B8/A4 Brakes. Possible Upgrade?

[H16H SP33D]

Hello all! This is my first post on this forum and I have a lot of questions but I'll try not to get carried away.

I have a 2010 A4 premium plus. Only things I've done to it so far are wheels and tires and de-badge. I have so much I'd like to do to the car but student loans slow me down. Now to the topic at hand. My brake light is on so I'm due for a change. I'm a mechanic in the Army reserves so I've always done my own work on cars but seeing as it's 110 plus outside here in Phoenix and I live in a complex that doesn't allow working on cars, I figured I'd take it to a place and relax in the AC. I found a coupon and took it to a firestone where, longer story short, they told me the rotors needed to be changed and due to the high price of parts quoted me $570 to do the work. Obviously I said no thanks and went on my way. Now I know that pads run around $40 at many auto parts shops but I'm not so sure about the rotors. I've been thinking that since I may need to fork over around $600 for brakes, why not get a slight upgrade for similar pricing? Here are my questions:

1) After some research I've found some rotors and pads online for similar pricing (e.g. see the link at the bottom), but I'm not sure if they'll work. Can anyone recommend any kits that aren't too much? Rotors, pads, maybe even calipers.

2) Would this be cost effective, or should I just pay for the oem parts at a shop and save up for a later upgrade?

Any advice is appreciated.

I couldn't find any posts on this site that posed the same questions so if one already exists, please direct me there.

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/lzq74xs

[Limey]

Have you looked on ECS tuning? Lots of brake options on there at good prices..
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B8_A4-...ont/ES2215359/


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[TexasEric]

Lots of options... The first question will be 'how are you going to use the car?' Daily driver? Race track? Aggressive driver? If this is your daily driver, you do not need too much of an upgrade for performance. For looks and style, that is another thing. I would recommend searching here for 'rotor', 'adam's rotors', BBK, Stoptech, and Zimmerman.

[AWDLover]

I went with ecs tuning geomet slotted rotors and akebono euro ceramic pads. Don't know if its much of an upgrade, but very happy with the amount of brake dust and look of the slotted rotors.

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[myazforumname]

Student loans and you're driving an A4? Why don't you trade it in, get a Golf or something and pay them down. Unless you have your financial house in order, you shouldn't be wasting money on german luxury cars.

[b4a41point8t]

I went with ecs tuning geomet slotted rotors and akenbono euro ceramic pads. Don't know if its much of an upgrade, but very happy with the amount of brake dust and look of the slotted rotors.

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My old Akebonos squealed like a slaughtered pig and left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe a bad batch or improper break in? But my current Textar pads blow! i got them thinking OEM performance but without the dust. Now I have to redo them. I'm NOT happy. Looking at Hawks...or... Akebono (ugh, my fault).

[PaulA4]

This is my brembo 4 piston kit
New photos

Before:

Kit:

Now:

18 oem wheel without spacer:

[TCHUN003]

This is my brembo 4 piston kit
New photos

Before:

Kit:

Now:

18 oem wheel without spacer:

Where did you get it, and for how much? Looks like the brembo's that come on q5's. I looked into that, but getting stoptech st40's was a lot cheaper with better performance

[gunsmoker]

S4-size lighter than stock A4 rotors and carriers from ECS Tuning:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B8_A4-...OEM/ES2628456/

[H16H SP33D]

Thanks for the advice guys! Right now I'm thinking about doing one of these two:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B8_A4-...Kit/ES2594107/
http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B8_A4-...Kit/ES2594262/

I think I might have a buddy with a garage that I can do the work in. From what I've read you need a vag-com tool to release the rear caliper motors. Does anyone know if this is true? Is there somewhere I can rent one? Are they expensive to purchase for this project?

[TCHUN003]

Get Akebono pad from rockauto. They are virtually dustless, I absolutely love them.

[H16H SP33D]

What do you guys think of this set: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...203&cc=1444782

[gunsmoker]

Unless you increase the rotor size, drilling and slotting will reduce the brake force because of the reduced friction area. It's all for show.

[AWDLover]

My old Akebonos squealed like a slaughtered pig and left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe a bad batch or improper break in? But my current Textar pads blow! i got them thinking OEM performance but without the dust. Now I have to redo them. I'm NOT happy. Looking at Hawks...or... Akebono (ugh, my fault).

Yeah I'm not having any squeal with my akebonos. I didn't do a full on bedding, but did do a few hard slow downs from ~60-15 once I had worn off the geomet coating on the rotors where the pads touch. Miss a little bit of the initial bite, but otherwise they feel just as good as the stock pads and rotors....

[B8Phil]

I went with semi-metallic Posi Quiets, and Centric rotors for OEM+ performance and lower brakedust. I didn't really feel that much of a performance benefit over stock, but I definitely have less brake dust! Got everything from parts-geek for about $300.

[Limey]

I went with S4 slotted and drilled rotors along with hawk ceramic brake pads and stainless steel brake lines. Will install this up coming weekend Post pics.


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[dylannorton]

So s4 rotors will fit behind a 17 inch wheel? And are compatible with our calipers? I went to install my akebono pads today and found out that my rotors are SHOT. Needless to say I am pretty happy I have a reason to get drilled and slotted rotors.

[Limey]

So s4 rotors will fit behind a 17 inch wheel? And are compatible with our calipers? I went to install my akebono pads today and found out that my rotors are SHOT. Needless to say I am pretty happy I have a reason to get drilled and slotted rotors.

I'm pretty sure they won't fit behind 17" wheel and they work with our calipers but to use S4 rotors you need the carriers off the S4.

[dylannorton]

I'm pretty sure they won't fit behind 17" wheel and they work with our calipers but to use S4 rotors you need the carriers off the S4.

Just went on ecstuning to check prices on a new set of carriers. Looks like i won't be using s4 rotors.. Still going to go with drilled and slotted all around.

[Liquidsystm]

I did the s4 rotor and caliper swap before i swapped out to the alcons, and the was no difference from s4 to stock a4 brakes, and in all honesty the stock setup is pretty good, unless you plan on tracking. Even in that instance a good set of pads,lines and fluids will do the trick. Simple ecs replacements will be fine, unless you want to spend the extra cash on the ecs larger brake conversion, which will do nothing but add weight with no performance gain. Also, those Q5 brakes look like the weigh a ton. A true BBK will be massive and lighter than a stock setup.

[Turco]

i went with AP Racing 7040 with AP rotors and AP pads.

[A4 Centaur]

Pics?

[Limey]

I did the s4 rotor and caliper swap before i swapped out to the alcons, and the was no difference from s4 to stock a4 brakes, and in all honesty the stock setup is pretty good, unless you plan on tracking. Even in that instance a good set of pads,lines and fluids will do the trick. Simple ecs replacements will be fine, unless you want to spend the extra cash on the ecs larger brake conversion, which will do nothing but add weight with no performance gain. Also, those Q5 brakes look like the weigh a ton. A true BBK will be massive and lighter than a stock setup.

So if there's no difference in performance then why didn't Audi just use stock A4 brakes on all the S4 and S5 lines?..

[gunsmoker]

So if there's no difference in performance then why didn't Audi just use stock A4 brakes on all the S4 and S5 lines?..

I agree, there is and it is noticeable, but in my case I used ECS Tuning's two-piece S4 rotors which are lighter than the stock A4 rotors. I couldn't justify buying a bigger BBK for 2+ grand, given that I'm not tracking my car. I think that ECS's OEM BBK is a very good bang for the $950 bucks, regardless of the exorbitant OEM carrier price.

[Liquidsystm]

gunsmoker, are you saying with your new s4 sized rotors, your 60-0 stopping distance is better than an incredible 102 ft; motor trend A4 Avant w/ sport suspension (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...avant_arrival/). I didn't notice any difference in stopping power when I switch to the S4 brakes, esp in day to day traffic. It felt exactly the same, and even on the track, the S4 brakes would start to experience fade 4 laps in at T-Hill, which was the same when I had my stock brakes.

The only reason at that point to go to S4 brakes was to fill up the 19's a bit more, and by not much. In fact I still have the S4 brake setup laying in the garage somewhere. I had these questions when ECS first came out with the larger brake kit, and the sales guy admitted there would barely be a upgrade on performance and more on looks.

Edit:

Well just read avants are more aerodynamic, heavier and have a better weight distribution over the sedan, so maybe that's why you may feel the slight rotor performance gain.

[bluetori]

I believe someone maybe DavidB8 did an A8 brake upgrade so I've been considering that option.

[gunsmoker]

gunsmoker, are you saying with your new s4 sized rotors, your 60-0 stopping distance is better than an incredible 102 ft; motor trend A4 Avant w/ sport suspension (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...avant_arrival/). I didn't notice any difference in stopping power when I switch to the S4 brakes, esp in day to day traffic. It felt exactly the same, and even on the track, the S4 brakes would start to experience fade 4 laps in at T-Hill, which was the same when I had my stock brakes.

The only reason at that point to go to S4 brakes was to fill up the 19's a bit more, and by not much. In fact I still have the S4 brake setup laying in the garage somewhere. I had these questions when ECS first came out with the larger brake kit, and the sales guy admitted there would barely be a upgrade on performance and more on looks.

Edit:

Well just read avants are more aerodynamic, heavier and have a better weight distribution over the sedan, so maybe that's why you may feel the slight rotor performance gain.

Yeah, yeah, you avant people are so fanatically obsessed with the superiority of your toy, that it doesn't even occur to you that the 102ft in that article can be a mistake. Come on, better than the Cayman S and the S4 they tested! I'm not arguing that there are no better brake kits than the ECS' OEM BBK, it's just within the range I'd spend on such a thing. I have not measured the stopping distance but the improvement is noticeable in my daily. Maybe because the avant is heavier you can't easily feel the difference
Avant beeing more aerodynamic? Not really. See the drag coefficients. More down force in the rear - yes. Next time my wife complains she has gained weight, I'll tell her she has gotten more aerodynamic

[A4 Centaur]

Avants are heavy, so we need a BB Kit to help! Haha! Great justification to do track days (with appropriate pads) and to look the part as well. I love the 380mm BB Kit and wouldn't use stock calipers and pads with SS lines. Stoptech makes a great kit!

[Alpha Ice]

I too am looking to get the upgraded 2 piece ECS tuning and couple it with similar cross drilled/slotted rear rotors. I am correct in understanding that I would need the S4 pads with the upgraded rotors correct?

[Stuke'ite]

I love my StopTech ST060 BBK kit, with posiquiet pads for the street, and stainless lines. Not cheap, but wonderful, and Eurocode was wonderful to me through the buying/install process.


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[Offpist]

Not student budget friendly i guess.. but hey..

[Alpha Ice]

I would love to have a bbk, I had 14.6 and 13.7 on my last saloon. But for my DD and limited track use here in MN I'm looking at something a bit more practical. I have quite a bit other stuff in mind and want to make sure I do it right. But currently mine hold up just fine, I would just like a bit better bite

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