Brake Caliper/Rotor Upgrade Questions - UPDATE 10/27 - MORE QUESTIONS!

[ilko]

Let me begin by saying I'm seriously disappointed with the 1.8T brakes. I have an avant and usually carry a couple of passengers, so it's a relatively heavy car - over 4,000 lbs. The stopping distances are just silly. And yeah, I'm a little spoiled, I have a Porsche with 2000 HP (not a typo) worth of stopping power that can just stop on a dime. But the Audi is the car that I drive my family with and want to have something more confidence inspiring. I've tried different pads, I use ATE blue brake fluid, etc. but I've noticed no noticeable improvement. And it's not like ABS kicks in when I mash on the pedal either.

So I'm thinking of upgrading the front brakes to the B5 S4 calipers and rotors. I've decided to use those because they are relatively affordable and easy to find, but I'm open to hearing other options as well.

My questions are:

1) Is this a plug and play application or will I need to get caliper adapters as well? Any thing else?
2) Do I need a new brake master cylinder to handle the larger brakes?
3) Do I need to adjust the brake bias?

Thanks for your help!

[BRSox307]

B5 S4 fronts are plug and play. No modification needed. I had that setup and recently upgraded to B6 S4 front and rear and I am very happy with my decision. Those is also plug and play.

[JEENYUS]

pictures of the super porsche... or it never happened.

as for the brakes: Click Click
all info you need is there.

[B6JoeS4]

If you can find 04-08 S4 brakes you will be happy. they are disgustingly powerful compared to the brakes that were on my A4

not saying the B5 S4 brakes aren't powerful because they are

[ilko]

pictures of the super porsche... or it never happened.

as for the brakes: Click Click
all info you need is there.

Thanks for the link!

It did happen ;)

Track rat, loved and missed dearly:


Replaced after the baby was born with this:


Thanks for your replies guys!

[nofearhawk]

Go with B6/7 S4 brakes, the price is fairly low for these and the B5 S4 calipers are wider and may limit your wheel choices.

[ilko]

I'll look into the price difference of the calipers. Good point about the wheels, thank you. I have USP wheels, does anyone know if that would be a problem?

[nofearhawk]

^ Won't fit, you need a small spacer to clear B5 S4 brakes, b6/7 s4 no problem

[ilko]

Will a 5mm spacer be enough? I'd rather not get longer wheel bolts as well.

[Mani]

I would recommend B7S4 brakes if you can get one. Much bigger rotors so better stopping power than B5S4. I am sure B5S4 brakes are better than stock one but still... B7S4 is the best OEM upgrade IMHO.

[A4 Moda]

5mm will be more than plenty for "most" wheels.

I'll have my B5S4s front brakes available in about a month or so, if you want it.

[Zaloo]

I have the b5s4 brake calipers with adam's rotors - it was night & day compare to the stock a4 brakes. This was before the b6s4 brake swap became well known so I'd say go for the b6/7s4 now unless you come across a good deal.

[kneel]

I have the b5s4 brake calipers with adam's rotors - it was night & day compare to the stock a4 brakes. This was before the b6s4 brake swap became well known so I'd say go for the b6/7s4 now unless you come across a good deal.

x2 i have the same setup. Not impressed with the Adams Rotors though. But if i was to do it over again i would get B6/B7 s4 brakes.

5mm spacer should make the USP wheels fit. you need like a 40 et or less on some wheels

[kwimberly]

Just had my B6 S4 brakes installed last week. Love them. ATE "atomic slotted" rotors.

P.S. - this might be most posts in a brakes thread without someone typing "breaks." Kudos all around.

[ilko]

5mm will be more than plenty for "most" wheels.

I'll have my B5S4s front brakes available in about a month or so, if you want it.

PM sent.

[Zaloo]

x2 i have the same setup. Not impressed with the Adams Rotors though. But if i was to do it over again i would get B6/B7 s4 brakes.

5mm spacer should make the USP wheels fit. you need like a 40 et or less on some wheels

Yeah they tend to be more looks than performance but I couldnt beat the price at the time

[1.8Turbo4me!]

Just had my B6 S4 brakes installed last week. Love them. ATE "atomic slotted" rotors.

am interested to see pix with those rotors.

trying to decide what rotors i should get as well.

[nofearhawk]

Not my car, but my former brakes, when I had them they were copper. The ATE rotors are excellent quality, made in Germany as well:

[manguyen]

how come no one suggest the b7a4 calipers? To fill you in, its similar calipers to the b6/b7 s4s but with different carriers. rotors are the same as the b5s4 rotors (320mm). If sometime down the line you want the 345mm rotors, you can buy new brackets and youre all set.

[Mani]

I had B7S4 brakes installed with 18"USP wheels. I didn't need any spacers.... crappy iphone 3g pictures...;/

[1.8Turbo4me!]

Not my car, but my former brakes, when I had them they were copper. The ATE rotors are excellent quality, made in Germany as well:

thanks, finally get to see how they look behind the wheels.
definitely a choice to pick along with the 'race' (double slotted) from adam's rotors. what to choose, what to choose?!?!

[ThirdStrike]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned how bad the b5s4 brakes are with brake dust. I would DEFINITELY get b6/7s4 brakes for the oem upgrade.. Stopping performance will be slightly better for street use. The b5 brakes seem to be better on the track (i've tried both;-) from less brake fade but ...

Track rat, loved and missed dearly:


Replaced after the baby was born with this:


Thanks for your replies guys!

that first link no worky. and please divulge the setup on a 2khp Porsche... Im imagining a borrrrred flat 6 with a GT47 frame?

[nofearhawk]

BTW 993 Porsche Turbos, especially the Turbo S, are probably my favorite cars of all time. I dream of owning one in the not too distant future.

[A4 Moda]

Yeah B5S4s, Horrendous. Seems to just bite the hell out of those pads and leave everything else dying in its wake.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned how bad the b5s4 brakes are with brake dust. I would DEFINITELY get b6/7s4 brakes for the oem upgrade.. Stopping performance will be slightly better for street use. The b5 brakes seem to be better on the track (i've tried both;-) from less brake fade but ...


that first link no worky. and please divulge the setup on a 2khp Porsche... Im imagining a borrrrred flat 6 with a GT47 frame?

[ilko]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned how bad the b5s4 brakes are with brake dust. I would DEFINITELY get b6/7s4 brakes for the oem upgrade.. Stopping performance will be slightly better for street use. The b5 brakes seem to be better on the track (i've tried both;-) from less brake fade but ...


that first link no worky. and please divulge the setup on a 2khp Porsche... Im imagining a borrrrred flat 6 with a GT47 frame?

Fixed the link. The 2000hp is the measured stopping power. That's with the stock set up of the C4S as well as 4-channel ABS, same as the 993 Turbo. I upgraded the RS America with 993TT front brakes, and regular 993 rears. 2-channel ABS.

Now back on topic, I ended up getting the B7 A4 front brakes instead of the B5 S4. Two questions:

1) I noticed that the carriers protrude a bit, so does anyone know if I will still need spacers for the USP wheels?
2) I'm thinking of upgrading the rears as well. Do the B7 A4 rear brakes bolt on directly to the B6 1.8T?

Thanks!

[bigblue]

No spacers on the b7 brakes. I'm clueless about the rears tho.

[JEENYUS]

1 - no
2 - yes

[ilko]

Excellent, thanks guys!

[adam's rotors]

I can assure you AR will perform as good as any other replacment rotor on the market.
but our machining, countless options, coatings, and service will top any!
feel free to email any questions you may have my way...
thanks
-a

[AudiA4Turbo22]

Fixed the link. The 2000hp is the measured stopping power. That's with the stock set up of the C4S as well as 4-channel ABS, same as the 993 Turbo. I upgraded the RS America with 993TT front brakes, and regular 993 rears. 2-channel ABS.

Now back on topic, I ended up getting the B7 A4 front brakes instead of the B5 S4. Two questions:

1) I noticed that the carriers protrude a bit, so does anyone know if I will still need spacers for the USP wheels?
2) I'm thinking of upgrading the rears as well. Do the B7 A4 rear brakes bolt on directly to the B6 1.8T?

Thanks!

No and no

you do not need spacers as B7 A4 front brakes are not very large(caliper wise)

and yes the B7 A4 rears are plug and play given that you have the carriers. The only things that won't work are the dust shields which aren't necessary as the OEM B6 ones are more than sufficient for the job. I have a set on my car and they have been great.

[MmmBoost]

I did B7S4 brakes this spring and they're fantastic. SOOOO much better than the garbage brakes supplied on the B6 1.8T's. Much more confidence stopping but the stock pads were horrible for brake dust. I would have to wash my wheels every 3-4 days. I switched out the pads to some Hawk HPS's and they're much less dusty.

[b4a41point8t]

I had B7S4 brakes installed with 18"USP wheels. I didn't need any spacers.... crappy iphone 3g pictures...;/

You sure those aren't b7 a4 brakes...they use the same calipers. Discs look a bit small...

[EBG 18T]

if you still run crappy pads it doesn't matter what rotor and caliper combo you run. Step up to a decent pad if you want more stopping friction...