Front brakes on a 2003 Passat W8....high strangeness!

TiGeo

TiGeo

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Nov 5, 2009
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These front brakes only came on the W8 trim of the B5.5 Passat and are shared with the performance-orientated Audi B5 S4 sedan. Kind of strange calipers with 4 pads per side plus the wear sensor. Previous pads had life but figured I'd change them out as my shop mentioned it last time it was in/state inspection. I had hit the wear sensors a while back so just cut the wires, twisted ends, taped so turn the light on the dash off. Grabbed some Pagid pads from FCP Euro for $115; they should be the same as what came out. Staightfoward change without having to remove the caliper following a good DIY on YT. First side had to fight a bit b/c I didn't know what I was doing but second one went smoothly. Decided against rotors, they have a small lip but are smooth, no need to waste money here, car gets about 3-4K miles a year and already has a high cost-to-operate! Once I got the pads out/compressed the pistons, the caliper slid smoothly so good there. Test drive says success. This car has fantastic brakes.

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Last edited by a moderator:
What?? Strangness with parts on a VW??!? 😁.

There has to be enthusiast engineers at VAG because of how they speced some of the "mundane" cars. Ex., B6 Passat 4Motion wagon came with 345mm rotors and huge, single piston calipers (think Performance Package from MKVII GTI). 2.0T Komfort wagon just made do with the puny 312 units that they fitted to just about every other car. Well, in an effort to consolidate parts I suppose, they DID fit the aluminum front knuckles from the VR6 one. Don'tcha know, the bigger calipers bolt right up, without any adaptor brackets. Found a set of calipers for $100, cleaned them up and fitted new brake lines. Zimmerman rotors, same HH compound Pagids as yours, and the larger dust shields I found at local LKQ. Viola! OEM+ brake set-up that will detach your retinas for cheap money. Somewhere, a VW parts engineer is chuckling maniacally.
 
shortyb said:
What?? Strangness with parts on a VW??!? 😁.

There has to be enthusiast engineers at VAG because of how they speced some of the "mundane" cars. Ex., B6 Passat 4Motion wagon came with 345mm rotors and huge, single piston calipers (think Performance Package from MKVII GTI). 2.0T Komfort wagon just made do with the puny 312 units that they fitted to just about every other car. Well, in an effort to consolidate parts I suppose, they DID fit the aluminum front knuckles from the VR6 one. Don'tcha know, the bigger calipers bolt right up, without any adaptor brackets. Found a set of calipers for $100, cleaned them up and fitted new brake lines. Zimmerman rotors, same HH compound Pagids as yours, and the larger dust shields I found at local LKQ. Viola! OEM+ brake set-up that will detach your retinas for cheap money. Somewhere, a VW parts engineer is chuckling maniacally.
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My Sportwagen....288mm f. brakes...the 312 was even an upgrade to that! But Lego car so can just bolt on any MQB/MK7 brakes etc. These Passat brakes are great. They are 321mm up front and I think a 268 vented out back. My Sportwagen? 272x10mm solid out back hahahah
 
MK7 Sportwagon was 288s?? Wow. Thought every "regular" MQB got the universal 312s. Oh well, like you said. Lego car 😁.

Oh, BTW, the Pagids are DUSTY. Doesn't look like a fun wheel to clean on the W.
 
shortyb said:
MK7 Sportwagon was 288s?? Wow. Thought every "regular" MQB got the universal 312s. Oh well, like you said. Lego car 😁.

Oh, BTW, the Pagids are DUSTY. Doesn't look like a fun wheel to clean on the W.
Click to expand...
They are. That's what was on it. Dust = brakes that actually work 🤣
 
WHAT? You didn't want the cheap pads on Rock Auto for $5? :D

Yeah, I had to look up those pads on Rock Auto, and I'm surprised how cheap they are. Lots of choices for under $10 for the 8-pad kit like you have. Even the Akebono Euro pads are under $50 on closeout, and even the regular inventory price of $75 isn't too bad by Akebono standards.

And yes, they carry the Pagid pads ;)
 
slacktide_bitog said:
WHAT? You didn't want the cheap pads on Rock Auto for $5? :D

Yeah, I had to look up those pads on Rock Auto, and I'm surprised how cheap they are. Lots of choices for under $10 for the 8-pad kit like you have. Even the Akebono Euro pads are under $50 on closeout, and even the regular inventory price of $75 isn't too bad by Akebono standards.

And yes, they carry the Pagid pads ;)
Click to expand...
Rear Textar pads for my BMW (Brembo calipers) $36 on RA.
 
slacktide_bitog said:
WHAT? You didn't want the cheap pads on Rock Auto for $5? :D

Yeah, I had to look up those pads on Rock Auto, and I'm surprised how cheap they are. Lots of choices for under $10 for the 8-pad kit like you have. Even the Akebono Euro pads are under $50 on closeout, and even the regular inventory price of $75 isn't too bad by Akebono standards.

And yes, they carry the Pagid pads ;)
Click to expand...
Well if I ever need new ones they'll be free.
 
slacktide_bitog said:
WHAT? You didn't want the cheap pads on Rock Auto for $5? :D

Yeah, I had to look up those pads on Rock Auto, and I'm surprised how cheap they are. Lots of choices for under $10 for the 8-pad kit like you have. Even the Akebono Euro pads are under $50 on closeout, and even the regular inventory price of $75 isn't too bad by Akebono standards.

And yes, they carry the Pagid pads ;)
Click to expand...
Ok saw those...wow. $5. No thanks. Pagids are $60....whoops. I bought mine with store credit so don't feel too bad. I would take OEM type over ceramic any day.
 
TiGeo said:
It's amazing what a simple set of replacement pads that have a more aggressive/heat-tolerant compound will do to any OEM braking setup.
Click to expand...
Once I wear out my Akebono ultra performance ceramics I may try EBC yellow.
The car is underbraked so it eats pads and rotors like a fat kid at a willy wonka chocolate factory got let loose.
 
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