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Was thinking about upgrading the brakes on my GT 'cos the standard 1s just dont cut it. So having spoke 2 a few ppl they suggested that i could mabey try using the calipers off an older Golf? Or wood it not be worth the hassle/effort & wood i b better gettin sum uprated pads & discs designed 4 the polo? Any advice/comments r welcum.

I'm in the same situation. Look here for more advice: http://www.pitstopdevelopments.com/foru ... .php?t=101

thanx m8, i had a quick look. if you find out any more let me no wood u, ill do the same!

hi mate.
you can use the brake callipers and carriers off a mk 1 golf or scirocco with vented discs (Gti etc) or a polo g40 which has the same setup along with some older passats. Have a look round for some callipers with VW II stamped on the front.
This keeps the same size diameter discs, but they are vented and will stop fading. It wont reduce immediate pedal travel, but a rear brake overhaul and braided hoses should sort it.

hth

i looked in the Lucas book at work earlier and according to that all mk3s have the same master cylinder(20.6mm) and servo (fookin tiny in comparison to others!)

I looked the correct names up too, the Master Cylinder is the bit with the fluid resevoir and the 3 metal brake pipes attatched to it. The servo is the black cylinder thing that is attatched to the brake pedal through the bulkhead.

It said that the 8v mk2 Golf and all engines below use the same 20.6mm MC (but have different part numbers). But the servos are different. I don't think you'll get another servo thats larger because it almost hits the suspension tower already, so I'm going for a VR6 MC thats 22.2mm, it makes pedal feel a lot better and doesn't take long to fit. I'm gonna do an 8v mk2 one first tommorow cuz mine dont work nd I got a spare sittin about anyhoo. watch this space

Thanx 4 the info "hardhitter" are the calipers of the mk1 golf larger?

when u say a rear barke over haul do you mean replacing the drums with discs? how hard would it be?

The callipers are wider and a bit thicker, but thats about it.
A rear brake overhaul means checking the rear shoes, drums and cylinders etc and replacing worn parts. They always need adjusting up anyway.
Rear brakes make a suprising difference to the braking when they are spot on.

ok cheers, meants to have a look at the rear drums when i done the suspension but neva got around 2 it.

I replaced my master cylinder (at last) with a 1995 corrado VR6 non-abs unit. Took about 30 mins to fit, then about 30 mins to fiddle about beeding them. I'll post up a link for a crappy "how-to...." once I get round to it (don't expect it be fantastic though! )

My car now stops really quick, it's amazing compared to before. Bit scary driving 100 odd miles to get it with no brakes though I ended up getting the more expensive one of the 2 choices from German Swedish French in Leamington Spa (I live by Worcester!). Cost £38 inc VAT + CGTi discount

so do you reckon the bigger master cylinder has improved the brakes then? If so in what ways do you reckon?


I've been thinking about doing it but I've heard some people say it just means you have to press the pedal further & it's only worthwhile with larger discs as well.

putting on some braided hoses is meant to make a good difference as well. Don't forget to change the fluid & make sure the rear drums are in good order & properly adjusted as well.

Yeh it had new drums, etc about 6 months ago. I bled the system through completely (for the front anyway, I'l do the rear when I get more time - they lock up anyway, so it's good enoug for me).

Basically I now push the pedal about 1/4-1/3 the way down before it goes hard, which is the point where the brakes are on really tight (panic braking stage) any further and they lock. I only have vented disks. I am going to do the hoses eventually, but I don't see the point atm because I couldn't afford silicon fluid to go in there (or at least dot 5 anyway). The brakes are a little odd in that they are soft one minute (only slightly) then hard the next. But I think that's down to me not bleeding the rears yet so there's still old fluid about with air and water vapur etc in it, making it boil at a lower temp.

Anyway, it's a worthwhile mod. Any numpty can do it and it costs £50 inc the brake fluid (Only used dot 4 so far though )

just thought i would add my bit, as i've got the baby 1.0ltr, i'm not going to do much to the brakes, but atm, in the garage i got a set of red dot discs and pads! the discs have 6 grooves. this should imrpove braking no end in me my car!