Cross-drilled Brakes for the A3 2.0-liter Chassis

Automotive Performance Systems 3300 Corte Malpaso St.

Dept. sec Camarillo, CA 93012

(800) 423-3623 (805) 388-8111

In many instances , having big brakes is just as much fun as hav­ing a powerful motor. Especially,

when it comes to activities like autocrossing. So when we learned that the technical wizards at Neuspeed were greatly enhancing the stopping power of their Project Cabrio, we knew that we should make our presence known. With its Strosek-designed ProjectZwo body kit in Flash Red, Neuspeed's Cabrio is a rolling definition of "rad."

We followed along as Neuspeed replaced the car's 10.2-inch brakes with 11-inch wonders , the larger 280mm brakes of the Plus suspen­sion which is standard with VR6-engined VWs.

This particular brake upgrade is good for many of the A3 2.0-liter Volkswagens- with or without rear disc brakes , and with or without ABS. But, they also require 15-inch wheels (more on fitment below).

With the 11-inch brakes, the

Project Cabrio's 60 to 0 mph stop­ping distances dropped from an average of 167 feet in stock form to an average of only 136 feet after APS installed braided stainless/Teflon lines, Repco Metal Master pads, and Neuspeed cross-drilled rotors. Contributing to these low numbers was the switch to a stiffer, lower Neuspeed sport suspension (less weight transfer) and wide Uniroyal RTTl rubber (better traction). Brake fade was nil in all of the tests we conducted, and ABS was fully used in each test.

These braking distances were measured using a Vericom VC-2000 Performance Computer. Tests were made before and after fitting the Neuspeed brakes. Aside from the base test - with stock wheels and tires , and suspension - the wheels , tires, suspension and alignment , vehicle weight , road surface and test driver remained the same. The dis­tances may be different from other

IVEUSPEED

The first step is to place the front of the car on jack stands and remove the front wheels. The car must be supported - never work under a car supported only with a jack.

Comparison of the 11-inch rotor (left) and the stock 1 0.2-inch rotor (right). Both rotors shown are Neuspeed cross-drilled units.

64 SPORT COMPACT CAR/APRIL 1996

test results you see; which were con­ducted with a different car, driver, road surface, etc. More important is the improvement shown, not the dis­

.tance. We used a deserted strip of road

for our testing, and ran stops in both directions to average any slope in the road. Nine tests were run in each configuration, with the high and low results thrown out and the rest aver­aged.

APS installed the new calipers, rotor and pads, bled the system and put everything back together. Breaking in the new brake pads is quite simple , and it ' s also quite important. If you just run out and slam on the brakes with a new set of pads, you'll probably be disappoint­ed: Your big conversion will seem less effective than stock when the pads are new. Here's why: Brake pad material is made of friction-

inducing materials held together with binders, or glues. When you first use new brake pads, the initial heat literally vaporizes the glu E#s and creates a layer of gasses between the pad and the rotor. As a result, friction is reduced. This phe­nomenon is called "green fade," and when it happens it feels as though the brakes are going away.

The common reaction to green fade is to apply the brakes harder. This could cause glazing that will ruin your new pads . What to do? Break in the pads before you need them for an emergency. In a safe location, make a series of long, mod­erate stops to build up heat. You'll soon feel the green fade. Keep driv­ing to cool the brakes and repeat the process. After five or six series of stops, the gases from the binders will be reduced and your brakes will be bedded in. (A hint from Carol

The 11-inch brakes offer about 25 percent more braking area, look great, particularly in the cross­drilled version with the black cad finish.

Smith's book, Tune to Win: Put a big piece of tape on the steering wheel with "NEW PADS" on it, so that you will be reminded each time you look down.)

Ba<;k on our deserted test strip , renewed testing measured with the Vericom computer showed an aver­age stopping distance of 166 feet from an average speed of 60 mph, an improvement of about 23 percent over the modified brakes and 37 per­cent over the box-stock brake, tire and suspension setup. That average difference of 14 feet in stopping dis­tanced over the hot 10.2s and 31 feet over the box stock car provides an extra car length or two of safety mar­gin.

Brake fade with the 11-inch brakes is simply non-existent, even after repeated high-speed stops. Pedal feel and modulation are excellent. And tlfanks to the ABS, special driv-

The two caliper carriers are quite similar. Their job is to correctly locate the caliper with respect to the brake rotor. The new, larger diameter rotors require that the caliper be spaced slightly further out, hence the difference.

Loosen the Philips head screw. It's easier if you have an assistant apply the brakes to hold the rotor in place. If you 're working by yourself, put a straight screwdriver into the center of the ventilated rotor. When it comes in contact with the caliper, you can easily remove the screw retaining the rotor.

Neuspeed's project Cabrio already sported their trick cross-drilled rotors in the exclusive "black cad" finish, with gripping action provided by Repco Metal Master pads. Clean the area you will be working on using a product like CRC BrakeKien. Pay careful attention and keep dirt or grease off from around the fittings.

SPORT COMPACT CAR/APRIL 1996 65

ing tricks aren't required with this well-engineered system - even a stranger to the car can get in and stop quickly and safely.

A3 BRAKI CONVERSION Originally introduced on the

Wheel clearance can be a problem

with the 11-inch brakes. The 17 -inch

MOMO Arrows on the Neuspeed

Project Cabrio offer plenty of clearance,

as shown here. With a 15-inch

wheel you'll have to be a little more

careful.

A3 DISC BRAKE UPGRADE

Corrado, these are the biggest front discs on stock Volkswagens. Compared to the O.E. 2.0-liter fronts , the brake diameter is 16 percaJi t larger, but the actual braking area doing the work - that is , being "swept" by the brake pads and

Loosen the bolts holding the original caliper to the caliper carrier using a 13mm and a 15mm wrench .

which is called the "swept area,"­is about 25 percent larger, a signifi­cant increase.

Installation is no more difficult than replacing the stock calipers and i~ not much more difficult than

Continued on page 100

Remove the old caliper from the carrier. Although, the caliper looks virtually identical to the 11-inch caliper, and even appears to be made from the same casting , it is machined differently and won't clear the thicker 11-inch rotor. You can always sell your old brakes to an A2 owner looking for bigger brakes to help recoup some of the expense.

To help keep things tidy, leave the brake line of the old caliper and hang it out of the way for now. That prevents dripping brake fluid while installing the new rotor and caliper. Neuspeed braided stainless!Teflon lines were already installed on this car. Remove the clip in the heat and dust s~ld from the center of the piston. You'll need to reuse it for the new calipers. Remove the old rotor. The surface for mounting the brake rotors must be free of all dirt, scale or rust. Clean off the face of the hub where the brake rotor mounts using a wire brush if needed. The toothed wheel behind the rotor is the ASS speed wheel that allows the sensor to generate a wheel speed signal. It stays untouched with this conversion.

Install the cross-drilled 11-inch rotors, or the standard 11-inch rotors if that's what you 've chosen . Be sure to clean the new rotors with a good grease-free solvent and clean towel or rag before installing them. Use a little anti­seize compound on the rotor screw, and tighten it in place. Thinking ahead for the next guy, use anti-seize between the hub and rotor when putting things back together so that next time the rotor will be much easier to remove. The black, anti-corrosion finish on the Neuspeed rotors is called black cad plating. Mount the new brake pad carrier on your wheel bearing housing, using the two bolts and two 17mm wrenches. Torque to 92-lb-ft. Use blue Loctite to make sure the bolts stay in place. Slide the new Repco Metal Master pads into place on the caliper carrier. If you 're going to use an anti-squeak compound , now is the time to apply it to the back of the pads. The Repco Metal Master pads offer improved braking over a stock type pad, and they can also improve a stock braking system.

Install the heat shield from your old brake caliper in the piston on your new caliper. Don't skip this important step.

SPORT COMPACT CAR/APRIL 1996 67

replacing stock pads and bleeding the brake system. It 's an entirely appropriate job for the average home mechanic . Note: If you have any doubts about your abilities , you should have this job done by a pro­fessional. Best of all, unlike some engine modifications with question­able legality , high-performance brake upgrades are a legal (and rec­ommended) modification.

The complete kit lists for $449.95 with new OEM standard rotors, and $494.95 with Neuspeed 's optional black cad cross-drilled rotors . The kit includes new caliper carriers , new calipers , Neuspeed braided stainless/Teflon lines , new 280mm rotors and Repco Metal Master semi­metallic brake pads.

The finished 11-inch conversion doesn't require readjustment of the brake proportioning. The stock set-

A3 DISC BRAKE UPGRADE Continued from 67

DNI VmY IMPORTANT fACT: You have to have at least 15-inch wheels to clear VW's 11-inch braking system. And you have to have the correct 15-inch wheels. These 11-inch rotors are big, pushing the calipers out to the inner edge of a 15-inch wheel. The Neuspeed Cabrio features 17-inch MOMO Arrow wheels, which allow plenty of clearance between caliper and wheel. Before you purchase the A3 braking upgrade, you'll have to do some careful measuring to make sure the brakes will fit. If you are looking for 15x6-inch wheel, they should have an offset of no more 35mm; 15x7 -inch wheels should have between a 20-30mm offset. (On most wheels, the offset is cast into the wheel in the hub area, for example "ET 35"). Even if you have the correct offset, there may be other factors which affect the fitment of this conver­sion. The shape of the inner side of the wheel casting and how far it protrudes are two of these factors. Make sure you ask about your wheels before you purchase Neuspeed's 11-inch brake conversion . And finally, remember that your spare wheel and tire will no longer fit. In the past, on our project cars with 11-inch brakes, we've just gone ahead and bought a 15-inch steel wheel and inexpensive tire. You might also look in to getting the 15-inch steel wheel and space saver spare from the Corrado or Passat. If you don't want to go to that trouble, carry a canned inflator/repair product.

ting works fine . As mentioned , the installation works fine with ABS, which this car had. With rear drums like this Cabrio, everything worked great. The conversion is also appro-

In order for the caliper to slip over the new pads, the piston must be retracted . There are special tools to do this job, but slip joint "water pump" pliers also do the trick. Take care not to damage the rubber dust seal on the edge of the piston. If you 're performing this step after the brake line is hooked up, make sure there is enough room in the master cylinder reservoir to allow for the extra fluid when you move the piston.

priate for use with rear disc cars, like some early A3 2.0-liters. APS does recommend using the same pad material at the front and rear on four-wheel disc models . sec

Mount the new caliper on the new carrier, sliding it over the Repco pads. Reinstall the two caliper retaining bolts. The correct torque is 26 lb-ft. The factory manual says these bolts must always be replaced , probably because of the locking compound which is factory applied . APS suggests to reuse the bolts and apply blue Loctite thread­locking compound on the threads.

With everything mounted up, proceed with the brake lines. If your car has ABS, there is a special procedure to follow before loosening the hydraulic lines: Turn off the ignition, and depress the brake pedal 20 times or so. This will remove any dangerous residual pressure in the braking system. Now it's time to remove the old brake hose and reinstall the new Neuspeed Teflon/braided stainless steel brake line. Detach the front brake hoses from the old front brake calipers and remove the rubber mounting grommet to use on the new Neuspeed line. Remember, the brake fluid is not only classified as toxic waste, but can also be considered a pretty good paint remover. Be careful about any spills.

Attach the brake line to the new caliper, and attach it to the brake hard line in the fender

well. Use a bit of anti-seize compound on the threads at the end of the brake lines. Adjust

the brake line with the wheel pointing straight ahead to make things easier. Take care that it is correctly routed, both with the wheel all the way in droop, hanging down, and with

the tire resting on the ground in normal position. Install the rubber grommet in the strut clip to hold it in place. The stainless

steel braided covering is abrasive and will eventually saw through anything it rubs

against. Pay attention! Mount the wheel back in place, lower the car and torque the lug

nuts to the proper rating. Replace the other caliper, line and rotor in a similar manner.

next bleed the air out of the hydraulic system. Bleed the brakes furthest away from

the master cylinder first. Since we're bleeding just the front brakes, that means

first the passenger's side, then the driver's side. It's a good idea to have an assistant

make sure that the master cylinder isn't allowed to go dry as this would mean having

to start over again.

100 SPORT COMPACT CAR/APRIL 1996