Brake upgrade or replacement?
 

The rear calipers on my 2000 S8 need to be replaced. Do I:

Refurbish the rear calipers (if possible)?
Replace the rear calipers

or go for it and upgrade!

Any opinions would be appreciated but if the upgrade is favorite it will have to be done on a budget maybe with parts from other VAG models and the car can't be off the road for long as it is a daily driver.

As much as I like the AP and BIRA upgrades they are out of my price range at the moment!

Depends what's wrong with the calipers... Wouldn't be surprised if Ian has a set lying about.

If it's sticky pistons, you 'may' be able to clean them up by pulling them out and using emery paper to clean them up (done it before). I don't think you get too much from upgrading the rear brakes anyway, especially when you have to worry about the handbrake mechanism and all that stuff.

What's wrong with the calipers?

There are no reasonably priced off the shelf upgrades to the existing rear callipers. Due to our callipers having an integrated handbrake most options I found use separate foot and handbrake callipers on custom brackets.

To uprate your rear brake you have the Audi RS4 / RS6 alternatives but without a matching front upgrade you will unbalance your baking system shifting the bias backwards. The net effect will be a twitchy rear end :eek2:. Non of us want a twitchy rear end:D. All that will happen is your ABS on the back will work overtime as the back locks up before the front.

As Psyche says, refurb or replacement is the way ahead. Refurb is not difficult and Audi do a kit for it. Parts 21, 22 and 26. Here on VAGCAT (you need to register)
http://www.vagcat.com/p/B119/615600.png

I would be suprised if the calipers a beyound refurb. If they are try A8Parts.

I missed a few words out when I said upgrade. I meant upgrade the front and rear.

Is the RS4/6 upgrade straight forward or are we talking custom brackets and a load of work?

Talk to Ian@a8parts. he has a full set for sale! :)
Straight bolt on with LWB handbrake cables replacing the originals to allow for the extra size on the rear disk.

However, if its an upgrade your after then checkout my AP racing post. If you can't find an RS4/6 set up it would be cheaper than new from Audi.

Cheers for that.

I'll contact Ian to see how much he wants for them.

I'm new to all this do I PM him or contact A8parts?

I would suggest you PM Ian

Conan,

Would this set up work on the S8?

/www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=75885

Cheers

That looks like the set up on A8_Tony's A8. It all depends on which hub carrier you have. The set in the picture has the mounting bracket so I would think they would replace the Girlings which you have. There may be a need for a couple of shims to centre the calipers on the disks but it's an easy enough fit. It's a pretty good price though.

OK That will be the front sorted. Will the RS6 calipers below

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=...wtopic&t=75846

fit straight on the back or will I need RS6 discs?:Confused: