# used brembo vs new OEM caliper



## lsstefan (Feb 21, 2015)

Hey guys.
I'm gathering info on upgrading my front brakes with a 17z caliper most likely since 18z won't fit my winter wheels. The car will be driven only public roads with casual ow **** braking due to traffic.
Ebay listings have used Brembos at the same price as brand new OEM calipers, mainly APEC brakes
They even have a website and all, looks good imho. Is the difference between the calipers that high, like Brembo use full alu and APEC use 50% alu and 50% plastic?
I'm worried that used calipers might need to be repair and I found 330mm brake kit from KSport for example at just 200 over the used Brembo kit and if I'd factor in a possible repair, that difference might be negligible. 
As a side question, I need 65 to 67 mm rings for rotors because the spindle is 65? My rotor hubs have 57 on the outside(haven't measured inside, hence the question), so it's either that or USA has bigger hubs.

Thanks for the help.


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## A3REDT (Mar 22, 2014)

LOTS of info out there on the 17z brake swap, a google search may net you a few more results and be a little easier than forum searches to get the results you're looking for.

Yes you need 65mm to 67mm hubcentric rings for the rotors if you're using the recommended Mercedes rotors, they sit around a different part of the hub than the wheel.

A few things to consider, as I just did this swap on my car a few weeks ago.

Your master cylinder may be a little underpowered. I have the 22mm and the pedal travels pretty far, like an extra inch compared to the stock setup. I have the 4-pistons from a Touareg, so that could be part of the equation. Now, I can tap them and then take up most of that slack if I press it immediately afterwards, but a double pedal tap is not an ideal way to stop, so the majority of the time the braking occurs pretty late in the pedal travel. Now once it does grab, the feel is incredible, but it's something to consider if you don't want to upgrade your master cylinder. The RS3 master cylinder appears to alleviate the issue entirely, but is an additional 350$, so it's a later if ever upgrade for me.

You may want to factor in spacers and wheel lugs when you're looking at that price. My OE 17s and my Motegi Traklites both required 12.5mm spacers to clear, that's another 100$. And they both use different style lug seats so 30$ on top of that.

You'll need new brake lines, they were 85$ or so for the stainless steel ones from ECS that I ordered.

If you're buying a used set of calipers, you probably want to rebuild them before the install, I think the kits were like 15$ each when I ordered them from rockauto. And it's a pain to get the pistons out if you don't have compressed air or sometimes even if you do have compressed air.

And all that is in addition to the new pads and rotors and hardware(bolts and nuts) that you will need for the setup to work correctly.


Just some additional info that I would have liked to have had before making the decision on doing the swap vs keeping the OEM setup.


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## lagunasecablue (Dec 24, 2004)

A3REDT said:


> LOTS of info out there on the 17z brake swap, a google search may net you a few more results and be a little easier than forum searches to get the results you're looking for.
> 
> Yes you need 65mm to 67mm hubcentric rings for the rotors if you're using the recommended Mercedes rotors, they sit around a different part of the hub than the wheel.
> 
> ...




So the rear tourage 17z will work up front? What about the front 6pot the tourage has up front? 
Where did u find the rs3 master? 

Thx for the info. I’m trying to piece together used **** cheap and rebuild so I’m trying to decide which route to go. Also which set do you run in the rear or mk4 R32 / mk1 TT? There so small and would look redic w 18z up front lol.


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## Diede (Aug 1, 2014)

I use the front 6pot 17z in a MK4, and I didn't have any issue about pedal travel.
Here I use 330mm rotors up front and 280mm rotors rear with stock calipers


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