# ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (56k be warned)



## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

Had to replace my front and rear brakes this weekend and decided to GO BIG!! 








ECS Tuning's 13" front and 12" rear Rotors. 
first of all the parts are 1st rate quality and the kit comes with everything you need. the fronts are 10lbs lighter than the 12.3" i had on my car. the rears are slighty heavier due to being 3" larger in diamter. the reason for upgrading the rears were more of a visual thing for me, but they will diffently help in braking. The weight savings alone in the fronts make the kit worth it but going to 13" is an added bonus. 
12.3" before:








ECS 2 pc 13" after:








9.1" rear before:








ECS 2 pc 12" after:








regarding installation tricks and time...took us ( me,David Kim, Igor B.) 4.5 hours. as far as cutting and bending the rear dust sheild, "F" that! cut as much of that thing off as possible otherwise it rubs the rotor. i was out of the good Dremel cut off wheels so David Kim had to go at it with tin snips. 
















after:








those of us with the Stage 2 Porsche calipers you have to do a little dremeling work on the inside of the caliper. you need to shave down the 4 pad stops inside the caliper just a couple of mm on each. 
Fire, Fire, Fire:








how much do you need to shave them down? shut up and keep dremeling!! it takes some time. if you have an angle grinder you could do it...BAM! 
I am extremely happy with the both kits! Big Thanks to ECS Tuning for putting out Beautiful products that FIT and Perform!! The pedal feel is excellent with a tiny and i mean TINY amount of pedal travel before the pads get a good grip. I wil update as soon as i do some serious stuff. 
if you want to see why i upgraded click here:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=726873

matt



[Modified by FreeStage3, 9:55 PM 3-30-2003]


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## Boosted A4 (Oct 2, 2001)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

NICE!!!!! So with the Porsche callipers, they just slip right on the new brakes or did you already have the ECS stage 2 kit?


[Modified by Boosted A4, 11:10 PM 3-30-2003]


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (Boosted A4)*

i already had the Stage 2 brakes which are 12.3" fronts and Porsche Boxster calipers. ECS supplies the 13" rotors with a different carrier for the Porsche calipers.


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## JamieK18T (Jan 14, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

how much did the fronts rotors and porsche carriers cost? 
also, the rears arent vented? i guess youd need a different caliper for that.


[Modified by nielksj, 7:35 PM 3-31-2003]


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## 16valvedCaddy (Nov 26, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (nielksj)*

You mean to tell me that DK got his hands dirty?















If I didnt see the picture I would not believe it.
Now you can see the rear rotors from behind the BBSs


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## Stewz-GTI (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

Does the kit also comes with SS braded lines or do you need to get those seperate?


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (Stewz-GTI)*

the stainless brake lines come with the ECS Stage 2 upgrade. 
matt


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## FlashRedGLS1.8T (Apr 17, 2001)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
Now we're talking.


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## little p (Apr 29, 2000)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

quote:[HR][/HR]








[HR][/HR]​mmmmm sparkly.
Look killer. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif looking forward to more feedback after you track them.


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## 95' GLX VR6 (Feb 15, 2003)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

Wow, you had 12.3's and you went bigger, how much stopping power do you need man?


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## dcomiskey (Mar 13, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (95' GLX VR6)*

quote:[HR][/HR]Wow, you had 12.3's and you went bigger, how much stopping power do you need man?[HR][/HR]​As some of us like to say, "You can never have enough braking power."


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (dcomiskey)*

quote:[HR][/HR]quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wow, you had 12.3's and you went bigger, how much stopping power do you need man?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As some of us like to say, "You can never have enough braking power." [HR][/HR]​you try stopping a 3000 lb MK4 with over 300 WHP a few times repeatedly and you will see why you can NEVER have too much brake!








matt


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## BoraSport (Aug 22, 2000)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

I talked with Tom @ ECS a week or so ago and he said that the new upgrade wouldn't work with a StageII system... What bracket did he send so you could use your calipers?
I have StageII+ and would love to go up to the 13.1's but have been told it wasn't ready.
Also why didn't you just remove the rear dust sheild?
Looks great BTW http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (BoraSport)*

the carriers Tom sent me are some prototypes. they are steel and weigh 2 lbs each. they are making some aluminum carriers for the "kit" but the aluminum carriers are not ready. Tom told me "2 weeks" on the finished anodized aluminum carriers. just give them a couple of weeks and the finished "kit" should be ready. the upgrade is DEFINITELY worth the money!
matt


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## Ultimate1.8Turbo (Mar 31, 2003)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

One small question....your name is FREE STAGE 3....did you get your stage 3 for free......how and /or why???????????? thanks


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## kreuzer (May 20, 2001)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

quote:[HR][/HR]the carriers Tom sent me are some prototypes. they are steel and weigh 2 lbs each. they are making some aluminum carriers for the "kit" but the aluminum carriers are not ready. Tom told me "2 weeks" on the finished anodized aluminum carriers. just give them a couple of weeks and the finished "kit" should be ready. the upgrade is DEFINITELY worth the money!
matt
[HR][/HR]​So what you are saying is that soon we will be able to get a kit that has the Porche Boxter 4-piston calipers, those cool new ECS 2-piece rotors and the appropriate carriers? 
If so, my dreams have finally ben answered!!!! PLease say it's so!


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## JamieK18T (Jan 14, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

whats the minimum wheel size, 17"?


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (kreuzer)*

quote:[HR][/HR]So what you are saying is that soon we will be able to get a kit that has the Porche Boxter 4-piston calipers, those cool new ECS 2-piece rotors and the appropriate carriers? 
If so, my dreams have finally ben answered!!!! PLease say it's so![HR][/HR]​CORRECT!!! your dreams are being answered!


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## Eternal (Sep 29, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

What about carriers for the rear to accept Boxter Calipers????????


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (Eternal)*

quote:[HR][/HR]What about carriers for the rear to accept Boxter Calipers????????[HR][/HR]​coming soon from ECS is what i was told. i am looking forward to the rear Porsche upgrade also.








matt


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## Cody_Abilene (Jun 17, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

I would love to see weight of the Stage 2 Ver. 2 vs. TT.


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## CruiseVW (Feb 23, 2003)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

You said you get very little pedal travel until the pads get a good grip, was this just initially, or is that a permanent trait of this setup? And why?


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## FreeStage3 (Mar 18, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (CruiseVW)*

Regarding the Free Stage 3 question earlier. I won the APR Stage 3 kit at the APR BBQ 2002.








quote:[HR][/HR]You said you get very little pedal travel until the pads get a good grip, was this just initially, or is that a permanent trait of this setup? And why?
[HR][/HR]​the pedal travel is a product of the Porsche Calipers and pads. when i upgraded to the Stage 2 kit the pedal travel decreased dramatically from stock. i would say pedal travel was within 1/2" - 3/4" from the top. Now with the new Hawk HPS's (previously Mintec C-Tech) the pedal travel is within 1/2". 
matt


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## ddg60 (Jan 13, 2002)

*Re: ECS Tuning Big Ass Brakes installed!! 13" Fronts and 12" Rears (FreeStage3)*

looking good














I cant wait to get mine installed on my corrado vr6 .I got the stage 2 porsche kit waiting to be installed and let me tell you I cant stop looking at them.


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