Great detailed write up. That should definitely help some people. I hope the 4 pucks on the v6 TDI are a bit more straight forward. Sounds like those are a bit convoluted.

 

The 4 pistons calipers at the rear on the V8 TDI are like the fronts on the V6 and much simpler to change

 

I think the Brembo 18 inch 6 piston front brakes were only used in the 7P V8 TDI ( not sold in the US) and the Hybrid (was sold in US). Probably also in some of the rare Treg exotics like the W12 petrol and V12 diesel maybe other Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne versions also.

 

Great write up Rohan, thank you!

Tony_B

 

Finished bedding in the "cheap" Bremtec Euroline pads in the last couple of days and the initial bite and modulation is the same as the OEM pads I removed. They are the same compound as the rears I fitted a few months ago and I look forward to not having to clean the wheels every 2 weeks. The pads on the rear showed they dust up 95+% less.

 

Finished bedding in the "cheap" Bremtec Euroline pads in the last couple of days

What kind of bedding in procedure are you using? Anything I've ever done happens in the first 15-20min of driving after the install.
Or do these have some crazy long bedding requirement?

 

I first do around 6 to 8 normal rate stops from 60km/h to 20 km/h to ensure the pads are working and I know if any change in brake pedal pressure needed. Then i will do the same but from 100km/h to 20 km/h with heavy braking to get some more heat into the brakes and then keep driving to allow the pads to cool down so yes it only takes around 20 minutes but you need to find a suitable road. After that the pads should be stable and work normally assuming the disks are in good condition which they were. The pads had a bedding in strip on them which you see on many pads these days. Below is a description from the Bendix web site. Nominally they don't need bedding in but I still do it and it lets me get a feel for the new pads behaviour.

How do you ‘bed-in’ new brake pads?
Bendix brake pads don’t require bedding-in, but it’s a technique that involves a series of warm-up and then aggressive braking applications after the new pads are fitted. The process transfers a layer of brake pad compound to the surface of the disc brake rotor to assist braking.
The reason bedding-in isn’t needed with Bendix pads is their ‘Blue Titanium Stripe’ technology, which is designed to rapidly mate with the rotor when brakes are first applied. Full braking performance is achieved instantly, eliminating the need to bed in, saving considerable time.

Bendix's 'Blue Titanium Stripe' - no bedding-in required.
ftermarket Association

 

That's pretty standard.... unless you're using specific compounds, there's very little variation in the process across various brands, etc.

Here's my "el cheapo's" process as per their reuquirement.

Step 1
Find a Safe Area
Choose a safe, open space where you can accelerate and brake repeatedly without traffic, pedestrians, or interruptions.

Step 2
Initial Aggressive Stops
Accelerate to 35 mph (55 km/h), then brake firmly down to 5 mph (8 km/h). Do not come to a full stop or allow the brakes to cool between runs. Repeat 6 times.

Step 3
Moderate Stops
Repeat the same process using moderate braking pressure instead of aggressive stops. Again, avoid full stops or cooling periods. Complete 6 repetitions.

Step 4
Cool Down Drive
Drive at a steady speed for 6–8 minutes without heavy braking or full stops. For Performance or Comfort Series rotors, extend this drive by an additional 3 minutes.

Step 5
Final Cool Down
Park the vehicle and let the brakes cool naturally for at least 30 minutes. Avoid pressing the brake pedal during this time.[/quote]

 

My bremtecs "bedded in" by randomly depositing large amount of their friction material across my rotors 😂. Worst pads I've ever fitted.

 

I certainly dont see that on the "Euroline" pads from them in my V8TDI FWIW. The perform just as the OEM pads did in terms of initial bite, brake modulation and ultimate stopping capability and pedal pressure hot or cold but they dont cover the wheels in dust. I will assess wear rates over the next few years as I measure pads and disks every service or sooner if I suspect any issues.

 

Before the next brake service, invest in a set of Cayenne S calipers. They are a direct fit and the pad change in much more simplistic. I swapped my T1 base calipers to this set up.

 

Unfortunately these Cayenne S 6 piston calipers use the more conventional axial mounting bolts not the radial mounting bolts used in the later 6 pistons front calipers on my 7P. A swap would involve the front hub at least. Also not sure if these suit the larger disks on the V8TDI. So given that the next change is probably 10 years away and i will need new disks at that point I can i live with the complexity of the current brake pad change at that future time

 

A couple comments:
1) It looks like you were using a ball head allen wrench. I never use those unless there is no other choice. The ball doesn't have enough surface area and has a tendency to mess up the bolt.
2) I use a spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to spray on the rubber brake line grommets. it makes them slippery so they pop right out of the holders. IPA works great as a lubricant to remove/install rubber parts, and it evaporates and leaves no residue.

 

Given the difficulty on getting onto the screws behind the strut. i used the ball head on the hex socket screw the other 2 screws where also hard to get the Torx on. Unfortunately no ball headed torx. I could have used a flexible socket drive with a 5mm hex bit or Torx bits but what I used worked OK.