D3 S8: rear ceramic calipers refurb
 

This was doing my head in for just over a year now, I couldn't look at it anymore and I don't understand how Audi got it so wrong :Confused:
Front calipers look spot on, but rears are just disgusting. Not only they didn't bother to put some decent calipers on, but the finish was beyond poor.

Anyway, as I was replacing all brakes and suspension it was the time to correct what Audi fecked up.

OEM look

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507207114

Thing which really really bothered me as well

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507207212


So the first thing on my list was to get rid off them horrible cast ridges and remove what was left from original lacquer, paint and undercoat using various dremel attachments.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507207466

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507207466

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507207466


In the meantime I took one front caliper to the paint shop to mix the paint.
They have recommended Technogrip high temp paint in semi gloss finish which wont require lacquer over and no undercoat. Semi gloss finish was perfect because that's the finish on the front calipers.

I wish I wasn't so excited at the time because I went with the first mix after looking at it for no more than 2 seconds. Colour isn't a perfect match and could be slightly brighter which was absolutely achievable, but I may refurbish the second set and just swap them over.

Link to the paint shop. Great bunch of very helpful guys.

https://www.carcolourservices.co.uk/

Then I asked the guy who did my previous quattro decals for A8 to make me custom size Audi ceramics decals, 1x set of 90mm x 17.6mm and 2x sets of 80mm x 15.5mm.
I went with 90mm ones and thats where I've made second mistake, should have put 80mm ones, but as I said I am considering redoing them again - being an@l is so bloody annoying :rolleyes:

Link for the decals. Again, great guy, very helpful and fully on board with the request, highly recommended. He was so pleased with the results, not like me :rolleyes:, that he asked me if he could use my pics on his website.

http://www.brakecaliperdecals.co.uk/...c-Brake-Decals


Colour comparison

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208544


Caliper and carrier after 1st coat.
3 coats in total with 30min gap between 1st and 2nd and 1 hour before applying the final coat.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208684

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208684


Final result after a bit of polishing and buffing.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208855

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208855

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208855

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507208855


Calipers on, fresh pair of disc on (60k less miles than my original set) which obviously I had to polish as well (aluminium part of course not the discs).

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507209407


And before and after shots.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507209667

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1507209667

Excellent Marcin. Top class workmanship and write-up +++

One rear caliper upgrade I've seen is to use a custom bracket to retain the EPB as parking brake only with a regular hydraulic caliper. This was on a C6 S6

Cheers buddy +++

That is very interesting I have to say....but, I don't think I would be able to live with 2 calipers.
I do have a spare set of front ceramic calipers tho :rolleyes:
I'm sure it would look wrong having same size discs and calipers on the rear.

I just have to learn to accept it and maybe spray the second set with a slightly lighter colour.
Time will tell.

Is that your engine sitting out of the car I see in the background?! Or is it a spare......

Well, spare/project/idea/dream, call it how ever you want :D

I do believe D3 S8 will become more popular/classic in the future as one of the last if not last saloon with a V10 engine under the bonnet.
But that is not the reason.
I'm hoping next year when I get rotating engine stand, 3 ton ramp on my driveway under the carport and an engine trolley for dropping the engine to actually completely rebuild it at my own pace whenever I have spare time without rushing.
Yeah, lets call it a project - come on, it's a V10. How many people do we know who had an opportunity to rebuild a V10?

The engine it self is actually better than mine and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Am I crazy or not normal, who knows :ROFL:

After 3 attempts to buy a D4 S8 and RS6 recently I've decided to keep the car for now - it's the engine, it's almost like V8 is not good enough anymore.
Yes they have all the turbos and all that, but not enough cylinders.
Hence I'm throwing even more money now at it as per my project thread by replacing a lot of stuff and making it as mint as possible - I doubt it will ever be mint, but idea is out there so we will see.

Very nicely done! You transformed those calipers into just slightly acceptable appearance for the S8 which I didn't imagine was possible. Will copycat.

Well, the last normally aspirated one....

#RS6Saloon +++

Agreed that the V10 is a peach of an engine, and everyone should get it on their bucket list to experience it in one way or another as its just like no other engine fitted to any A8, ever....

Nice job Marcin and thanks for the write up! Looks great! +++ :D

Cheers guys +++

Yeah, I still don't like the shape of the caliper, but at least that ugly look is gone and they are slightly more pleasant to look at.

Do you maybe still have the paint code for the caliper? Stickers were ebay?