A6 - "value" brake upgrade?

[fixedhat313]

Is there something in between the standard Zimmerman / OEM and a full on "big brake" upgrade kit? Looking for something that stops better than stock, but I don't need something that's track worthy.

Also, I have 18" winter wheels, does anyone know if I should be concerned about the size of the rotors that I get?

TIA

[regulartalldude]

The best, and probably easiest, in between would be to swap a S6 rotor/caliper setup from a wrecked car (or find a S6 user upgrading to a BBK). There are quite a few sets of calipers available on eBay and you can match it to any OEM/OEM+ rotor.
Fully plug and play swap with quite the improvement.
Just have to make sure they clear your wheels. Spacers will work in a pinch.

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[Audibot]

If you want to improve braking, get better/stickier tires and brake pads that bite better before you increase size of the discs/calipers. Larger discs are better at dissipating heat but do not have an outside effect on actual stopping power/distance.

So unless you're going tracking or heavy duty needs (sprints with a lot of high speed braking), you will find more benefit and probably lower cost in going this route.

Also don't forget to bleed your brakes.

[RLCree]

If you want to improve braking, get better/stickier tires and brake pads that bite better before you increase size of the discs/calipers. Larger discs are better at dissipating heat but do not have an outside effect on actual stopping power/distance.

So unless you're going tracking or heavy duty needs (sprints with a lot of high speed braking), you will find more benefit and probably lower cost in going this route.

Also don't forget to bleed your brakes.

That said, pay attention to the operating range of the pads. A lot of performance compounds require heat before they really work well. Not ideal for street use.

[WatchMeSpend]

That said, pay attention to the operating range of the pads. A lot of performed compounds require heat before they really work well. Not ideal for street use.

And this reminds me of a work van I had in the late 1990s. The pads had a lot of metal in them. Stepping on the brakes at low speeds required you to stomp on the brakes hard and it felt like you were stepping on a dead cat. If you were on the highway, and held the brakes with low pressure, the van would slow and then when the pads/rotors got hot, it would haul down like you pulled a chute.

[Mark.in.tulsa]

If you want to improve braking, get better/stickier tires and brake pads that bite better before you increase size of the discs/calipers. Larger discs are better at dissipating heat but do not have an outside effect on actual stopping power/distance.

So unless you're going tracking or heavy duty needs (sprints with a lot of high speed braking), you will find more benefit and probably lower cost in going this route.

Also don't forget to bleed your brakes.

Correct. Bigger brakes do not make the car stop faster. The current brakes are strong enough to fully lock up that rotor with ease. It's just that the ABS will not allow them to lock up. It would do the same with bigger brakes and rotors.
Theoretically it could worsen your braking by inches due to the extra weight.

Now if you were tracking your car hard, then yes bigger brakes/rotors would help dissipate the heat to prevent brake fade "if" they got to hot.

My car originally had Semi Metallic. I switched to Ceramic, because I prefer less noise and less brake dust on my wheels, at the cost of initial brake grab.
It took a while to get use to not having that initial brake bite But not that I lock the brakes up often I don't think my overall hard braking distance changed.

[q2quest]

I find the stock A6 brakes to be pretty amazing. It's a heavy car and with sticky tires, stepping hard on the brake pedal would put you through the windshield.

[will.k.315]

I find the stock A6 brakes to be pretty amazing. It's a heavy car and with sticky tires, stepping hard on the brake pedal would put you through the windshield.

Yeah I had the auto braking engage yesterday at about 20mph and damn near put me there if I wasn't buckled in. Sometimes I feel like it engages way too soon at times, but it did its job I guess. The Zimmerman/Akebono setup on my A7 really works well. Plus since I got them from FCP, after the next set, the rest will all be practically free. Would love to upgrade to the 400mm brakes from the A8/S6/S7 but the rotors alome are like 500ea and I just can't...yet lol.

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[Tuneme]

What ceramic OEM size brakes does anyone recommend? I cant stand the brake dust.

[q2quest]

I've been using the "Posi Quiet" ceramic pads from Centric on all my cars for years. They are very low dust, which was the most important consideration for me. They may not give the best pedal feel, but I don't know anything else anymore and the low dust, in my opinion, outweighs any other consideration.