Our Top Recommended Big Brake Upgrade Kits For Your Volkswagen Golf MK2
Three generations of Golf share the same front hub design, which is why HiSpec label these kits Mk1/2/3 instead of splitting them by generation. A kit that fits a MK2 also fits a MK1 and a Mk3 on the same part number. The shared hub is worth knowing about if you run more than one early Golf, and it means the MK2 page has a wider catalogue to draw from than most.
The Tarox range for the MK2 has something the other Golf generations do not: three engine-specific listings. GTI, G60 and Golf Rally each get their own version because the brackets and offsets are engine-specific. The G60 was the supercharged version; the Golf Rally was a four-wheel drive homologation car. We mention both upfront because ordering the wrong listing is easy to fix before anything ships. The full MK2 Golf range is on the site if you want to browse it raw.
- Every kit on this page converts the front axle: calipers, two piece floating discs, brackets and fitting hardware specific to the MK2
- HiSpec label these kits Mk1/2/3, meaning the same part fits across all three early Golf generations on their shared front hub
- Tarox list three MK2 variants separately: GTI 1.8, G60 and Golf Rally. Tell us the engine before ordering
- Nothing on this page needs more than 17 inch wheels, so the biggest kit here works behind standard 17-inch alloys
- Tarox kits arrive with Corsa pads and braided hoses fitted; HiSpec price those separately
Two brands, two ways of building a brake kit
Both companies machine their own calipers from billet aluminium and build each kit for the specific car. The difference comes down to two things: what is in the box, and where the work is done.
Tarox
Made at the Tarox factory in northern Italy. Calipers CNC machined from European billet alloy and hand assembled, each one tested before dispatch. Every disc is heat treated and balanced to 0.05mm. Sport kits arrive complete with vehicle-specific braided hoses and Corsa pads already fitted. Full ABS and ESP compatibility stated on every MK2 kit.
HiSpec Motorsport
Machined in Dartford from 6082 T6 billet aluminium, calipers and pistons both. Every kit is made to order in up to 28 working days, with the calipers finished in your choice of black, red, blue, gold or silver. Pads and braided hoses are priced separately so you choose the compound for the way the car is used.
One external link worth bookmarking for Tarox: their wheel clearance template is the definitive check for spoke depth once you have the minimum diameter sorted.
The number that decides it: your wheel size
A bigger disc means a bigger minimum wheel, and on the Golf MK2 the range runs from 15 inch at the smallest to 17 inch at the top. Nothing on this page asks for an 18 inch wheel, which on a classic Golf matters: you can get to the biggest available kit without moving to 18 inch alloys. HiSpec publish the wheel size for every kit from their own catalogue. The Tarox 300mm figure comes from their published data; the 318mm and 330mm figures were looked up directly on tarox.co.uk for the MK2 listings.
| Kit | Disc | Smallest wheel |
|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 278mm Billet 4 (1P disc) | 278 x 22mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 285mm Billet 4 | 285 x 24mm | 15 inch |
| HiSpec 300mm Billet 4 | 300 x 28mm | 16 inch |
| HiSpec 310mm Billet 4 | 310 x 28mm | 16 inch |
| Tarox 300mm Sport | 300mm | 16 inch |
| HiSpec 335mm Billet 4 | 335 x 28mm | 17 inch |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 | 335 x 28mm | 17 inch |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 6 | 335 x 28mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 318mm Sport | 318mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 330mm Sport | 330mm | 17 inch |
HiSpec 285mm Billet 4: the 15 inch starting point
If the car is on 15 inch wheels and you want to keep them, this is the pick. The Billet 4 is HiSpec’s most popular caliper: four pistons machined from 6082 T6 billet aluminium with external boots on the seals to keep road grit out. On a 285mm two piece floating disc it is a proper step over the standard setup and clears a 15 inch wheel.
Worth knowing: there is also a 278mm version with a single piece disc, HISC-080, at £785 inc VAT. It clears 15 inch too and is significantly cheaper. The 285mm two piece disc handles heat cycles better and is the one we would put on most cars. The 278mm is there for a build where the budget is fixed and the car is road use only.
- £1,188.53 inc VAT (285mm 2P kit); 278mm 1P also available at £785.44 inc VAT
- Both clear 15 inch wheels
- 285 x 24mm two piece floating discs on the 2P kit
- Pads and hoses priced separately; five caliper colours
- Made to order in up to 28 working days in Dartford
HiSpec 300mm and 310mm Billet 4: the 16 inch move
Once the car is on 16 inch wheels the 300mm and 310mm Billet 4 kits sit close together. Same Billet 4 caliper as the 285mm kit, same two piece floating disc construction, stepped up to 28mm thick. The gap between them is about £21 inc VAT. For most MK2s on 16s Garreth’s answer is the 310mm: the extra leverage is real and the price difference is small.
If a specific aftermarket wheel runs tight at the spokes, the 300mm leaves a bit more clearance. That is the only reason Cameron would point someone at the smaller of the two, and it is a conversation worth having before the order goes in if you have narrow-spoke alloys or a wheel where the spoke profile is unusually deep behind the face.
- 300mm at £1,233.29 inc VAT; 310mm at £1,254.77 inc VAT
- Both clear 16 inch wheels
- 28mm thick two piece floating discs
- Pads and hoses priced separately
- Made to order in up to 28 working days
Tarox 300mm Sport: the complete kit at 16 inches
The entry Tarox for the MK2, and the easiest buy on this page if you want the whole job in one delivery. Six piston caliper on a 300mm two piece disc balanced to 0.05mm, Corsa pads already in the calipers and braided hoses in the box. Clears 16 inch wheels.
This kit is listed twice on the MK2 page: once for the GTI 1.8 and once for the G60. Both the same price. Tarox make the distinction because the brackets and offsets are engine-specific, so check the engine before ordering. If your MK2 has a different engine, ring us and we will confirm the right listing with Tarox before anything is placed.
- £1,989.79 inc VAT, complete with pads and braided hoses fitted
- Clears 16 inch wheels
- 300mm two piece disc, balanced to 0.05mm
- Six piston billet caliper, hand assembled in Italy
- GTI 1.8 and G60 listed separately at the same price
HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 and Monster 6: the 17 inch track build
The Monster caliper uses larger pistons than the Billet 4 with high temperature EPDM seals and stainless steel wear plates. Both the Monster 4 and Monster 6 sit on a 335mm two piece disc, 28mm thick, and both clear a 17 inch wheel. The choice between four pot and six pot is about use.
For a road car that sees track evenings the Monster 4 is what Cameron fits: it brakes hard, pads are easy to source and the caliper holds up to repeated heat cycles. The Monster 6 is for genuine track use or a car making serious power. The extra clamping area rewards careful pad selection, and the price difference over the Monster 4 reflects it. If you are not sure which your driving suits, a five minute call before ordering usually settles it.
- Monster 4 at £1,534.62 inc VAT; Monster 6 at £1,671.90 inc VAT
- Both clear 17 inch wheels
- 335 x 28mm two piece floating discs
- High temperature EPDM seals and stainless steel wear plates
- Pads and hoses priced separately; five caliper colours
Tarox 330mm Sport: the top of the Tarox range
The biggest Tarox kit for the MK2 and the most complete package on this page. Six piston caliper on a 330mm two piece disc balanced to 0.05mm, with Corsa pads fitted at the factory and braided hoses in the box. Same engine-specific listing as the 300mm: GTI 1.8 and G60 listed separately, order by the engine you have.
At £2,280 inc VAT it is the most expensive kit here and also the most complete. For a GTI or G60 that sees proper track use or carries more power than standard, this is the kit that suits the rest of the build. On 17 inch alloys it works, and nothing here asks for 18 inch, so even the flagship fits behind alloys that the car might already be running.
- £2,280.00 inc VAT, complete with pads and braided hoses fitted
- Clears 17 inch wheels
- 330mm two piece disc, balanced to 0.05mm
- Six piston billet caliper, hand assembled in Italy
- GTI 1.8 and G60 listed separately; order by engine
More options at 17 inches
Between the 300mm Tarox on 16 inch and the Monster kits and 330mm flagship sit three more options worth knowing. The HiSpec 335mm Billet 4 puts the Billet 4 caliper on a 335mm disc: the entry caliper type into 17 inch territory at £1,357 inc VAT without pads and hoses. The Tarox 318mm Sport is the middle Tarox disc size, listed for both GTI 1.8 and G60, and it also needs 17 inch clearance. All three come in below the 330mm flagship and between the Billet 4 16 inch kits and the Monster range.
What is actually in each box
The headline prices sit further apart than the finished builds do once you spec them level. Add pads and braided hoses to the HiSpec side and the gap with the Tarox kits narrows. Compare finished builds, not the headline numbers.
| In the box | HiSpec | Tarox |
|---|---|---|
| Calipers | Billet 4 or Monster, 6082 T6 billet aluminium | Sport 6pot, billet alloy, hand assembled in Italy |
| Discs | Two piece floating, with mounting bells | Two piece floating, balanced to 0.05mm |
| Brackets and hardware | Included | Included |
| Braided hoses | Priced separately | Included |
| Pads | Priced separately, your choice of compound | Corsa pads, fitted |
| Caliper finish | Black, red, blue, gold or silver | Black, red, blue, green or gold anodised |
| Built in | Dartford, UK, up to 28 working days | Northern Italy |
Every kit on this page compared
| Kit | Disc | Caliper | Smallest wheel | Pads and hoses | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 278mm Billet 4 (1P) | 278 x 22mm | 4 piston | 15in | Extra | £785.44 |
| HiSpec 285mm Billet 4 | 285 x 24mm | 4 piston | 15in | Extra | £1,188.53 |
| HiSpec 300mm Billet 4 | 300 x 28mm | 4 piston | 16in | Extra | £1,233.29 |
| HiSpec 310mm Billet 4 | 310 x 28mm | 4 piston | 16in | Extra | £1,254.77 |
| Tarox 300mm Sport | 300mm | 6 piston | 16in | Included | £1,989.79 |
| HiSpec 335mm Billet 4 | 335 x 28mm | 4 piston | 17in | Extra | £1,357.50 |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 | 335 x 28mm | 4 piston | 17in | Extra | £1,534.62 |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 6 | 335 x 28mm | 6 piston | 17in | Extra | £1,671.90 |
| Tarox 318mm Sport | 318mm | 6 piston | 17in | Included | £2,050.00 |
| Tarox 330mm Sport | 330mm | 6 piston | 17in | Included | £2,280.00 |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 16 August 2026. Tarox disc thicknesses not published by the manufacturer for these MK2 kits and are not stated above.
Common questions
Do these kits fit a Mk1 or Mk3 Golf as well?
Yes, for the HiSpec kits. HiSpec list these as Mk1/2/3 because all three early Golf generations share the same front hub design. The same kit bolts to a MK1, MK2 or Mk3 on the same part number. The Tarox kits are listed specifically for the MK2 and will need a separate check for the Mk1 or Mk3 before ordering.
Which Tarox listing is right for my Golf MK2?
Tarox list the MK2 in three separate versions: GTI 1.8, G60 and Golf Rally. The fitment is engine-specific, not just disc-size specific, because the brackets and offsets differ between them. If your car is a GTI 1.8 or a G60, pick the matching listing. If it is the Golf Rally 4WD, that has its own listing in the 318mm size. For any other MK2 engine, ring us on 0115 9893488 and we will confirm the correct version with Tarox before anything is ordered.
What is the difference between the 278mm and 285mm HiSpec kits?
Disc construction is the main one. The 278mm kit uses a one piece disc at 22mm thick; the 285mm kit uses a two piece floating disc at 24mm thick. Two piece floating discs handle repeated heat cycles better: the disc face can expand without fighting the bell, which keeps the rotor running true over time. Both kits clear 15 inch wheels. For a road-only build on a strict budget the 278mm works; for anything that will see track use the 285mm 2P is the right choice.
Why are pads and hoses extra on the HiSpec kits?
HiSpec price their kits without pads or hoses so you choose the compound. A street pad and a track pad are very different things, and the right choice depends on how and where the car is used. Both pads and braided hoses can be added when you order, and we will put the finished build price together so you are comparing like for like against the Tarox kits. The headline gap between brands narrows once everything is in the box.
Will these kits work with ABS and ESP on the MK2?
Tarox state full ABS and ESP compatibility on all MK2 kits. For HiSpec, the fitment is to the front hub and does not touch the ABS sensor or reluctor ring, so compatibility on a standard MK2 should be fine. If your car has had any non-standard ABS modifications, tell us when you order and we will check with HiSpec before the kit goes to build.
What we would actually fit
On a road car keeping its 15 inch wheels, the 285mm Billet 4, and no hesitation. If the budget is very tight and the car will not see a circuit, the 278mm 1P is a real option at £785 and does the job. On 16s and driving the car properly, Garreth’s money goes on the 310mm Billet 4: the most disc at 16 inch on the HiSpec side, and the sensible next step for most MK2 GTIs we get asked about.
For a car doing proper track use on 17s the Monster 4 is what Cameron fits as the default. The Monster 6 is held back for anything making significant power or that spends a lot of time late on the brakes. If you want one delivery with nothing left to add, the Tarox 300mm is the complete kit at 16 inch and the Tarox 330mm is the same logic at the top of the range.
Ring us on 0115 9893488 with the engine, the current wheel size and what the car does at weekends. The GTI and G60 fitment question is a short one, and checking spoke clearance on a specific wheel is Cameron’s side of the business. Most calls like this are done inside five minutes.