Track Pads for MK7.5 R

[scrllock]

This is one reason why I use Porterfield R4 (track specific) and Porterfield R4S (street/autox/light track) as the compound is interchangeable. The R4 take over track duty up front and the R4S are adequate in back on the track. For street and autox the R4S are on front and back. I’ve even run the R4S on all corners at Sebring but with limiting them to 20 minutes per session. With the R4 up front I can stay out as long as I want and brake as late and hard as I wish.

How many days do you get out of a set of R4?

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

How many days do you get out of a set of R4?

This set of R4 front has a couple of Homestead HPDE days on them running intermediate/advanced.

This set of R4S has a Sebring track day, a hand full of autox events and a couple years of daily driving on them.

This set of R4S rear pads have a couple years of daily driving, 3 track days and handful of AutoX events on them.

 

[scrllock]

View attachment 274222
This set of R4 front has a couple of Homestead HPDE days on them running intermediate/advanced.

View attachment 274223
This set of R4S has a Sebring track day, a hand full of autox events and a couple years of daily driving on them.

View attachment 274224
This set of R4S rear pads have a couple years of daily driving, 3 track days and handful of AutoX events on them.

curious if you can compare depth now to new, those just look like used pads to me, lol

 

[Jmitchell4873]

I like to use Porterfield R4 up front and R4S in back. This way you only need to swap the front back to R4S for daily driving.

Any additional feedback for this setup? How many sessions/street miles and have the pads held up well?

 

[M3bs1]

I ran R4 on my M3. Killed them off in a single session at CMP. DS3.12 FTW.

 

[Aarodynamics]

Are Mk7 Golf R brakes holding up to track use when all the following is true…

• OE calipers
• Good floating rotors (GiroDisc, Neuspeed, etc)
• Good track pads (I was considering Endless ME20)
• Castrol SRF (or another high quality fluid that is fresh <180-days)
• Titanium backing plates
• RS3 ducts
• Dust shields and caliper covers removed
• Stage 2 power levels
• Summer temperatures (70F-100F)
• Advanced/fast driver

I’m trying to decide if I should try to make this work or just give up now before wasting time/money and get a BBK (maybe Racingline).

 

[DerHase]

Are Mk7 Golf R brakes holding up to track use when all the following is true…

• OE calipers
• Good floating rotors (GiroDisc, Neuspeed, etc)
• Good track pads (I was considering Endless ME20)
• Castrol SRF (or another high quality fluid that is fresh <180-days)
• Titanium backing plates
• RS3 ducts
• Dust shields and caliper covers removed
• Stage 2 power levels
• Summer temperatures (70F-100F)
• Advanced/fast driver

I’m trying to decide if I should try to make this work or just give up now before wasting time/money and get a BBK (maybe Rennline).

It worked well for me (IS20 GTI), but honestly I think I want to get some bigger brakes (AP or 529 Wilwoods are the only choices to go with IMO) to buy some headroom before I put the IS38 on that is sitting in my garage.

Don't toss the backing plates completely, I melted my ABS sensors and cooked ball joint boots. Titanium plates are unnecessary if you have a brake pad that's worth a damn IMO.

I got some Audi RS3 8V backing plates since I had tossed my originals:

Very minor trimming/tweaking was needed to make work with the PP calipers:

Ignore the rotors facing the wrong direction... that got corrected when I noticed and swapped them side to side.

I got the Girodiscs lightly used and tried them out for the first time this past weekend at VIR. They 100% make a huge difference in braking consistency and I had zero fade throughout the 3-day weekend. They did not drop my overall indicated temp at all though (Genesis paint still shows the same shade of ~1500F or so). I suspect it's still getting pretty damn hot, but the 2pc discs just cool down faster and don't transfer as much to the pads/calipers.

 

[Aarodynamics]

@DerHase - do you use these RS3 backing plates?
8V0-615-311-B (Left)
8V0-615-312-B (Right)

What do people do for backing plates when they run a BBK?

Also, why do you mention only considering AP (Essex?) & Willwood BBKs and not something from Racingline, APR, etc? Are any of these other ones good?

 

[DerHase]

@DerHase - do you use these RS3 backing plates?
8V0-615-311-B (Left)
8V0-615-312-B (Right)

What do people do for backing plates when they run a BBK?

Also, why do you mention only considering AP (Essex?) & Willwood BBKs and not something from Racingline, APR, etc? Are any of these other ones good?

Yep, those are the PNs. I went a lot more in depth with what was needed to fit them on the DDMQB facebook page, it'll eventually make it's way into it's own article on the website though:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/qMazxqC4hHfFnfL2/

Old brake article on the website... with some photos of my droopy wheel speed sensors. Lots of little tips for getting the most out of your pads on track.
https://www.datadrivenmqb.com/brakes/ppbrakeprep

Before this past weekend I also threw some Golf R fender liners on (larger brake duct openings) and the newer 8Y RS3 brake scoops on the LCAs (my old 8V ones had a crack/hole punched in one side).

I don't screw around with brakes - not the place to put China garbage on your car IMO.

@tigeo has APR's old BBK... but since they discontinued it, finding parts is a chore. Plus they have non-studded caliper brackets... so the giant bolts you torque the caliper onto the bracket with are straight into aluminum, which stripped on him. They didn't even bother to put a steel insert... so not exactly smart design IMO.

VWR has an absolutely shit design on their 2pc discs... instead of the bobbins being solid mounted in the hat and allowing float in the iron rotor, the bobbins mount solid to the iron ring and float in the hat. Having stuff slide-hammer back and forth on an aluminum supposedly non-wear part is just dumb.

If there's anything I've found tracking these cars, it's that 90% of aftermarket parts are complete trash and in no way suitable for actual motorsport use, let alone properly designed.

Every off the shelf oil cooler kit is garbage - throw away anything that is -8AN if you don't want to risk destroying an engine. The VWR kit comes with a cooler sized to to only take care of a 90hp car. Everyone tells you to mount the oil cooler on the pass side grille... which is the absolute worst possible place to do it. Keeps oil cool, but then overheats your coolant and IATs skyrocket unless you duct it properly. Me and @Redslaya solved that issue here:
https://www.datadrivenmqb.com/drivetrain/duct-final-testing

AP Racing/Essex is solid, though if you have 18in wheels I'd call them up and ask about the RS3 sized brakes (380mm). IMO the 529 Wilwoods are probably the better buy for consumable costs... pads are cheaper and Peter's kits use off the shelf Girodisc fitments (so it costs $650-750 for a pair of rotor rings, not $1200-1300 for AP).

This video pertains to spotting counterfeit AP/Essex stuff, but it's really good for knowing some stuff to look for design-wise as well:

Sorry if that kind of came off as a rant... but most stuff for these cars is garbage in general.

 

[scrllock]

Are Mk7 Golf R brakes holding up to track use when all the following is true…

• OE calipers
• Good floating rotors (GiroDisc, Neuspeed, etc)
• Good track pads (I was considering Endless ME20)
• Castrol SRF (or another high quality fluid that is fresh <180-days)
• Titanium backing plates
• RS3 ducts
• Dust shields and caliper covers removed
• Stage 2 power levels
• Summer temperatures (70F-100F)
• Advanced/fast driver

I’m trying to decide if I should try to make this work or just give up now before wasting time/money and get a BBK (maybe Racingline).

Yes, rs3 ducts, 2pc rotors and high quality pads give you plenty of heat capacity. I would only bother with a BBK if you're doing more than 20 minute sessions or you want the convenience of quicker pad swaps.

 

[2LEEGIT]

@Aarodynamics Another option to think about, Neuspeed BBK w/factory size 340mm rotors. Things why it works for me, cheap replacement rotors (lifetime from FCP), great variety of pads brand/material selection (Brembo m-shape), fits under 17" wheels (cheaper tires/more selection) and easy to swap pads...only minor snips to factory backing plates for caliper clearance.

 

[DerHase]

Well friggin hell, apparently the 3.12s w/ 2pc rotors on the V730s have enough force to crush the end shims and squish them out. The one that’s real bad was originally under the spring clip, had to finagle it out of there.

Def need a proper big brake kit after these are used up. This is a new problem for me (this is my third set of these pads).

Going to email Essex and see what they recommend/if there’s anything they can help with.

These have also worn way more than in the past, about 3.3mm on the worst pad. So a bit over 1mm per day, previously was a bit under 1mm per day on average.

Likely a combo of driving the car more consistently quicker, the girodisks allowing me to beat on the car for 5+ laps in a row, plus the fact they’re slotted all contributing to the increased wear.

 

[Aarodynamics]

Well friggin hell, apparently the 3.12s w/ 2pc rotors on the V730s have enough force to crush the end shims and squish them out. The one that’s real bad was originally under the spring clip, had to finagle it out of there.

Can you explain what happened here? I don't understand. Thanks!

 

[SierraCarrera]

@Aarodynamics Another option to think about, Neuspeed BBK w/factory size 340mm rotors. Things why it works for me, cheap replacement rotors (lifetime from FCP), great variety of pads brand/material selection (Brembo m-shape), fits under 17" wheels (cheaper tires/more selection) and easy to swap pads...only minor snips to factory backing plates for caliper clearance.

Curious which wheels work for you? Do you have to use spacers?

 

[2LEEGIT]

Curious which wheels work for you? Do you have to use spacers?

Apex 17x9 no spacers but factory madrid 17" needs 25mm.

https://golfmk7.com/forums/index.ph...-metallic-gti-golf-thread.316515/post-8043993