ohbw

I swapped my stock brakes for the ECS two piece floating rotors and PBR ceramic pads a little over a week ago. ECS doesn't make or sell a matching cross drilled and slotted rotor for the rear of the A8, but I found Zimmermans which are cross drilled in the same way and match nicely. I also changed the fluid to ATE 500 degree (dry) boiling point fluid at that time.

I'm very pleased with the results. The stock brakes were just plain scary. Very little stopping power, unbelievable amount of fade for a car of this quality. I had the unnerving feeling every time I got on them that if I had to stop REALLY fast, the fade would allow me to push the pedal right through the firewall as I slammed into the back of a school bus.

Now when I ask for brakes, I get them, and if I ask louder, I get progressively more. It stops in a predictable, solid, bona fide hurry when I really stand on it. I didn't measure before/after braking distances (sorry), but there's a <i>substantial</i> difference. Fade is dramatically reduced -- when I stand on the pedal, the 8 tucks its nose in and STOPS. Zero noise from the PBRs, and very little dust at all. Best of all is the difference in FEEL: the car gives the all-important sense that it stops as good as it goes. It feels safe to drive it aggressively, which it didn't before.

I spent less than $1000 on the brakes and I'm quite happy. The pedal feel is still not ideal, but I'm installing the S8 strut brace with The Block next week. I'll report on the changes from that when I can.

One proviso: I put my H&amp;R's on at the same time I installed these brake parts, so I've also lost a lot of the rear-to-front weight transfer that made the 8 so squirrely under hard braking before. But I think this is a damn good brake set-up for anyone who doesn't want to spend the kid's college money on Porsche brakes.<ul><li><a href="http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/pagebuild_v2.cgi?make=Audi&amp;engine=4.2&amp;mode l=A8&amp;submodel=Quattro&amp;category=Braking&amp ;subcategory=ECS%20OE%202%20Piece">ECS floating rotors</a></li></ul>

ryoung

Because of the aluminum hat, that 2-piece ECS rotor is probably about ten lb lighter than the oem rotor? A ten lb per corner reduction in unsprung weight is huge and results in a smoother ride. The 20 lb reduction in rotating weight also improves 1/4 mile times by ~0.05 sec ... not much, but it adds up :-)

And since it sounds like you also use your brakes aggressively, I'm looking forward to hearing what you feel the Block does for pedal feel.

<img src="http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/images/product/iadmin/1625_x600.jpg">

ohbw

They're actually 4 lbs. lighter per rotor (23% ), but that's a lot, given that it's unsprung weight

banal

I got quoted over 1k to get my brakes repaired to stock-type brakes. This sounds like a good deal, I take it you would recommend me going this route too? Did you put them on yourself?

Jkay

Yes, you are re-using the laughable single-piston floating caliper ... but it doesn't cost you $2500USD either.

skiwi

worn shocks also have a noticible affect on stopping distances...

TSHong

I really like my ECS/PBR brake set up with the same results