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Fitting brembo 18z/17z 6 pots - advice needed please!

H

HerschelBear

New member
Location
Wales
Car(s)
Golf R
Hello new member here, hope this is posted in the correct category.
I currently have a mk6 gti with what Im quite certain are 18z/17z (could provide a photo if necessary) calipers on the front. They were on the car when I bought it but unfortunately dont have a receipt. I'm buying my buddies Mk7 R but I'd love to keep my bbk. So my plan is to simple swap the two brake set ups around. I've done loads of searching and sent emails out about wether or not this is going to work. So far I'm under the impression that I'll be fine putting the Mk7 R brakes onto my Mk6 gti (bolt on, please correct me if I'm wrong) but I've not found anything conclusive on how easy itle be to get the brembo 18z/17z's (leaning toward them being 18z as they are absolutely massive) onto the mk7 R. Will I need different brackets, bolts? Any sort of adapter parts? Or is it, fingers crossed, a simple bolt on? If anybody could shed some light on this I'd be so grateful. Thanks in advance!
Olly
 
R

Reggie Enchilada

Autocross Newbie
Location
nowhere
Car(s)
yes
You'll have to go down the rabbit hole on this one. To get the 17z and 18z to fit on a MK7 requires you to either swap the aluminum knuckles for steel ones, or have a set of aluminum knuckles machined down at the caliper mounting tabs.
 
MiamiBourne

MiamiBourne

Go Kart Champion
Location
South Florida
Car(s)
2016 6MT Golf R Oryx
HerschelBear said:
Hello new member here, hope this is posted in the correct category.
I currently have a mk6 gti with what Im quite certain are 18z/17z (could provide a photo if necessary) calipers on the front. They were on the car when I bought it but unfortunately dont have a receipt. I'm buying my buddies Mk7 R but I'd love to keep my bbk. So my plan is to simple swap the two brake set ups around. I've done loads of searching and sent emails out about wether or not this is going to work. So far I'm under the impression that I'll be fine putting the Mk7 R brakes onto my Mk6 gti (bolt on, please correct me if I'm wrong) but I've not found anything conclusive on how easy itle be to get the brembo 18z/17z's (leaning toward them being 18z as they are absolutely massive) onto the mk7 R. Will I need different brackets, bolts? Any sort of adapter parts? Or is it, fingers crossed, a simple bolt on? If anybody could shed some light on this I'd be so grateful. Thanks in advance!
Olly
Click to expand...

It's not a direct bolt on from what I see and you will need MK6 parts or grind down the spindle. I don't know anyone that makes a bracket.

From the thread I'm linking:

you have to either machine down your current spindle or switch spindles completely...

Parts you will need if switching spindles:

mk6 spindles
mk6 wheel bearings
mk6 ABS sensors


https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/18z-calipers-on-the-mk7-5-r.348581/
 
H

HerschelBear

New member
Location
Wales
Car(s)
Golf R
Apologies that there was already a thread on this, I did use the search bar to try and hit some keywords but it didnt throw anything up. I found it alittle later after posting this.
Brilliant, appreciate the replies. Doesnt seem too difficult so long as I can find a donor mk6.

Reggie Enchilada said:
You'll have to go down the rabbit hole on this one. To get the 17z and 18z to fit on a MK7 requires you to either swap the aluminum knuckles for steel ones, or have a set of aluminum knuckles machined down at the caliper mounting tabs.
Click to expand...

I thought I'd read somewhere the earlier mk7's had the steel knuckles and mine is a 14 plate so I'll have to take a look next time I see the car. Would I be right in saying I could simply source 2 OEM front mk7 R steel spindles for bolt on success?

I did email RotorLab in the states who seemed to have alot of 18z mk7 experience and he wanted me to call instead so I'll do that too.

You know what it's like when you've kinda found an answer but you want that sweet feeling of confirmation relative to the present 😄

Thank you folks
 
R

Reggie Enchilada

Autocross Newbie
Location
nowhere
Car(s)
yes
I've been down this rabbit hole myself, so I completely understand. Rob from Rotorlab is great to talk to. You've got one thing mixed up though. MK7 GTI's and R's have the aluminum knuckles. The base Golf has the steel ones. Additionally, the strut diameter is 55mm for the GTI and R, whereas the Golf is a 50mm strut diameter, so you can't use the MK7 Golf spindles unless you want to change your struts also. The MK6 R steel knuckles should bolt on with minimal issue from my research.

The easiest and cheapest way to get an aluminum monoblock caliper on a MK7 is to use the RS3 calipers or the OEM Brembo's from the Porsche Macan. Here's a link to the thread with the Macan Brembo info: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/consolidated-macan-brembo-upgrade-thread.371028/

The Macan Brembo's are 4-pots and would work with the factory rotor size (340x30) or the MK6 R size (345x30). Installation of them is very easy from what I've read, especially if you have the MK7 R or GTI PP brakes already.
 
H

HerschelBear

New member
Location
Wales
Car(s)
Golf R
Reggie Enchilada said:
I've been down this rabbit hole myself, so I completely understand. Rob from Rotorlab is great to talk to. You've got one thing mixed up though. MK7 GTI's and R's have the aluminum knuckles. The base Golf has the steel ones. Additionally, the strut diameter is 55mm for the GTI and R, whereas the Golf is a 50mm strut diameter, so you can't use the MK7 Golf spindles unless you want to change your struts also. The MK6 R steel knuckles should bolt on with minimal issue from my research.

The easiest and cheapest way to get an aluminum monoblock caliper on a MK7 is to use the RS3 calipers or the OEM Brembo's from the Porsche Macan. Here's a link to the thread with the Macan Brembo info: https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/consolidated-macan-brembo-upgrade-thread.371028/

The Macan Brembo's are 4-pots and would work with the factory rotor size (340x30) or the MK6 R size (345x30). Installation of them is very easy from what I've read, especially if you have the MK7 R or GTI PP brakes already.
Click to expand...

Appreciate this man. Thanks for clearing up the whole mk7 steel spindles myth too. I've just got in touch with some breakers about getting hold of the mk6 spindles.
I really like the set up and I'm going to do my best to make it work.
The mk6 GTI struts are 54.5mm I believe. Would there be any complications in swapping the whole set up between the two cars? So the mk6 spindle and hub onto the R, and the R's spindel and hub (along with whole brake set up) onto the mk6 GTI? I realise theres a .5mm difference in strut size but not sure that would really be an issue.
Would save me the hassle of sourcing all new mk6 hubs and spindles.
Cheers
 
C

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
Looks like they've got you sorted pretty good with into and links.

For information sake, the Mk7 Golf TDI has steel knuckles. I'm running Rotorlab's 17z kit on my car. I'm not sure whether the Mk7 Golf TSI has steel or aluminum.

Brake pedal feels fine with the smaller master cylinder of the Golf... progressive instead of on/off. Great stopping power, as to be expected.
 
H

HerschelBear

New member
Location
Wales
Car(s)
Golf R
Rob was absolutely fantastic at explaining it all too, hugely appreciate it. I feel bad being another time waster for his advice after telling me I'd need to run 2 peice rotors going down the mk6 spindles route, alittle too costly for me at the moment. I'm sticking with my standard calipers and leaving the 18zs on the gti to sell.
But I definitely want bigger brakes once I've paid for the car, and he's gained a customer in me. I liked the 18zs enough to pay for one of his kits shipped to the UK in the future.
Cheers
 
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