GiroDisc Brakes for the Audi RS3: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

GiroDisc makes two-piece floating front rotors for every modern Audi RS3 generation. The right part number depends on the chassis code, and on whether your car left the factory with iron or carbon ceramic front brakes. Here is how to match 8P, 8V and 8Y cars to the correct GiroDisc part, what each one changes, and which pads to run with it.

Which GiroDisc Part Fits Which RS3

The RS3 has gone through three platforms, and the brakes changed each time. Start with the chassis code on your registration or build sticker. Then check whether the front calipers clamp an iron rotor or a gray carbon ceramic disc.

The 8Y split is the one that catches people. The A1-298 is for cars with the standard iron front brakes. The A1-355 exists only for cars that came with the optional carbon ceramic package, and it swaps those discs for iron. The two are not interchangeable, so confirm what is on the car before ordering. If you are unsure, the fitment notes on each product page and a VIN check with us settle it.

How the RS3 Brakes Are Built

On the standard steel setup, the 8V RS3 runs a 370mm front rotor and the 8Y moves up to 375mm. The optional carbon ceramic package uses a 380mm by 38mm front disc clamped by a 6-piston monoblock fixed caliper. Out back, both generations use a single-piston sliding caliper on a steel rotor, and that rear caliper houses the electronic parking brake.

That rear layout matters when you service the back of the car. An electronic parking brake has to be put into service mode with a scan tool before the rear piston can be retracted. Forcing the piston back with a spreader on an EPB caliper can damage the actuator.

Audi also built more than one front rotor offset for these cars. One performance brake maker notes that its 8V.5 replacement rotors fit cars with a 52.6mm dimension from the hat face to the back of the ring, and will not fit cars with a 59.6mm dimension. The lesson carries over to any aftermarket rotor: if your RS3 has had brake work before, measure the old rotor instead of assuming it is original.

What a Two-Piece GiroDisc Rotor Changes

A factory RS3 rotor is one casting. A GiroDisc rotor is two pieces: a 6061-T6 aluminum hat that bolts to the hub, and a cast iron friction ring that floats on it. On the 8V front rotor the ring rides on 10 alloy steel drive pins, and it uses a curved vane design that pumps cooling air through the disc as it spins.

• Less weight. GiroDisc lists its 8V front rotor at about 24.0 lb versus 27.4 lb for the stock part. Another maker lists the 8V.5 OE front rotor at 27.3 lb, so the savings figure holds up. That is unsprung, rotating weight at each front corner.
• Heat handling. A floating ring can grow as it heats without pulling against the hat, which is what distorts a one-piece rotor on track.
• Cheaper future service. The hat is reusable. When the iron is worn you replace only the rings, such as the D1-179 set for the 8V fronts or the D1-336 rings for the 8Y conversion rotors.
• Direct bolt-on. GiroDisc states its RS3 rotors work with the OE calipers, brake bias and ABS with no modifications.

The slots help clear pad gas and debris and keep the pad surface fresh, which is why most track rotors use them. They add some pad wear and a light hum compared with a blank rotor, which is the normal tradeoff.

The Carbon Ceramic to Iron Conversion on the 8Y

Carbon ceramic discs last a long time on the street, but track use wears them faster and replacement discs are costly. The A1-355 is GiroDisc's answer for 8Y owners who got the carbon ceramic package and want to track the car.

• It is a direct replacement for the 380mm carbon ceramic front rotors.
• It uses the factory calipers with no modifications. The only other change is the pads.
• The pad shape is the same as the carbon ceramic setup, but you must switch to a compound made for iron rotors.
• The rings have 72 curved cooling vanes, and GiroDisc recommends replacing them once they wear to 34mm thick.

Keep the original carbon ceramic discs. Many owners run iron for track season and put the ceramics back on for the street or before selling the car.

Pads to Run With GiroDisc Rotors

New rotors deserve new pads, and the compound should match how you drive. For 2017 and newer RS3 fronts we carry three EBC choices:

• EBC Redstuff ceramic front pads for a street car that sees the occasional hard back-road run. Low dust, quiet, good cold bite.
• EBC Yellowstuff street and track pads for owners who drive to track days and home again on the same pads.
• EBC Racing RP-X front pads for dedicated track use. Race pads are noisy and dusty on the street and need heat to work well.

Whatever you pick, bed the pads in on the new rotors following the pad maker's procedure before any hard driving. Bedding lays down an even transfer layer and prevents the uneven deposits that feel like a warped rotor.

If you want a different two-piece floating rotor for a 2015-2020 car, we also carry the EBC Racing SG two-piece floating front rotors. Browse everything else in our brake rotors collection and brake pads collection.

What to Replace at the Same Time, and How Hard the Job Is

Swapping front rotors on an RS3 is a bolt-on job for a home mechanic with a torque wrench, a jack and stands. The calipers come off their mounts, the old rotors come off the hub, and the GiroDisc assemblies go on in their place. Torque the caliper bolts and wheel bolts to the values in the factory service manual.

• Pads: always, as above.
• Brake fluid: track use boils old fluid. Flush with a fresh high-temperature fluid that meets the spec in your owner's manual before a track day.
• Hardware: clean the caliper and pad contact points and check the pad retaining hardware for wear.
• Hub faces: clean rust and scale off the hub face so the new hat sits flat. Runout from a dirty hub is the usual cause of vibration after a rotor swap.

Rear work is harder only because of the electronic parking brake, which needs a scan tool to retract. For lines and fittings, see our brake lines section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do GiroDisc rotors fit the factory RS3 calipers?

Yes. GiroDisc builds its RS3 front rotors as direct replacements that work with the OE calipers, brake bias and ABS, with no modifications.

What is the difference between the GiroDisc A1-298 and A1-355 for the 8Y RS3?

The A1-298 replaces the iron front rotors on cars with standard brakes. The A1-355 replaces the 380mm carbon ceramic front rotors on cars with the ceramic package and converts them to iron. Order the one that matches what your car has.

Do I need new pads when I convert from carbon ceramic to iron?

Yes. The pad shape stays the same, but you need a compound made for iron rotors. Do not reuse carbon ceramic pads on iron discs.

Can I replace just the iron rings later?

Yes. The aluminum hats are reusable. Replacement rings are sold separately, such as the D1-179 set for 8V fronts and D1-336 for the 8Y conversion.

How much weight do GiroDisc rotors save on an RS3?

For the 8V front rotor, GiroDisc lists about 24.0 lb per rotor versus 27.4 lb stock.

Are slotted rotors noisy on the street?

Slots can add a light hum and slightly faster pad wear. With a street pad such as a ceramic compound, most owners find them fine for daily driving.

Sources

1. GiroDisc - Audi RS3 Sedan (8V) Front Rotors A1-180 - weight vs stock, hat and ring materials, 10 drive pins, OE caliper and ABS compatibility
2. GiroDisc - Audi 8Y RS3 Front Iron Conversion A1-355 - replaces 380mm carbon ceramic fronts, iron pad compound, 72 vanes, D1-336 rings, 34mm minimum
3. GiroDisc - Audi 8Y RS3 Front Rotors A1-298 - 8Y front rotor part number
4. 034Motorsport - 8V.5 RS3 front rotor upgrade - OE rotor weight, 52.6mm vs 59.6mm rotor offset variants
5. ForzaCCB - RS3 8V and 8Y brake fitment specifications - 370mm and 375mm steel fronts, 380x38mm ceramic, 6-piston caliper, rear EPB caliper