PP brakes, so not what you'd want.

I don't think there's a pre-assembled kit with the blanks for the non-PP brakes. Here's the blanks:

Front Rotors: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-disc-ate-1k0615301aa ($62/ea)
Rear Rotors: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-disc-ate-1k0615601aa ($34/ea)

If you do want to give your car a little pizzaz (well worth it IMO), here's the slotted sport rotors:

Fronts: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-disc-zimmerman-sport-1k0615301aa ($91/ea)
Rears: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/audi-vw-brake-disc-zimmermann-600324152 ($82/ea)

So it is an extra $150 or so for the cool factor.

I don't like FCP's pad options. I like ceramic pads for the low dust\noise properties, and their selection isn't that wide. The PowerStop pads are $38 a set for front and rear, so hard to beat for under $80.

Front Pads: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=7132920
Rear Pads: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=7132952

I get the lifetime warranty thing from FCP, but you could buy almost 3 sets of those for the price of a ceramic pad from FCP. Do you plan on keeping\using the car enough to swap pads 3x times to make the warranty worth it?

 

[JC_451]

Thread title so misleading

 

[Acadia18]

And yeah man. Feel free to shoot me a message anytime you want to get something done with your car. It's an open invitation (for anyone in the area). "Yo man, I need to change my brakes, you free anytime soon?"

All it takes. But you PM me saying you want to a swap a clutch, I'll tell you to GTFO. Clutches are where I draw the line

 

[Acadia18]

Thread title so misleading

smh

 

[ITGUY]

My suggestion.. if you a just a daily for the street then non drill rotors are the best.. drilled and slotted you lose braking surface. I currently are using the Akebono rear pads but your braking is all in the front. I like stoptech or EBC red.. I'm currently running stoptech fronts and akebono rears. on stoptech rotors. for the love of god please flush your brake fluid.

Ideally I'd go EBC for the coated rotors for harsh winter salted roads and such.

 

[Acadia18]

drilled and slotted you lose braking surface.

But what you lose in braking surface, you far make up for in scene points.

Which is more important???

 

[Salami]

Thread title so misleading

No it's not. I read it while on brake at work.

 

[ITGUY]

But what you lose in braking surface, you far make up for in scene points.

Which is more important???

Oh you are right.... Silly of me to think of performance over scene points. I'll go back in my corner.