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Classic VW Golf Brake Upgrade Guide

Classic VW Golf Brake Upgrade Guide
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Classic VW Golf Brake Upgrade Guide

Both the Mk1 and Mk2 Golf lend themselves to myriad brake upgrades, but as they’re both relatively lightweight models you don’t have to go mad to achieve exceptional stopping power. Allow James Wallace to guide you through the options in this comprehensive brake upgrade guide for classic VW Golf models. 

OEM Brake upgrades

The Volkswagen R&D department generally equips its hot hatch models with ample stopping power, and as model performance increases so the brakes have evolved to suit. However, when it comes to engine transplants and extreme track driving,  a balanced and capable chassis is equally as important as bags of power or torque. It’s all very well shoving 200+hp through the front wheels, but when it comes to hauling up 900 – 1100kg repeatedly into Paddock Hill or on your favourite B-road, there’s nothing more terrifying than a spongy or lacklustre middle pedal. Fortunately, VW saw fit to offer the 4x100 market quite the range of uprated braking solutions over the years. This means you can maintain an OEM vibe to upgrading discs, calipers, master cylinders, and servos to help slow the extra go you have on offer.  

Overbraking: Speaking from experience

I found out to my peril that equipping my Mk1 Golf with significantly more powerful four-piston calipers (Hi Spec in this instance) and an uprated Mk2 16v master cylinder and servo (9-inch) led to a braking system that was out of balance and literally millimeters away from locking up and sending me into a hedge when provoked, particularly during a moment of panic or ill-judged pressure application.

That was because the calipers were setup for a factory Mk1 GTi servo and master cylinder application, so I’d hindered and over-complicated my braking setup due to my lack of knowledge. That’s why the tried and tested solutions tend to be the best option. Here we hope to impart some of our wisdom and convey what we think works best for both the Mk1 and Mk2 Golf platforms. 

Mk1 Golf Brake Upgrades

Depending upon the level of power you plan on running, and the choice of road or track usage, the Mk1 Golf upgrade path is relatively simple. Because the car is a lightweight, simple beast, there are several tried and tested options, but your base model will make a big difference to what you might start off with.

Anything below 1.1-litre tended to come without a servo, whereas 1.3 Driver and upwards has the balance bar assembly (a result of switching from LHD to RHD production) to allow for a servo and master cylinder with vacuum assistance. The first port of call will always be discs and pads and high-quality brake discs even in 239mm with some good quality pads will net very useful gains for dependable repeated high heat abuse.

239mm discs on the Mk2 Golf can be upgraded from 12m to the 20mm thick vented type, just by switching to the relevant pads with no need to swap the calipers over. In fact, if you want to go bigger, 256mm GTI discs from a later Mk2 will fit on the 239mm Mk1 Calipers. Couple this with a Mk2 9-inch servo and 22mm master cylinder and leads to much improved overall power – but we’ll talk more about that in a bit. 

G60 Brakes

For many, the G60 setup remains the best bang-per-buck setup for the Mk1 and is the default starting point for serious Mk2 Golf stopping.

The downside? You’ll need to run at least 15” wheels to clear the 280mm discs. To do it, you'll need caliper carriers and a pair of Girling/Lucas Calipers (for reference part numbers 443-615-123/FX & 443-615-124/FX for the early version and 357-615-123/B & 357-615-124/B for the later version) along with matching brake hoses from a Mk2 Golf or Corrado G60

Mk1 Golf owners will need different caliper carrier brackets to mount them to the factory hubs, but trust me, the benefits will be remarkable with this particular setup. I still run G60 discs and G60 calipers on a 240hp Mk1 Golf and find them to be more than capable with zero brake fade, although I run mine without a servo or M/C using a Wilwood bias adjustable pedal box for ultimate feel and progression through the pedal stroke. 

SEAT Brembo Brake upgrade

To be honest unless you’re pushing more than 300hp there’s really no need to go beyond what’s possible with the G60 setup, however SEAT offered what many consider to be the “ultimate” 4x100 upgrade on the Ibiza Cupra R. A set of Brembo 4pot calipers, 305 x 28mm discs with unbelievable stopping power for such a tiny, lightweight little car. Bear in mind that these usually require 16-inch wheels and custom brackets from the likes of EPYTEC in order to bolt to either Mk1 or Mk2 hubs. Spacers may also be required, depending on what wheels you are running.

OEM Rear disc conversion 

Switching from rear drums to rear discs is relatively simple on the Mk1. You’ll need Mk2 Golf rear stub axles, Mk2 or Mk4 Golf rear calipers (Mk4s benefit from being ally so rarely seize up, although also require different M10 x 1.5 Banjo bolts)  and the corresponding Mk2 rear discs. Want it all in one box? We sell a Mk1 Golf rear disc conversion kit here

Servo and Master Cylinder

One of the most popular upgrades for the Mk1 Golf (and non GTI Mk2 models) is a Mk2 Golf 16v 9-inch servo and 22mm master cylinder (357 611019B). This instantly improves pedal feel and gives far more reassurance to hauling up any Mk1, even with the original 239mm discs. Opt for the 256 x 20mm Mk2 discs and you’ll be perfectly matching the leverage and piston size of the calipers so pedal feel remains consistent without the risk of locking up due to mismatched piston size/vacuum assistance. Some owners also opt for the 25.4mm T4 Transporter (7D0 611 019B) master cylinder with M12 x 1 outlets for even more reassurance.  

Aftermarket braking upgrades 

Stepping away from the VW back catalogue here are a few other upgrades you could also try to get the most from your middle pedal.  

Some say that cross-drilled and grooved discs are merely a fad that leads to cracking and premature reliability issues, but there’s no doubt they dissipate heat faster than solid brake discs, although whether you’ll actually ever need that repeated, high-speed, long-term power depends upon your driving style and what you intend to do with the car. 

Another very useful upgrade for both Mk1 and Mk2 platforms are braided hoses from companies like Goodridge. These improve pedal feel by replacing the rubber hoses with metal hoses that won’t expand under extreme hydraulic loads. Couple this with DOT 5.1 brake fluid for a higher boiling point to reduce brake fade.  

The world is your lobster when it comes to big disc ‘fancy’ four (or more) piston upgrades from the likes of Tar-ox, Hi Spec, Wilwood, Brembo, K-sport, Compbrake etc. Although despite the exceptional performance, they are arguably more about aesthetics and pub bragging rights as they are good value for money.

Confidence in any brake upgrade is key and the Wilwood pedal box makes my car far more predictable with an incredible pedal feel compared to having a servo. It also tidies up the engine bay no end and everything is contained within the cabin -  although not having a dashboard also helps here. Going down this route will allow you to tailor the master cylinder ratios and run a hydraulic clutch with ease with this setup – just be sure to do your research first.  If you are running the brake lines through the car you could also plumb in a bias adjustable valve to alter the behavior of the back end on the go.  

Our thanks to James Wallace for another fantastic technical article aimed at helping watercooled VW owners to get the most from their cars. If you are considering a change to things under the bonnet check out the biblical Engine Conversion Guide he wrote for us, you'll save yourself hours of head-scratching, trust us...

James / Andy 

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