Vented Rotors

[diesel freak]

I was attempting to upgrade my solid rotors to vented rotors on my 1986 Golf Diesel and the pads were way too thick. Do they make a special thinner disc pad for vented rotors that will work with my old calibers?

[bscutt]

You can try to get pads from a Cabrio but that's just a wild guess. I just replaced pads and rotors on a Cabrio (2001) today and the rotors are vented and the pads only have about 1//4" of friction material on them.

[82vdub]

I've had a few times where I got new pads, and they were so thick they wouldn't work on a standard rotor. I would reuse an older inner pad for a while, then pull it apart and put the new pad on the inside. This gives time for the outside one to wear, and would allow the inner one to fit later.

[Dakotakid]

You need pads for a Rabbit GTI or Golf GTI/Jetta GLI.
Quite frankly, I don't see these ventilated discs as an "upgrade." I've actually removed them from cars due the much shorter life of the pads. Plus, the ventilation really doesn't amount to squat.

[Fatmobile]

I think they would cool better when coming down the mountains.

The kind of pads you buy depends on what kind of anti-rattle clips you use.

The old Rabbits used wires and there is a place cut out of the corner for the wires to ride.

The Mk2s had flat pieces of metal that slide under the edge of the pad, the MK1 notch would reduce contact.

So get MK2 pads, probably from an '85 GTI.

[ktzdsl]

I just got a mk2 that had vented rotors, but are of the Lucas 54/Girling type. The rotors are 10.1" (256x20mm) and I ordered two original part number sets of pads, 191615151A (for 16mm thick pads for 20mm vented rotors) and 191615151B (for 19.5mm thick pads)
Both sets came to me with 19+mm thick pads.
I have since found that Lucas 54/Girling disc carriers come in two widths (53mm and 61mm). The 53mm carrier is for 10.1" rotors and the 61mm carrier is for 11" rotors. The rotor that fits in the 61mm carrier is 22mm thick and the rotors are 11"(280mmx22).
I am still looking for eact car model and year to specify so that I can get the 16mm brake pads for my brakes. HTH.