# help! 256mm rear brake upgrade and Polo stub axles on a Mk3



## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

hello,

So I'm in the process of converting my Cabrio to polo 6N rear stub axles. I also have 5x100 and 312mm brakes in the front (Jetta GLI/GTi 20th/337), and figured I'd do the same with the rear. 

Parts I'm using:
Polo 6N rear stub axles
Polo 9N 5x100 hubs
Mk4 256mm rear brake discs
Mk4 256mm caliper carriers, calipers

Now, it seems straightforward, since people have done the stub axle conversion before, and just use normal 230mm brake discs from a mk4, with the stock carriers and calipers. I figured swapping to the 256s should be a cinch, since regular Mk4 people do this upgrade all the time. The problem is, the carriers sit way too far out into the discs for this to work. it may be becuase the Polo stub axles are thicker at the carrier mounting point, but as I said people have done the stock brake conversion no problem. Is there a difference between the Polo carriers and Mk4 carriers? I have been looking around, and it seems the R32 may have shallower carriers, that might work for me. Any ideas? I've mixed so many different cars and parts, I don't know where to post it, so I came here!


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

here's some photos. The red carriers are Mk4 256mm, the rusty ones are OE Polo (with a standard 230mm brake disc). It looks like a flat carrier like the Polo ones would line up the brakes perfectly for the 256, at least I hope, and Audi TT quattro/R32 carriers are flat, so i hope they work!

In this photo you can see the red carrier almost perfectly flatly fits with the stub axle (would work with the carriers built into the axle like stock mk4). 









In this pic you can see just how off the mounting faces for the carrier and stub axle are... hopefully a flat carrier fixes this. 


















Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk


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## Malkierie504 (Oct 6, 2007)

in for the info


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

I did learn something so far for people doing this particular swap- get stub axles from a drum brake-equipped Polo, and source the adapter plate from a Lupo (and maybe some Polos). That setup should give the correct Mk4-style caliper carrier spacing needed (it needs to mount behind the stub axle, not to it). TT quattro or R32 carriers seem to have an angle too, that won't let them mount to these stubs


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## VW_Sporting (Aug 27, 2003)

How did you make out with this set up?


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

Next shipment is late June  so it's on hold until I get it all in place. I found out new from the dealer Lupo backing plates are cheap in Europe, and the drum brake stub axles should be plentiful. I would note that I saw at least a couple different styles of ABS sensor mount (probably Mk3 style, Mk4 style, and some excluding it), so I'm hoping I've got the correct part number/application for those.


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## ries188 (Apr 30, 2008)

Hi,

I've done a similar upgrade on my Golf MK2 back in 2012 using 280mm front disks from a Golf mk3 GTI and Audi S3 calipers.
Instead of all the fuss with Polo and Lupo parts, I used an old rear disk and machined it so it looks like a front hub. That way the original abs sensor still fits in the stock location without any modifications.
Just had to make an adapter for the caliper.


The german company Epytec sell a set that is based on what I did as well.
https://www.epytec.de/4871/vw-golf-scirocco-corrado-g60-vr6-16v-adapter-s3-r32-bremse-bremssattel-bremssatteladapter


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

Thank you but my whole goal with this swpa is moving away from those awful rear bearings. The bigger brakes are just a benefit


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

Got it 









Only issue is ABS rings. The sensors fit fine, but the rings are slightly loose on the Polo 9N 5x100 hub I have (if I had the 6N 4x100 hub, it would be fine). My thought is to fill the slight gap with dabs of some hard glue, or maybe wrap the bearing in some thin steel to take up the space too.


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## .T.o.n.y. (Apr 3, 2003)

VDub2625 said:


> Got it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sorry to bump an old post, but do you have part numbers for the correct stubs to run the MKIV vented rear calipers and rotors?


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

Bumping old posts is fine, that's why I lurk 

6X0501117 and 6X0501118 are what I used. Stub axles for DRUM brakes from Polo 99-02. Need to be stub axles that can handle the new bearings, but without caliper mounts sicne the spacer behind is what the caliper mounts to.


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## Flipp_76 (Feb 23, 2016)

VDub where did u get ur adapter plate?


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

Flipp_76 said:


> VDub where did u get ur adapter plate?


There are a few suppliers of European part number sin the US, VW Heritage out of the UK is a good one since they'll ship here.


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## BGomes (Jun 30, 2003)

Hello. I need to resurrect this thread again VDub2625. 
I have a Corrado VR6, based in the UK and needed to get rid of the old bearing design. I started with this thread (73) The Corrado g60/VR6 Brake Bible: The Rears | VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum which led me to acquiring:

6N stubs- 6N0 501 117 - Left, 6N0 501 118 - Right
9N hubs - 6Q0 598 611 
Spacer rings to fit over the rear of the hub, to enable the ABS sensor rings to fit from here; Adapterring für Golf 3 Polo 9N Nabe ABS Umbau Mark 20 für R32 Bremsanlage hinten | Epytec.de 
5x100 256mm discs 8N0 615 601 B
R32 calipers and caliper carrier..
 I ended up with exactly what you experienced in the top of your post. Wish I'd found it earlier. As I see it, you then replaced the stub axle and added the adaptor spacer. However the part number you gave later for the stub axle is exactly the same as mine - and that has the two ears which mount the calipers, whereas the stub axle in your later photo seemed not to have caliper mounts - you used the caliper mounts from the spacer. 

Do I have this right? And - dare I ask - which caliper carrier did you use in the end? Like you I have to retain ABS.

Many thanks


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

You're right, the parts at the top of the post are the stub axles with the carrier mount, you will need the ones for a car with drum brakes as they don't have the mount.

I believe they're going to be 6X0-501-117 and 6X0-501-118. 

I'm curious, can you share a photo like mine of the parts all mocked up to see how "off" the R32 carriers are? I thought they might work with the disc style stub axles, but I never tried them myself. I honestly would have rather used the other style with no spacer, but I couldn't find a carrier that fit. 

I went with 5 lug and 10.1" brakes, so I used the larger carriers from the big brake FWD Mk4s (in the USA, GTI 20th anniversary and Jetta GLI 1.8T).

Can you order me a set of those ABS ring spacers and ship them to USA, that company won't do it for me


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## BGomes (Jun 30, 2003)

Going through your responses.
1. Yes, give me a week or so, will attempt to pull all the parts together on a table and take the photos. One point of note. Petethepug (who wrote the Corrado brake bible) recommended a different set of carriers to the R32 carriers, so I've ordered those just in case he's actually right! Will take a week before I have all versions together and will take the photos then.
2. If Petthepug's idea does not work my plan is to order the stubs you recommended but - *a question. I'm not clear what spacer you used. Did you use a Lupo spacer? * Or did you get an spacer from a merchant - if so who? Couldnt find the spacers on VWHeritage.
3. I live in the UK. If you'd like me to buy the ABS rings from Epytec, get them to post them to me, I'll consider doing that and post them on. Odd .... because they do despatch to the US as well.... Will PM you separately.

In order to install those rings one first needs to remove the existing 9N reluctor which comes already pressed onto the rear of the 9N hub. It looks like a metal seal on the rear of the hub. Actually it isnt. It cant be hammered off. It can be cut (judiciously) and then tapped off. 
Its removal creates a gap of about 1.2mm between the hub and the ABS ring. A dremel did the job for me, just needed to be careful. Once I'd placed a cut in the 9N reluctor, it could be tapped off easily.
The next task was also easy: tapping on the ring provided by Epytec onto the hub, then the ABS ring onto it. Surprisingly easy.


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## BGomes (Jun 30, 2003)

@VDub2625. You may want to have a look at this thread. (77) 1996 MK3 Golf GL - Brill-Edwards Build Log - 1.8T conversion underway | Page 3 | VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum. And by the way, Brill Edwards used an R32/TT/S3 set up with the R32 carriers. So the photos are in that thread. 
He used a Lupo spacer. Did you manage to remember where you found your spacer - and who produced it?


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

I think it was VW Heritage or something, it was an OEM Lupo part number. He used exactly the same parts I used, doesn't look like R32 carriers. 

The red ones are the ones I used (same as TT FWD which are bare metal). The R32 ones are blue (smae as TT quattro bare metal).


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## Redline VR6 (Sep 26, 2021)

VDub2625 said:


> You're right, the parts at the top of the post are the stub axles with the carrier mount, you will need the ones for a car with drum brakes as they don't have the mount.
> 
> I believe they're going to be 6X0-501-117 and 6X0-501-118.
> 
> ...


 I have every part I need but the stub axles 6X0-501-117 I cannot find anywhere that’s selling these under 200$ a piece. Do you have any links or anything I can go off of to find these? Thanks!


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## VDub2625 (Jan 4, 2003)

not anymore, it's been so long  Jamie at OE might be able to import a used set.


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