UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

I need some advice on how to approach this as I'm a complete noob on these stuff. I only got a 1.2 64bhp Polo (its my first car), though I love the thing I hate the brakes in my car. It feels pretty soft for my liking and thats with brand new brake fluid and recently changed brake pads from the VW dealer. Everytime it rains or there is moisture in the atmosphere the brakes tend to squeak very badly. I already had an unfortunate incident of running into the back of someone because my brakes failed on me when I needed it the most (and I wasn't driving particularly fast either). I had my car fixed from the incident, though I tend to dread for it to happen again. My friends noticed that I drive a lot further away from the car infront and brake alot earlier nowadays since the incident.

Therefore I'm asking is there any place or specialist into which I can upgrade my brakes? I'm not asking for some top end Brembo brakes but something that feels firm and secure, even if it means having some performance pads in the end. Also does anyone knows some sort of pricing for such upgrades, i'm a student so I don't have alot of money to begin with! I would also appreciate if you can share your experiences on such upgrades aswell so I know I'm making the right choice. Thanks.

Hello there,

I would look at the following things, as there is slight difference in achieving improved brake feel / brake performance / brake distance.

1) Upgrade to better tyres - this will cut your brake distance by a lot. + slight increase in width may help. Going from 185 to 195 etc.
2) Change to different performance pads (i.e. EBC, Mintex, Ferrodos, etc)
3) Stainless braided brake lines (instead of rubber ones)
**correct tyre pressure important**
4) Normally would recommend changing fluids, but you've done it already

I am guessing rears maybe drums?

Can you tell us more about the car? like year model, etc.

If those don't change much...
You need to go into your pocket deeper with bigger discs / grooved / vents, +- bigger calipers.

However, with 1.2 litre engine, you should not need to go too deep into the pocket.

Cheers

PatchySan wrote:I need some advice on how to approach this as I'm a complete noob on these stuff. I only got a 1.2 64bhp Polo (its my first car), though I love the thing I hate the brakes in my car. It feels pretty soft for my liking and thats with brand new brake fluid and recently changed brake pads from the VW dealer. Everytime it rains or there is moisture in the atmosphere the brakes tend to squeak very badly. I already had an unfortunate incident of running into the back of someone because my brakes failed on me when I needed it the most (and I wasn't driving particularly fast either). I had my car fixed from the incident, though I tend to dread for it to happen again. My friends noticed that I drive a lot further away from the car infront and brake alot earlier nowadays since the incident.

Therefore I'm asking is there any place or specialist into which I can upgrade my brakes? I'm not asking for some top end Brembo brakes but something that feels firm and secure, even if it means having some performance pads in the end. Also does anyone knows some sort of pricing for such upgrades, i'm a student so I don't have alot of money to begin with! I would also appreciate if you can share your experiences on such upgrades aswell so I know I'm making the right choice. Thanks.

That's strange, I've driven two Mk6 Polos and one Mk7 and they all had amazing brakes. My sisters car with rear drums is much better than my GTI with 280mm combi discs at the front!

How long have you had the new pads for?

They take sometime to run in. Around 500km or so.

The squeal may be due to this.

Its a 2005 9N3 1.2 64ps S model (05 plate), one of the early ones that came out for its generation. I had the new pads since January and done about 4000 miles on them which should have run in by now. It just tends to squeal pretty bad when its moist outside when coming off from stationary, unless it's really wet outside then it constantly does it.

I haven't really checked my drum brakes so I think I better checked them out too before concluding. Though i'am still considering changing the pads and possibly the discs as well. Does anyone suggest which ones are best? I heard the EBC's are good, Mintex and Ferrodo's maybe a bit pricey but I could be wrong. Any advice?

try pressing ya middle pedal then you might stop !

PatchySan wrote:one of the early ones that came out for its generation.

the car is mostly a mk6 anyway (02 onwards), so the brake system will be a very well tried and tested design for your car.

the post above is very good. might be time for a fluid change, and maybe your pads / discs are glazed and therefore need replacing (again?!)

whitegtipolo wrote:try pressing ya middle pedal then you might stop !

Possibly skim the discs.

First of all find out if the squeal is from the fronts or the back. Obviously this will make big difference in what we do.

But as for performance, just like I said above, tyres make huge difference. I would say do not spend too much money on changing to bigger discs / calipers. Try to improve on what you have. The brakes on your car should be suffice for your output from the engine.

If you want more performance, EBC greens are not too bad I am using them now. Just quite dusty...

Read through my previous post, and maybe work one by one.

Good luck!

PatchySan wrote:Its a 2005 9N3 1.2 64ps S model (05 plate), one of the early ones that came out for its generation. I had the new pads since January and done about 4000 miles on them which should have run in by now. It just tends to squeal pretty bad when its moist outside when coming off from stationary, unless it's really wet outside then it constantly does it.

I haven't really checked my drum brakes so I think I better checked them out too before concluding. Though i'am still considering changing the pads and possibly the discs as well. Does anyone suggest which ones are best? I heard the EBC's are good, Mintex and Ferrodo's maybe a bit pricey but I could be wrong. Any advice?

Basically 80>90% of the stopping effort should be coming from the front discs - the sqealling is probably coming from dust and glazing on the rear drums. If these rear drums are anything like the rear drums on the MK4-5 Polo and similarly aged Ibiza, then I would expect that there will still be plenty "meat" on the shoes - at least that what I found with my daughter's 2002 6K Ibiza. It could be that like her car the handbrake levers on the shoes have seized up and that has caused the rivetted(!) linings to shear across at the rivets nearest the middle of the shoes - this causes the lining material to lift up a bit! Changing the shoes could mean removing the use once only hub nut (30mm 175Nm). Inspecting/cleaning the shoes just requires removing the drum retaining screw and sticking a screwdriver through an empty wheel bolts hole and lifting up the adjusting wedge. Turn the drum so that a wheel bolt hole is roughly horizontal and nearest the car front - that should let you release the wedge to drop the shoes back. You might also need to slacken off the cables at the handbrake (inside the car). If it is the fronts that are causing the squealing, then you need to remove the pads and clean everything up including the guide pins. The beauty of grooved discs are that they skim off the glazing - either caused by light brake pressure or winter salting! One other thing, I do agrre with others that the brakes on these cars are normally too sharp/fierce - not useless!