Getting the best out of standard brake set up?

[dansmith180]

The rear brakes will be either 282mm or 286mm (they changed it at some point but I'm not 100% sure when), I'm running standard rears with OEM discs and pads with S3 fronts with Mintex pads, MTEC grooved and dimpled discs and braided hoses with 5.1 dot fluid. It's a world of diference over the standard brakes.

[xjay1337]

the thing with R32/S3 brakes is that they weigh an absolute ton.

For fast road use you are probably not really any better off by the time you add in the extra unsprung weight
Especially if you have fancy wheels you can easily run into brake clearance problems - for example I cannot fit them under my mercedes wheels.

312mm is perfectly adequate and you may be better off looking at the porsche 4 pot calipers for 312mm discs which would probably be the best thing...

[dansmith180]

I weighed my old 312mm setup when I took them off and they were 29.2kg all in and the new S3 setup was 38.7kg all in, which is quite a bit for unsprung weight but personally I thought the confidence I now have at speeds knowing I can stop was worth the extra weight, and I didn't find the weight really made any difference in drivability for me. After a remap the car has more than enough power to counter that weight, the GTI's aren't as light as they once were.

[dansmith180]

I definitely agree that some porsche 4 pots with some smaller size discs would be the best option but everyone has a budget to work with.

[bushypad]

Really appreciate all the feedback from everyone!  

I have decided to stick with the stock set up. Ordered brembo front vented discs and brembo rear solid discs with rear brembo pads. For the fronts gone with ferodo ds2500 pads.

 Besides the brake fluid are the braided hoses necessary? Best place to buy?

[bushypad]

I definitely agree that some porsche 4 pots with some smaller size discs would be the best option but everyone has a budget to work with.

Roughly how much for a set of front calipers?

[dansmith180]

I think the 996 ones in decent shape go for about £350ish but then you need to get brackets/ adaptors which can be £150 odd themselves, I would defo get braided hoses if your going to do all the other stuff, I got mine from HEL where they're about £80 for all 4.

[bacillus]

the 996 calipers need a 340mm disc.
the 986/987 Cayman/Boxster front calipers work with the standard 312mm front disc with the correct carriers.
http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13985.0.html

[bushypad]

I think the 996 ones in decent shape go for about £350ish but then you need to get brackets/ adaptors which can be £150 odd themselves, I would defo get braided hoses if your going to do all the other stuff, I got mine from HEL where they're about £80 for all 4.

Well just ordered the braided brake hoses HEL from mostorsport world £70 including postage not bad.

Can't wait for all of it to arrive so i can get it set up horrible having dead brakes!

[dansmith180]

Nice one, good luck.

[CarlW]

I see.. I was trying to find out what the standard size for rear discs some people saying. 282/286 and some 256mm. Anyone know?

286 are the standard disc size for the rears.. 256 i believe is another model of golf such as tdi's etc i think

[DamoP]

After weighing up my options i'm wanting to keep the standard set up but what are my best options for the best set up?

I have read ferodo ds2500 are great for pads with the brembo discs. Also this is a noob question but can you have different pads on the fronts and the rears. Apologies for any silly questions 

Is there any need for new calipers? I have the standard ones on now and been used for 83k miles

have you thought about braided lines? on my last car it made a massive difference

[GTI-Ross]

Im in the same boat, improve stock or go for an upgrade. There are so many other things i need to buy, new wheels, tyres, bumper spraying.

So hard to decide how much to spend on brakes. Think ill have to go for uprated pads and braided lines. 

[GrayMK5GTI]

THe S3/ R32 brakes are a great upgrade over the stock 312mm brakes. Fact.

Yeah sure they are a fair bit heavier but they are more powerful, have better feel, are more progressive and of course - they look better 

As everyone running these says, the benefits of having them far outweigh the extra weight (which you don't really notice tbh)

Unless your running fancy wheels like Jay  , these are a great OEM+ upgrade that won't break the bank 

[bushypad]

After weighing up my options i'm wanting to keep the standard set up but what are my best options for the best set up?

I have read ferodo ds2500 are great for pads with the brembo discs. Also this is a noob question but can you have different pads on the fronts and the rears. Apologies for any silly questions 

Is there any need for new calipers? I have the standard ones on now and been used for 83k miles

have you thought about braided lines? on my last car it made a massive difference

The HEL brake lines I ordered are braided.