Upgrade To 306 Calipers

[GTIAndy 0]

Hi I have read about people upgrading to 306 calipers, but understand this is only for 1.9s, I have a 1986 1.6

2 questions if I bought some 1.9 front struts could I then fit the 306 calipers and discs and then would these fit inside my 14" wheels or would I need a set of 15"?

 

thanks

Edited October 7, 2010 by GTIAndy

[welshpug 1,645]

first parts, yes, second - as long as they are not gti6 brakes, then yes they will all fit under most 14" wheels.

Edited October 7, 2010 by welshpug

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

I don't think 306 brakes will fit inside the 14" wheels, I tried to fit standard 1.9 brakes inside some 14" 1.6 smr wheels and they scraped the inside of the wheels. I believe speedline 1.6 alloys fit over 1.9 brakes but I still don't think you could fit the bigger 306 brakes under them.

[welshpug 1,645]

my ZX has 266mm and a 14" spare wheel, I think due to where the calipers typically hit on the 1.6 wheels, you'd have more of a chance with 266mm.

[Tom Fenton 1,536]

I tried 266mm brakes and 1600 wheels, they did not clear the calipers by some way.

 

I used 15" wheels, and then junked the 266mm brakes for GTI6 stuff, I was (and am) using a non-servo pedal box, and the 266mm brakes with the piston size were awful.

[pug_ham 243 3 Cars]

306 calipers for the 247mm brakes should clear but I ran 266mm brakes & 1.9 hubs on my car for a few years which with removal of very little material on the calipers they cleared fine on SMR 1.6 alloys but no problems on Speedlines.

 

I've since swapped back to standard size brakes due to getting some negative camber 1.6 GTI hubs & they are better imo so the upgrade wasn't really all that for it to be worthwhile.

 

Graham.

[GTIAndy 0]

So good standard brakes and pads sound to be as effective as the big brake upgrade, which begs the question which pads for fast road use?

[miamichris 9]

So good standard brakes and pads sound to be as effective as the big brake upgrade, which begs the question which pads for fast road use?

 

I got some mintex 1144's off Miles a while back and can recommend them, they were quite noisy at the start and they throw out a lot of brake dust on the wheels but they stop well!

 

Also, OT, mine make a terrible noise when I reverse slowly then brake (1.6 gti bendix calipers), has anyone else had this? I suppose its worn caliper sliders and the pads just shifting about but its a bit embarassing when you pull up to park at the shop

[iamjackiechan 0]

I have 306 gti6 hubs calipers discs and pads for sale, but will require 15" wheels

 

Will

[pug_ham 243 3 Cars]

So good standard brakes and pads sound to be as effective as the big brake upgrade, which begs the question which pads for fast road use?

I've run Mintex 1144's & Pagid Black fast road pads.

 

I found the Pagid's were better & far less dusty than Mintex.

 

I had 1144's on the 266mm brakes & they weren't noticabley better imo.

 

Also, OT, mine make a terrible noise when I reverse slowly then brake (1.6 gti bendix calipers), has anyone else had this? I suppose its worn caliper sliders and the pads just shifting about but its a bit embarassing when you pull up to park at the shop

It can be a mixture of the two but more common to be the sliders now rather than badly fitting pads imo.

 

Graham.