Yet another 280mm Brake Thread!

Yet another 280mm brake thread I'm afraid! I've looked through plenty of old topics using search but to be honest my head is starting to hurt.

So at the moment I have 280mm x 22mm discs, 280mm carriers with the sliders ground down, 16v 256mm calipers and 16v pads all under BBS RA's.

The last time I changed my discs and pads I had to sand down the 16v pads (16mm thick) a few mm's to get them to fit. I read on here that 256mm calipers have an opening of 53mm and with two 16mm pads either side of a 22mm thick disc that adds upto 54mm required, hence the sanding.

This time however when I came to replace the discs and pads I could not retract the caliper anywhere near enough! I only managed to retract the first one to a 43mm opening, so didn't even try the other wheel.

So two questions:

Should I just swap my 16v calipers for some reconditioned ones from ECP or is it pretty easy to recondition them yourself with a wire brush and some new seals?

Or are there other calipers available that would allow me to use the 16v pads and BBS RA's with no problems given that I already have the sliders ground down?

Thanks.

 

I've reconditioned callipers before, I used seals from Biggred. You can get pistons as well, and if not from BiggRed then from Brakesint.

However I'm not convinced now its worthwhile from a cost point of view so last time around I exchanged at ECP.

Cant answer the second question though.

 

or you could try and source some G60 units. That would sort your clearance issues too, as IIRC they are wider than the 16v calipers. I have Corrado G60 brakes up front with 16v pads under BBS RA 15". Direct bolt on to my Mk2 GTI 8v

 

I have shown how to use BBS RAs + 280mm brake discs and calipers in my build thread.

 

Thanks molegti, sounds like reconditioned calipers it is then.

As for the calipers, I've been doing some more reading up and found the older threads were helpful. It seems that some, like you Thermt, can get the 280mm calipers to fit with the 16v pads under the RA's but others cannot. (The slider mod is only needed if you want to use the 16v calipers.) So there must be some difference in the thickness of the 'fingers' between calipers. Pic to illustrate what I mean:



When I look up G60 calipers on my old ETKA I get a few different part numbers so maybe this thickness is slightly different on different calipers which could explain why some get them to fit and others don't?

Perhaps I should just get reconditioned 16v calipers and sand down my pads. I'd prefer to sort this out properly but I've spent far too much time on this already!!

 

Seems like we were writing at the same time Toyotec. So you had problems with 11mm pads but 10mm pads were OK. My new EBC Yellowstuff pads are definitely 16mm so I definitley will have trouble. Are you measuring the total thickness of the pad or just the thickness of the braking material?

 

Pad material measured only.

I always knew there were fouling issues with certain types of wheels and decided to investigate why and a workaround. That has been my solution to this day.

 

Interesting thread.. I've just tried to fit reconditioned g60 calipers and carriers to my '91 16v using yellowstuff 16v pads and failed miserably. Yellowstuff too thick maybe?

 

What I have found is, aftermarket high performance pads are generally thicker than standard items.

I cannot order CL RC6, or Ferodo's in Golf 2 16v thickness for example. I suspect the same would be for EBC.

 

Never seen a Corrado on RAs to be fair. They run RZ wheels, which by default are fine with the front brake system.
BMWs tend to run a version fo RZ as well.
As I have said above, aftermarket track type pads are usually thicker by default and will cause problems with the clearance on RA wheels with MK3/Corrado/Passat Lucas 54 caliper/carriers and 280 mm brake disks.

 

I have never seen any of those fitted on a Corrado in this market!
Regardless I would expect my practical solution re 280mm brakes to affect all Golf Mk2 vehicles with original VW RA wheels fitted.

 

So (and apologies if you've already answered this somewhere) - if the aftermarket pads like EBC are thicker than the "standard" 16v pads and therefore don't fit under BBS-RAs, what sort of pads do actually fit? What did you run on yours without the spacers Eddie?

(Just checked on EBC website: Yellowstuff 16v front Dimensions. 119 x 70 x 16mm)

 

For the road, I run std Textar Golf 2 16v brakes pads. # 2016801. Total pad thickness inc back plate is 16.2 mm. They do have a 'wooden feel' compared to a high friction pad, but you should NOT need to late brake on a public road.
For track use, I tend to have other wheels/sticky tires, with appropriate caliper clearance, so thicker 'race' pads at 19.3 mm total thickness are not a problem unless it is wet.
If it is wet then the road tyres remain and I run spacers to give clearance with the thicker, aggressive pad material.

 

Therefore on Golf Mk2 16v Lucas 54 calipers, the maximum opening is 53 mm between a fully compressed piston and caliper
Disc is 20 mm thick and pads are 16.2 mm x 2 = 52.4 mm with 0.6mm of slack

On Golf VR6/Corrado VR6 and G60 models, the caliper maximum opening is 61 mm.
Disc is 22 mm thick and pads are 19.3 mm x 2 = 58.6 mm with 2.4 mm of slack left.
Run thinner 16.2 mm pads and the caliper will float ~ 3mm away from the inside of the rim, which on a RA is all it takes with a 280 mm set up.

 

I remember those wheels, they looked great with a bigger width. Although I'm sure it wasn't on richgits car, it was on his mates oak green mk2 which was very nice. Can't remember his username now

 

I've finally got around to checking my setup. I have ET35 BBS RAs and I measured my total pad thickness (i.e. friction material and backplace) to 15.5mm. Yet, my calipers are still foundling the inside face of the wheel. Only just, though, maybe needs another mm or so clearance.







I wonder how this works for you then Eddie, when I have the same wheels, same calipers, and same (actually a little less) thickness of pads.
I haven't measure the caliper opening thickness, I'll check that out of interest, but I've got the same problem nonetheless.
So I guess I'm either down to grinding back some pad material (yuk.. won't be doing that bodge) or reducing the thickness of the slider pin heads. Or grind back the outside edge of the caliper perhaps?
Or just stick with 256 discs+YellowStuff, which actually isn't bad.