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.As standard the golf 2 syncro has 239×12 solid disc brakes at the front and 230mm drums at the rear,this system is just about capable of handling the std 90bhp motor, and soon fades at higher power levels.
Upgrade 1
Replace front discs with 239×22 ventilated discs, p/n 321 615 301c, this is a straight swop nothing else is needed, while this does not actually increase braking power as such, it reduces fade by a considerable amount.
Upgrade 2
Please Note, This information for the rear disc conversion only relates to the Golf 2 Syncro as the 1.8 Golf 3 Syncro does not have the caliper carrier mounting lugs, only the Golf 3 VR6 has them.
Replace rear drums with 239×10 discs, this is not as quite as simple as upgrade 1, but it is without to many problems,
BTW, The disc brake conversion will fit to your G2 Syncro whichever (68mm or 72mm bearings)rear arms you have, [
] so you do not need to swap them over for Rallye ones.
The replacement disc p/n 811 615 301, this is actually the same disc as fitted to the golf 2 1050cc front wheels,
The calipers are p/n 535 615 423x left and 424x right and are the same as fitted to the rear on a gti 16v and most other vw rear disc applications of that era,
Golf 4 aluminium calipers will also fit and do give better performance and have the bonus of a none seizing handbrake mechanism,
p/ns 1H0 615 423B left & 424B right, you will need to modify the brake pipe caliper end as the G4 uses a different fitting, but its not difficult all you need a male to male adapter piece.
The caliper carriers are p/ns 191 615 425a left and 426 right, and have been fitted to all car type syncro rear discs from 1985 to 1998 thats Golf, Passat, Vento and Jetta,
The awkward jobs on this conversion are cutting off the drum brake backplates, and lengthening the outer or shortening the inner handbrake cable
or you can fit Golf Rallye cables, p/ns 191 609 721H left & 721K right,
You can also fit the 239×12 mm front discs as fitted to the Golf 2 1300cc to 1800cc models (55 to 90 bhp) to the rear of your Syncro, P/N 321 615 301
You will need to space the caliper carriers out from the swing arm (as the brake disc less offset) I find that the Golf 2 Diesel exhaust manifold washers are ideal for this P/N – N 900 955 01
This is the rear disc conversion as fitted to my car.
12mm rear discs showing carrier spacer
Upgrade 3
Replace small 239mm front discs with either 256mm 16v gti(140 bhp) or 280mm g60 (160bhp+) discs,
This is a bigger job as you have to change more parts, but you are still working from the std vw parts bin.
You will need these parts
(1) 16v/G60 Calipers p/n 357 615 123AX or357 615 123B (Left hand) & 357 615 124AX or 357 615 124b (Right hand)
(2) wheel bearing housing p/ns 357 407 255C left and 357 407 256C right,
(3) lower ball joint for p/n 357 407 365, these are both gti 16 v parts, but are also used with the larger G60 brakes,
(4a)for the 256mm brake you will also need the disc p/n 321 615 301D and the carrier p/n 357 615 125B,
(4b)for the 280mm the disc is p/n 535 615 301, the carrier is p/n 857 615 125B
You must also change the master cylinder for one with the larger bore as fitted to rear disc cars
P/N 535 614 111, LHD with ABS
P/N 357 611 019B, LHD non ABS
(GSF have the RHD M/C listed as 65276 BRAKE MASTER CYL-22.2mm G2 16V 12/88 >10/91)
if you dont change this you get excessive pedal travel, now all you have to do is a nut and bolt job
all the above work has been done by myself on my 1988 syncro (lhd with abs) I give no warranty that they will work or fit on your car!
if you would like any more info, feel free to e-mail me and I will do my best to help.
these are the G60 280mm fronts as fitted to my car.
Chris S
A very good front brake upgrade is Audi S2 calipers on a G60 280 mm disc. It is the two-piston Girling 60 caliper. I have that upgrade on my daily driver and will highly recommend it 
the g60 front discs are different and do not work with those adapters
just done it, and tried with g60 discs first, and after much headache lol have ended up with this set up
280mm vented rear disc 4 x 100 not g60
audi s3 calipers
had hubs machined so they are 4 x 100 and 5 x 100
also had a set discs changed
so have one set of 4 x 100 discs
and one set of 5 x 100 discs
just waiting for 12.9 grade bolts to turn up
Yes, its the setup that I first fitted before I swapped over to 239x12mm discs, same carriers, same calipers, just fitted with a spacer ring to the carrier! [
]
Quote,
You can also fit the 239×12 mm front discs as fitted to the Golf 2 1300cc to 1800cc models (55 to 90 bhp) to the rear of your Syncro, P/N 321 615 301
You will need to space the caliper carriers out from the swing arm (as the brake disc less offset) I find that the Golf 2 Diesel exhaust manifold washers are ideal for this P/N – N 900 955 01 []
This may also help,
Golf 4 aluminium calipers will also fit and do give better performance and have the bonus of a none seizing handbrake mechanism,
p/ns 1H0 615 423B left & 424B right, you will need to modify the brake pipe caliper end as the G4 uses a different fitting, but its not difficult all you need a male to male adapter piece.
