hi since my car was sitting for 6 yrs but is now running great (just passed smog) i would definitely like to improve the braking. any product recommendations on rotors and brake pads and product part number and what site or ebay site you got them off?? thanks guys.
Last edited by makuso; 02-05-2013 at 07:32 PM.
Stock brakes are pretty good, there are some pad upgrades around from places like EBC. Otherwise, normal street pads are probably fine...even stuff from your auto store would work fine.
I would stick to well known euro rotor brands like Bale, ATE, Brembo, etc. My luck has been hit and miss with cheap aftermarket.
Also a great upgrade for low money is a set of stainless brake hoses. There are six, so you know. Buy yourself an 11mm line wrench to help change them. Trying without is a waste of time.
Oh, apparently some set of E34 rear rotors bolt up and are an upgrade since they are vented. E32 I suppose could too for V8 and V12 cars.
I make E23 parts.
09/1983 745i (stolen spring '13 around Houston, TX Achatgruen on nutria buffalo. 8481080)
10/1984 745i
11/1984 745i
11/1984 735i (10:1-265/6)
Ford, MB, and GM round out the pack.
The rear vented rotors from e32 740/750 do bolt up but wouldnt do much good without the asociated caliper from the same car... ;-)
Considering the E23 front rotor has the same swept area as the 540i, I think doing the big rear brakes is a worthwhile upgrade.
I know I love them in my E28. No more nose dive.
--Jay3->Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
84 €735i manual, 88 528e/i
Motronic 1 and 1.3 wiring
Transmission & Diff gearing sheet
I'm pretty sure the pads are the same for e23 and e28, so there are plenty of options for performance pads.
Someone correct me if I'm worng
Front pads?
The M5/M3 pads can be interchanged, but the normal 528/533/535 calipers are single piston and shaped completely different.
--Jay3->Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
84 €735i manual, 88 528e/i
Motronic 1 and 1.3 wiring
Transmission & Diff gearing sheet
Just FYI, Porterfield Brakes will put any lining known to man on existing worn out pads. Not cost effective compared to Pep Boys, but for oddball stuff that's NLA (like old Maserati E brake pads) or fancy racing specs, another way to go if you're in search of max brakes. Lots of interchange and pix too. (Did you know our front pads interchange with Maserati BiTurbo?)
Yes, the fronts. I didn't do the rears yet. Here is everything the fronts interchange with.
Front for BMW: 77-84 733I, 84-86 735i, 87-88 M5, 87-88 M6, 79-81 528i, 9/76-79 530i // MASERATI: 82-88 Biturbo, 83-88 Zagato Spider, 82-88 425, 82-88 428, 86-88 430
I'm running porterfield front pads. AP163 is the part number
NOOOOO!
I used rear 740 rotors WITH the 540/740 calipers and trailing arms/axles. Just remember that the 540/740 calipers are the same, but the rotors have different interior hat offset. Since I changed my entire trailing arm assembly to the 740 pieces, I used those rotors. But the 540 rotor might work better with the original trailing arms/hubs.
Remember that the 540/740 rear rotors are vented, so almost twice the thickness of the original solid rotors. The stock calipers wouldn't be able to fit around them.
Front brakes do NOT need to be 'upgraded', they are perfectly fine, just use better pads. The rotors and calipers are plenty capable.
--Jay3->Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
84 €735i manual, 88 528e/i
Motronic 1 and 1.3 wiring
Transmission & Diff gearing sheet
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