Audi RS 356mm Front Brake Rotor/Disc Swap

LEFT: Standard Audi RS3 Pre-Facelift with 370mm ‘wave’ rotors
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RIGHT: RS3 Pre-Facelift with 356mm Front Brake Rotor/Disc Swap Installed

 

This kit allows you to change your Audi RS 370mm or 365mm front brake rotors / front brake discs to 356mm, but keeps the 8-piston Brembo calipers+pads and all their braking power. The size difference is only 3.8%.

WHY?

• Faster
• 356mm can fit most 18″ wheels
  • Add comfort / reduce NVH
  • Greater selection of tyres
  • Economical

• Save 71% on replacement brake rotor costs

This kit is 100% bolt on, and 100% reversible.

Full view of the 356mm brake rotor / disc swap

 

FASTER

A smaller diameter results in a lower moment of inertia. This means smaller rotors and wheels require less energy to accelerate and decelerate, which can lead to improved acceleration and braking performance.

When you change to 18″ wheels you gain access to a larger selection of semi-slick and full-slick racing tyres; nice for the high performance driver.

If drag racing and roll racing is your vice, 18″ tyres will give you a bigger sidewall, providing more traction for faster 60-foot and 1/4-mile times.

 

ECONOMICAL

Audi “RS” brake rotors are costly: OEM replacements cost over $2,000 and aftermarket costs over $1,700. Many common Audi “A” and “S” vehicles use a 356mm rotor costing as little as $480 for Australian made DBA rotors – that’s over 71% saved or over $1,200.00 in savings. (Prices are in Australian dollars. Detailed list of Audi “A” and “S” models below)

The 356mm brake discs allows most 18” rims to fit. 18” wheels are lower cost, and tyres are more economical in 18”.

TOP: Audi RS3 370mm “wave” rotors
VS
BOTTOM: DBA 356mm rotors

 

COMFORT

A 3.8% brake rotor size decrease means you can use most 18” wheels. 18” wheels means you can upgrade from thin, low profile tyres with a 30/35 aspect ratio (“profile” or “sidewall”) to taller 40/45 profile tyres. The higher profile means a thicker tyre to absorb noise, vibration, and harshness (“NVH”) caused by rough roads, bumps, and pot holes.

If you feel your 19” wheels and thin tyres makes the ride too uncomfortable, even with the magnetic dampers set on ‘comfort’, then you will be impressed by changing to 18” wheels and 40/45 aspect ratio tyres: it adds the comfort expected in a luxury vehicle.

17,000km of testing: Audi OEM Brembo brake pads

 

PERFORMANCE

Through 17,000km of normal road driving on a 2016 Audi RS3, drivers could not feel any difference. During spirited driving, drivers said there was a small difference. On a technical level the difference between 356mm and 370mm is 3.8%, and the difference between 356mm and 365mm is 2.5%.

Alpha Omega Racing manufactures brake kits using 100% CNC machined billet alloy – grade 7075 – heat treated to the T6 specification. They are then anodised type II in Signature Sun Silver. “7075” is the highest grade of billet alloy and commonly known as “aerospace alloy” because, as you can probably guess, it’s used extensively in aircrafts for its light weight and high strength qualities. We make the kit right here in Australia so that you know the quality is excellent.

Did you know the 7075 material was invented by a Japanese company and it’s used in stuff like the space shuttle, precision rifles, fighter planes, and naval warships? Very cool!

Audi RS 356mm front rotor swap kit with optional plain or slotted DBA rotors

 

COMPARISON

Component	Weight	Recommended Wheel Size
Audi RS3 brake rotor / brake disc @ 370x34mm	12.38kg	19″
Audi RS3 cast steel caliper carrier	1.03kg
356x34mm rotor/disc (DBA plain or DBA slotted)	13.59kg	18″
Alpha Omega CNC machined billet 7075-T6 caliper carrier	0.54kg
Difference	0.72kg	1″

 

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Everything is included for a 100% bolt on installation (and everything is 100% reversible). No other parts will be required, unless you select the “No rotors” option.

• 2x CNC machined billet 7075-T6 caliper carriers
• 2x CNC machined billet 7075-T6 rotor centrebore aligners
• Optional: 2x DBA 356mm brake rotors / brake discs
• Printed full step-by-step installation instructions with colour pictures

LEFT: RS3 Facelift with 356mm Front Brake Rotor/Disc Swap Installed
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RIGHT: Standard Audi RS3 Facelift with 370mm rotors

 

NOTES:

• The 356x34mm brake rotors are from the following Audis:
  • A6 and S6: C7 series (1LL, 1LF & 1ZK)
  • A7 and S7: 4G series (1LL, 1LF)
  • A8 and S8: D4 Series (4H, 1LL)
• The standard dust shield needs to be unbolted.
• The Brembo caliper is moved closer to the wheel spokes by 7.3mm, and wheel centre by 7mm – please ensure you have enough clearance.
• We say this fits ‘most’ 18″ wheels because the RS3 test car uses base-model Audi A3 wheels, and A3 wheels normally don’t fit the RS3. If the 356mm rotor swap can fit the most non-performance wheel then it should fit everything else, right?
• Spacers are required to clear standard Audi RS3 and A3 wheels, and gives the car a nice stance 🙂

 

2016 Audi RS3 with magnetic ride: 356mm front brake rotor swap with DBA plain rotors, 18” AUDI A3 wheels (18×8+46), 15mm spacers, and 235/40/18 tyres