Big brake kit Installation Guide for MK5/6 Golf platform cars

---

In preparation for installing your big brake kit, you must jack up your car safely and remove the front wheels.

 Remove your old calipers, brake discs, heat shield, and tuck your old brake lines up high in the wheel arch with a bucket underneath to catch any fluid that leaks out.  

 The heatshields will not be re-installed for our Big Brake conversions.  

Ensure the hub faces are clean and free from rust. Use a wire wheel or sandpaper to ensure all debris is removed and then install 1 of the discs centring rings provided in the kit as shown.

Note: If you buy SF-Tuning "direct fitment discs" the rings provided in our fitting kit are not required as these discs have the correct centre bore machined into them. 

Install your new discs (330mm or 350mm depending on your custom brake packages) onto the hub and secure it with a wheel bolt.

Ensure the disc is fully degreased with brake and clutch cleaner prior to installation.

We have many choices of disc brands and patterns available that we know are tried, tested, and track proved to work for these conversions. Our perfect bore discs give the ultimate fitment for this conversion!

Remove the coating from the mounting surfaces of the caliper as shown, course sandpaper makes quick work of this.

Not doing this will cause fitment issues and will prevent the caliper from being seated correctly on the steering knuckle.

 Install the brass sleeves into the caliper as shown that is provided in our fitting kits.  

 It is now time to carefully offer the caliper up into position.

The caliper is installed on the rear of the knuckle as shown so ensure these surfaces are clean before installation.

The bolts are fed in from the gearbox side as shown. 

Partially withdraw the top bolt and using an open-end spanner hold the nut in place as shown.

Using a socket or spanner on the bolt head begin tightening the top bolt ensuring not to cross-thread it.

Do not fully tighten the top bolt yet - ensure the bolt is tight enough to hold the caliper and knuckle faces together but the caliper can still move to align the bottom bolt hole. 

 Partially withdraw the bottom bolt and using an open-end spanner hold the nut in place as shown.

Using a socket or spanner on the bolt head begin tightening the bottom bolt ensuring not to cross-thread it.

Torque bolt to 140N/m - 160N/m 

Once the bottom bolt is tight complete tightening the top bolt with the spanner inserted from above as access is better.  Torque bolt to 140N/m - 160N/m

Install brake pads, spring clips, and securing pins or bolts. 

The pad pins and spring clips come supplied with all our Big brake kits. 

Ensure disc can turn and that it isn't catching on the caliper.

Install brake hoses as shown. 

Do not over-tighten the hose fitting entering the caliper as you could strip the threads in the aluminium caliper. Note: We do not cover this under warranty.

Install hose support into the strut bracket with circlip. Remove old hose from the car and connect far side of the braided hose to vehicle wheel well mounting point. 

Rotate steering wheel from lock to lock to ensure hose does not catch or foul steering or other parts of the car.

 Pad wear sensor note: This vehicle had the wear indicator bypassed. To do this simply cut the old sensor wires the pads you removed and twist/solder together and insulate with tape or heat shrink. Where possible we will supply a wear sensor or bypass plug depending on stocks at the time of your order. 

Now bleed the front braking system. once calipers have some fluid in them we recommend pumping the pedal to press the brake pads onto the disc. 

Now fully bleed all 4 brakes (and clutch if required).

 Re-Install wheels and Spacers if required. 

This install was carried out on a Skoda Octavia MK2 VRS. It had 7.5j ET51 OEM wheels. It needed 20mm spacers to clear this brake kit. 

In this case, the customer supplied their own calipers but we sell them as well. Please click here to see all our Big Brake Kits.

Check out or TIKTOK video showing how to use the templates we provide...

https://www.tiktok.com/@sftuning.co.uk/video/6958747065446894854?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7022210462008706566