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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

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Jembo
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by Jembo » Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:14 pm

The brake bias on an E85 is fixed between front & rear, so the ABS won’t IMO sort it out.

Dry or wet in the summer I didn’t have any issue in my old 3.0, it was only during the colder months Isometines experiences this
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ab1962
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by ab1962 » Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:58 pm

Z4 e85 2005. So far, in 25000 miles... new front trailing arm bushes. New discs and pads all round. New front struts. All expected. Then.... New front left calliper, Then.... new front right calliper and new front discs again.
Not expected. I am 58. I have had a lot if cars. Have never had to replace a calliper.
WTF!
SO IS THERE A NON BMW, Z4 BRAKING SOLUTION ?

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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by ab1962 » Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:02 pm

Oh yeah, independet dealer and AA Man say yeah... they are s**t cos the seals admit crud when you push the pistons back to fit the pads. My Saab 95 did 195,000 miles. You guessed it, never needed new Callipers.

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AndyBeech
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by AndyBeech » Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:03 pm

Why does it need replacing?
Chances are you can just rebuild it, Big Redd do kits, give them a shout, has to be cheaper than a new caliper!
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by ab1962 » Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:19 pm

In fairness replacement recon calliper cleaned up with new seals as you describe, fitted, £135 ish.
The old calliper gets refurbished and goes round again. BUT....
Like I said....
WTF!
So does anyone have a reliable _roadworthy_ alternative, not necessarily BMW pattern, that can be fitted in place of this s**t calliper from BMW?

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kis
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by kis » Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:27 pm

ab1962 wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:19 pm So does anyone have a reliable _roadworthy_ alternative, not necessarily BMW pattern, that can be fitted in place of this s**t calliper from BMW?
You can always go Porsche 8) they do BMW adapters (for the carriers) and then you can have a proper big brake upgrade! Not sure about the rear! Have a look on this forum and on other e46 forums for Porsche brake upgrade :thumbsup:
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by Thrustyjust » Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:55 am

You have a 15 year old car and its a mechanical component. Depends on its environment its lived in, for its entire life , which could be wet or near the coast. Its not a biggie, regardless to what people say, a seal and piston kit isnt going to break the bank or be difficult to replace. The pistons normally get corrosion in the chroming and get stuck. The piston doesnt touch the caliper in precision , so there is no machining needed for that. It is sealed by the seal. So, remove the piston , remove the seal. Quick clean out of any crud , then fit the seal and slot the new piston back in. Some places may offer a stainless piston which depending on where you live could be worth fitting. Even a replacement new caliper , if you dont want to do that isnt much more and ten mins to fit. Then you have no frustrations for another 15 years :D
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by Panta Rhei » Fri Mar 20, 2020 10:24 am

performance calipers from e82 e87 etc and e90 plug and play with csl rotors front and rears.
Dust brake cover for the rear from M3 e46 plus at the frond little cover bending - slightly.
Then new brake fluid lines ofc and front caliper adapters you can find on the net.
With not-bmw calipers you cannot attack brake pad sensor - here its plug and play.

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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by CHIMV8 » Fri Mar 20, 2020 3:16 pm

Sterling Grey 3.0

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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by Jembo » Fri Mar 20, 2020 5:56 pm

Don’t forget you’ll also need the carriers
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by Panta Rhei » Sun Apr 05, 2020 3:08 pm

To add to my previous post - you also need e46 330i brake shoe kit.

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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by Panta Rhei » Sun May 17, 2020 9:16 am

Anyone fitted 335 calipers to non-M e85/e86?
Like this guy: https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1345611
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by SiJar » Sun May 17, 2020 9:39 am

You can always go RPI but lots of money for the ultimate solution!
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by BTZ461 » Sun May 17, 2020 10:09 am

Panta Rhei wrote: Sun May 17, 2020 9:16 am nyone fitted 335 calipers to non-M e85/e86?
Like this guy: https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1345611
Doing this atm. Five week lock down finished, so moving on. Z4M front discs paired with 335i calipers, for the rear OE race drilled discs but retaining the original calipers and handbrake pads. Using 335i sensors to the front with low dust pads (front and rear). Seeing that M logo has given me more ideas :o
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How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

Post by BTZ461 » Sun May 17, 2020 10:17 am

And I wouldn't say its exactly a cheap conversion. All the parts sourced out of Germany, off the top of my head, the front 4M discs were 115 euro each, the rear race discs 98 for the pair. The front calipers were about 90 euro for the pair, and the rears were about 50 euro, so about 450 euro. The courier cost to NZ was significant :cry:

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