# Rear disc brake upgrades on a mk3 golf.



## Bugsy_malone 666 (Dec 8, 2010)

Ok I have a 1994 mk3 golf, with a 1.8 engine, from the factory it had drums at the back and 239mm solids on the front, so I have set about doing a bit of an upgrade with one problem. 

So I have done the front end, using TDi front hubs, GTi Calipers and carriers and G60 discs so I have Gti Spec brakes with 4stud fitment to retain my wheels etc. 

Back end is Gti Discs/stubs from a mk2 fitted to my mk3 axle and the calipers are mk3 GTi and this is where I hit my problem, its the handbrake cables. So The cables go from a mech on top of the caliper under the axle and round to the guides that enter the body, but when I was fitting them they seem to be too short! The handbrake cables are from an 88-94 mk2/mk3 and are 1624mm long. I compared to the old drum cables to the disc ones and where the conduit ends and goes into the body I estimate that the cables are about 3" too short. 

Now I have looked through all the cable info I could find online and 1800mm pre 88 cables are the only ones bigger, so I am wondering how you do this conversion, do you cut the cable guides down by 3"? or is there a different cable thats 1700mm long? as 1800mm would be far too long! 

Any Ideas as the nets not coming up with a whole lot of info.


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

Why would you be trying to use MKII parking brake cables on a MKIII? Or is that a misprint? 

Parking brake cables for a MKII with rear disc brakes run over the top of the trailing arms, with the fluid lines running under the trailing arms. 

Parking brake cables for a MKIII with rear disc brakes run under the trailing arms, and curve up behind the brake calipers. 

So parking brake cables from a MKII with rear disc brake will be too short if you try to install them on a MKIII. 

There are four parking brake cables used on MKIIIs. They can be divided into cables used with drum brakes, and cables used with rear disc brakes. 

Further, as you have found out, there are long and short parking brake cables. The difference is because the aluminum guide tubes that attach to the body (where the parking brake cables exit) come in two different lengths. 

Early MKIIIs (through about the middle of 96) come with short guide tubes, and short parking brake cables. 

Late MKIIIs (after about May or June of 96) came with long guide tubes, and must be used with the long parking brake cables. 

Your car should have short guide tubes and use the short early MKIII disc brake parking brake cables. 

Is it possible that somebody installed late model, long guide tubes on your car? 

Did you order new early (short) parking brake cables for a MKIII with rear disc brakes? If not, you got the wrong parking brake cables.


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## Bugsy_malone 666 (Dec 8, 2010)

You'd use a mk2 handbrake cable because its not just for a mk2, it suits cars from 1988-1994, that covers mk2s and early mk3s, mines a 1994 mk3 but had factory drums. 

The rear calipers are mk3 with the mech on the top and the pipes on the top and handbrake cable running under the trailing arm. 

I have done a bit of searching and I cant find any other ones for this particular car, its never been messed with until me either and this is the first time I have done such achange. So basically I have found a 1624mm cable which is what I have, its long enough in theory but the conduit is either too long by 90mm or the guides are too long by 90mm, without 90mm of one of those 2 would mean the cables would run into the car and work perfectly like factory. The ends of the cable are correct for the car too, fit the calipers and would fit inside if they would go in far enough! 

I have only found shorter versions, original drum cables are 1500mm, then theres some 1606mm ones or something like that which I think are 94 on cables(these have a different handbrake I believe) and then finally pre 1988 mk2 cables which are 1800mm long. 

This is why I am a little baffled.


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