Wilwood Install almost complete...

[saejin]

Started the day out installing the Porsche Big Brake kit for my wife's Audi that I had sitting in the garage for almost a year. Everything went smooth until I realized the calipers were reversed. Just fyi for you all, the bleed screw goes up, not down. Why, it's impossible to bleed the brakes if the screw is on the bottom. The air can't be pushed out, it's at the top of the caliper...no way for it to escape. Well, after a quick switch, everything was fine.

My wilwood kit arrived shortly after I finished the Audi install. I didn't really feel like going through everything again in the same day, so I decided to just dry fit the kit to make sure my wheels clear. The kit is freaking awesome and I can't wait to get on the street with it. I'll bed the pads of course, should get some attention with that process.

Here's some pics for everyone.

[hannibal]

How did you fit the Porsche brakes on the A4's 5x112 hubs?More pics of the Audi please!

[saejin]

There's a bracket and kit made by ECS tuning that allows you to fit the Porsche calipers. Actually you can fit about any caliper you want on any car with the right brackets and or fabrication work.The caliper I have is four piston. ECS makes a kit to fit the 6 piston Porsche calipers found on the Cayenne. Those are huge and require 18 inch wheels to fit.

The only thing to be concerned about is brake bias becasue the rear brakes are stock. An upgraded cylinder and proportioning vavle should be able to correct any bias.

[hannibal]

sorry for the Audi questions, but is the adapter like a bolt on spacer? I dont see how else it could work.

[saejin]

It's not really a space. Its a metal bracket that bolts on the hub where the original caliper bolted on. Then there are two threaded screw that extend from it and that's where the Porsche caliper bolts on to.

Here's a link to the actual kit at http://www.ecstuning.com/stage...e%203

Click on the picture for the Stage 3 big Brake Kit. The bracket is labeled #5

[hannibal]

I gotcha. I was more interested in fitting the rotors. I read they used 'custom' hats, so I guess thats where the Porsche (sized) rotors get their 5x112 bolt pattern.

Thanks man!

[roplusbee]

Looking good.

[Repo Man]

Beautiful. Keep us posted on how you like the Wilwoods. I've seriously considered popping for those.

[saejin]

It's 10PM and I'm all done with the install of the brakes, plus I put my car's interior back together and hooked up the stereo. I will take the car out for spin either tonight or tomorrow to bed the pads. Overall, a real easy install. The only difficult part was getting the spacers right so the caliper was evenly mounted on the rotor. The kit comes with 1/16in washers that let you adjust the caliper front and back to ensure the rotor is centered between the brake pads. Once I got the spacing right with dry fitting the bolts, I removed them, applied some locktite and reinstalled everything with the proper torque specs. This gave me an excuse to buy a nice torque wrench. My advice is don't go cheap when you get the tools. The torque wrench I got actually clicks when you've hit the right setting. It adjust from 0lbs to 85lbs.

I'll post my impression later on the kit.

As for the Audi brake upgrade. The brake pads I got with the kit are track pads and squeal like a stuck pig. I've ordered new street pads from ecstuning since there are no shops around here that carry porsche pads. The brake feel is great and I don't need to apply as much foot pressure to engage good stopping power. Before, with the stock calipers and pads, I had to push down pretty hard on the pedal. With these, I can feel more of the brake and therefore modulate it better. Maybe it's the pads, but I doubt it. We'll see when I get the street pads.

Oh yeah, one more thing. When you have an Audi and the included service is up after 50,000 miles be prepared to pay out the a$$ for anything done at the dealer. I just called and asked about doing a 60,000 mile service and was quoted $500-$700 depending on what they determine needs to be done. Most of this is changing fluids and cleaning the fuel system. I'm just going to find a good local shop around here to do the stuff I can't. Dealer prices suck...