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VWR Front Big Brake Upgrade Kit

VWR Big Brake Upgrade Kit, 352mm Discs and 6-Piston Calipers

VWRPB001, 2, 3

For any modified Volkswagen, the brakes are critically important to driving enjoyment and safety. After many years of development VWR is offering its own Big Brake Upgrade Kit developed exclusively for Golf5/6/Scirocco and the other cars that share the VAG A5 platform, exactly as used on the race cars.

The only big brake kit developed exclusively for Golf/Scirocco and the other cars that share the VAG A5 platform

An essential safety and performance upgrade for your Volkswagen.

The VWR RacingLine Big Brake Conversion gives a real supercar look and feel in the braking department. A much bigger disc and pad area gives greater heat capacity, thus reducing the effect of fade, whilst the stiffer calipers and braided steel brake lines reduce the compliance in the braking system to ensure firm pedal response under all conditions.

We need a front brake kit that can stand up to the extreme demands of circuit racing, yet is affordable and reliable. Surprisingly, none of the established brake companies could offer us what we wanted, so we commissioned our own exclusive development programme with our partners Caparo AP Braking. The VWR Big Brake Kit is the result.

As this is a kit developed exclusively for the VAG A5 platform (Golf5/6, Jetta, A3, Leon etc), a great deal of development work went into ensuring a beautiful, progressive brake pedal feel. Many aftermarket kits give a very grabby pedal response, making the car very hard to drive smoothly, and brake response very hard to modulate.

OVERVIEW OF THE KIT:

► 6-Piston, Light Weight, Low Profile, Red/Black/Blue Forged Calipers

► 352mm x 32mm 2-piece, Vented and Grooved Discs

► Aluminium Bells Compatible with VWR Interlocking Hub Spacers

► Aluminium Mounting Brackets with Racingline script

► Braided Stainless Flexible Brake Lines

► Performance Street Pads in a Non-Proprietary Standard Size

► All Mounting Hardware Included

► Optional VWR Interlocking 5mm, 7mm and 10mm Hub Spacers

► Fits 18 Inch Wheels and Larger

► Caliper Design Specific for VAG Master Cylinders

► Reduced Unsprung Mass with a Total Weight of 29 LBS Per Side

► Manufactured in the UK

► Replaceable Discs and Pads Available

THE CALIPERS

The 6-piston front calipers feature a piston array of varying diameters to ensure even pressure distribution across the entire pad surface. Unlike many generic braking systems on the market today, light braking under daily driving will not result in a ‘grabby’ or harsh, on/off braking feeling. This is because our braking system is specific to the VAG A5 Golf 5/6 platform cars, and was carefully matched to the OEM master cylinder and brake servo assistance. This ensures pedal feel is nearly identical to standard in normal driving conditions, yet capable of providing tremendous stopping power in high demand situations.

The calipers are forged from lightweight aluminium and designed to house large brake pads. The forged design provides intrinsic compressive stresses to help combat the negative effects of caliper flex, allowing improved force distribution and reduced vibration. Each unit features a thin caliper profile to aid in clearances and weight savings while not sacrificing structural integrity, even in the most demanding environments.

Calipers are available in red, black or blue with Volkswagen Racing script.

Colour Options:

VWRPB001 VWR Big Brake Kit, Red Calipers

VWRPB002 VWR Big Brake Kit, Black Calipers

VWRPB003 VWR Big Brake Kit, Blue Calipers

THE PADS

We provide performance street brake pads with each system. However, a standard pad size was chosen to allow you the ability to run your favorite brands and compounds without restricting you to only being able to source from us.

CALIPER MOUNTING BRACKETS

Included in the VWR Big Brake kit are strong and lightweight aluminium caliper carriers, with Racingline script, to properly mount the brake calipers. Standard mounting hardware is included and longer hardware is available for those with uprated factory aluminium uprights.

BRAKE DISCS

Massive 352mm x 32mm ventilated and grooved 2-piece disc surfaces provide dramatically better braking, both in terms of pedal response and resistance to fade, under hard use. To reduce brake fade, the ventilated design dissipates heat while the grooved surfaces evacuate gases released from the pads. The 2-piece design further aids in heat dissipation while reducing unsprung mass through the use of a lightweight aluminium bell. Because the bell housing is separate from the disc and reusable, replacement discs are less expensive.

BRAKE LINES

The VWR Performance Brake System includes braided stainless steel brake lines to improve the braking system’s effectiveness and longevity over conventional OEM rubber lines. Rubber lines have a tendency to swell or expand under heavy braking creating a soft or spongy pedal. However, stainless steel lines remain true to their form providing a more responsive and firm brake pedal. Abrasion and corrosion resistant, these lines will stay functional and looking good for years to come.

LIGHTWEIGHT, STRONG AND PROVEN

An obvious feature of the VWR Performance Brake System is an increase in stopping power, but an often-overlooked benefit is an increase in acceleration, ride comfort and handling through a reduction in unsprung mass. Typical OEM brake systems on VAG A5 platform vehicles (Golf, Jetta, A3, etc) weigh around 15kg / 33 lbs per side (Even more for Golf R, S3 and larger systems) while the entire VWR system weighs in at 13.1 kg / 29 LBS with pads.

Through years of brutal testing in the Volkswagen Racing Cup on race-winning cars, the VWR Braking System has proven to be a strong and reliable system for both street and track applications. Each system is manufactured in the UK and sample units are run through a battery of tests as seen below.

We use exactly the same VWR Brake Kit set up whether for road, track or race – for full race we simply use different dust seals due to the high operating temperatures. We think there is no better proof of the kit’s performance and durability than that.

SPECIFIC TO YOUR CAR

A great deal of development has gone into establishing the best piston diameters to suit the VAG A5 Golf 5/6 and Scirocco platform’s braking system and servo assistance (which includes vehicles such as Jetta, Beetle, Audi A3/S3, TT, Leon and Octavia). We are very pleased that we have found the optimum sizes to give maximum braking response without being too over-servoed, or ‘grabby’ – a common problem on brake hardware that has been developed generically, rather than for a specific application such as this one.

Built specifically for the Golf A5-platform cars, the front brakes require a minimum wheel diameter of 18″ because of the disc size.- the kit fits all standard OEM 18″ wheels. The kit fits straight onto any of these cars without modification, and includes pads, replacement braided steel flexible lines and all brackets and bolts to fit.

Please note that as high performance brakes, pad and disc life tends to be shorter when used hard than the standard brakes.

INTERLOCKING HUB SPACERS

A key feature of the VWR Braking System is the use of Interlocking Hub Spacers which offer several benefits in one convenient package. The VWR Interlocking Hub Spacers allow for proper caliper clearance and/or extra wheel spacing for looks and handling without increasing vibration, or negatively impacting drivability.

A common problem with larger than stock brake systems is an inability to use OEM and some aftermarket wheels due to the larger caliper width contacting the wheel’s spokes. The available VWR Interlocking Hub Spacers allow for an additional spacing of 5mm, 7mm or 10mm depending on application needs. Each spacer locks into the rotor’s bell housing to ensure no unnecessary movement or vibration is created under acceleration and braking.

This is a key benefit for customers swapping wheels during harsh winters, daily driving or track use. Within reason, no matter the offset, the VWR Interlocking Hub Spacers allow for issue free fitment of different offset wheels without swapping bell housings, or worse, removal of the entire braking system.

VWR Brakes are designed for 18″ and larger diameter wheels. Each Interlocking Hub Adapter is sold separately.

DOWNLOAD FITTING TEMPLATE

To verify the packaging of your car’s wheels, and establish whether you need to include Interlocking Hub Spacers, please download the file below.

Print this package drawing at 1:1 scale. Verify accuracy of printout in both lengths and widths to ensure distances are correct.

You can then cut-out the template around the red dotted line. Hold this template inside one of your wheels to check clearances.

You will see the three shim-width options marked against the wheel mounting face. Cut your template down against the 10mm, 7mm and 5mm widths to establish which, if any, your car/wheel requires.

Download VWR Big Brake Kit Fitting Template with Interlocking Hub Spacers

LATEST – GOLF 7 VWR BRAKE KIT RELEASED!

Just released – our ever-popular brake kit has just completed it’s final development sign-off. The first in the world!

DID YOU KNOW…?

When the world’s leading Volkswagen forum, VW Vortex, chose to create their ultimate interpretation of the New Beetle along with Volkswagen US, they chose VWR Big Brakes to fit under the 20″ wheels. SuperBeetle, as it became known, has the blue kit fitted, with the rear calipers painted to match.