UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

No it's agreed the 280mm conversion DOES give gains

andyniceday wrote:

dubpolo wrote:

andyniceday wrote:but in some people's eyes (including mine), big brakes behind your wheels do *look* good

but when people know they are pointless you look LAME!

big ones at the front are enough for me

i dont think it'd make you look lame at all...

anyway - isnt it fairly well agreed that the 280mm brake upgrade gives no real gain in brake performance compared to standard gti ones? only better resistance to fading?

does that make everyone thats done the upgrade lame?

Well being one of the first to do the 280mm front upgrade i don't think its lame at all because it does give better breaking (someone who set the standard ones on fire twice) they give better feel and don't fade anywhere near as soon


putting bigger brakes on the rear when even the standard ones are more than capable is pretending they are there for a reason... i see it like sticking a GTi badge on a 1.0L

But, everyone to there own... if you want to you can your choice

Mouse_GTI wrote:No it's agreed the 280mm conversion DOES give gains

gains relating to actual braking performance, ie stopping you quicker?

where is said info, link?

The stock GTI discs are 25mm thick whereas the 280mm are 22mm IIRC.

Usually a thicker disc helps to disipate heat better, and also doesn't warp as easily.

Has anyone measured the pad surface area of a stock GTI pad, and the G60 pad?

I would have thought the 280mm upgrade is negligable especially when you counter in the price of new carriers, and then obviously the discs and pads.

True but also the larger diamiter of the disk helps 2 disapate heat better than a thicker disk does! Also pad 2 disk contact is the same as g60 and gti both use the same calipers and same pads ! but what does make a difference is when u think about one revelotion of the wheel on a large disk with the same size pad, the pad will have that much more surface 2 grip every time the wheel goes round!
Hope this makes sence never rearly been any good with explaning things (imagine how my apprentice feals he has 2 put up with my muddled descriptions every day lol)

Yeh true, but is that enough for a great improvement over stock?

Cross sectional area will make a difference, hence why i asked the Q of the different pads.

I thought the G60 uses a different pad, hence why the new carrier (also for the larger disc i guess). Strange!

I would have thought the G60 pads must be different in size/shape to make full use of the disc. If the GTI pad is the same then it won't be making full use of the 280mm disc from my understanding.

no the pads r the same! the only upgrade is in the curcumfrance (cant spell 2 save my life) of the disk!
And no your correct its no massive improvement very small 2 be honnest but if ur standard disks r shot then its worth upgrading! got my caliper brackets for 30 quid from a breakers and g60 disks cost nomore than gti ones so rearly the upgrade cost me 30 quid! (and a bit of time cleaning and painting)
Worth it for any sort of improvement if u ask me plus having that little bit bigger disks makes a massive differance in the looks department if u ask me!

Yeah I suppose if you get the carriers 2nd hand or whatever then it could make sense.

I reckon its only really beneficial if like you say your original discs are shot. No point in doing them if they're like new IMHO!

How easy is it to find a G60 in the breakers yard, or a Passat with 280mm brakes?

Rearly its not that bad just look in the back of a vw mag and ring a few breakers ! U do get some that think there gold dust and try charging 100 quid but u just need 2 remind them that there only 100 quid new from vag parts and normaly they come down! ive done and had 2 find 4 sets now for mates and pj's and the most ive ever paid is 40quid!