Results 1 to 22 of 22

Thread: BRake Pad Replacement Question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster

    Brake Pad Replacement Question

    I looked at the manifesto but the how to's always mention removing the caliper. Usually when I do brake pad jobs on my other cars I leave the caliper on. I just remove one bolt and then swing the caliper up. Is there any reason I would have to remove the caliper to change the pads on my M Roadster?
    Last edited by Kram71; 09-15-2017 at 04:53 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    5,776
    My Cars
    99 M3

    BRake Pad Replacement Question

    …'cause it cannot be done any other way…?
    …and this is not any other ordinary car…

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by bluptgm3; 09-15-2017 at 07:03 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Temecula Ca.
    Posts
    4,489
    My Cars
    99 M Coupe LS Swap
    I believe you can do as described, but the Allen socket in the caliper pin is easily damaged so most remove two caliper mounting bolts and swap the pads that way. This avoids a lot of problems.
    And if you are using brass bushings the damn lube gets every where trying to get that pin out.
    Just don't accidentally drop the caliper while swapping and damage the flex brake line. Ask me how I know. Sent myself home early (200 miles) with that little paddock mistake.
    Dan "PbFut" Rose

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Great Dismal Swamp
    Posts
    16,026
    My Cars
    E36/7 E36/8x2 E46 F25
    The inner pad is clipped to the caliper puck. It comes out with the caliper, so the assembly must come straight out. It will not pivot, the pad won't allow it.


    /.randy

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster
    Quote Originally Posted by PbFut View Post
    I believe you can do as described, but the Allen socket in the caliper pin is easily damaged so most remove two caliper mounting bolts and swap the pads that way. This avoids a lot of problems.
    And if you are using brass bushings the damn lube gets every where trying to get that pin out.
    Just don't accidentally drop the caliper while swapping and damage the flex brake line. Ask me how I know. Sent myself home early (200 miles) with that little paddock mistake.
    Quote Originally Posted by rf900rkw View Post
    The inner pad is clipped to the caliper puck. It comes out with the caliper, so the assembly must come straight out. It will not pivot, the pad won't allow it.
    Thanks guys. I appreciate the insight. My brakes work fine but I was thinking of swapping the front pads for some less dusty ceramic pads so my recently painted wheels do not get damaged. I have done several brake jobs over the years but I only removed the full caliper once while doing any of them.

    If the caliper is removed does that mean the brakes will have to be bled?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    San Diego CA
    Posts
    198
    My Cars
    2001 Z3 2.5i
    You only need to unbolt and move the caliper off the rotor enough to swap pads, not remove it entirely from the car. The brake line is not being disconnected, so no need to bleed the brakes.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster
    Quote Originally Posted by TheDrip View Post
    You only need to unbolt and move the caliper off the rotor enough to swap pads, not remove it entirely from the car. The brake line is not being disconnected, so no need to bleed the brakes.
    Thank you. I guess I will go for it some time in the future.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Redding Calif
    Posts
    4,131
    My Cars
    1999 Z3 2.5L 5sp
    Quote Originally Posted by Kram71 View Post
    Thank you. I guess I will go for it some time in the future.
    Even as someone that does pads once or twice a year [keep an eye on 3-4 Z's], doing both sides - front or rear - including swapping rotors is maybe an 45 minute job... the fact that you have to pull two more bolts to get the calipers free is not something to worry about or discourage you from doing it - probably one of the easiest job on our cars. ... though if you're going to ceramic pads, it sounds like you're planning on using the old rotors: then plan on very green brakes for a good couple hundred miles... short of that start with fresh rotors and pads, then it'll be stopping at 95% within a couple miles. ... I've done the pads only swap quite a few times... and those first couple stops are pretty spooky, and am grateful to finally have them mated fully. You might consider such: new rotors aren't terribly expensive - needing 100% of your brakes and not having them for those first miles could be much more expensive. YMMV.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster
    Quote Originally Posted by gmushial View Post
    Even as someone that does pads once or twice a year [keep an eye on 3-4 Z's], doing both sides - front or rear - including swapping rotors is maybe an 45 minute job... the fact that you have to pull two more bolts to get the calipers free is not something to worry about or discourage you from doing it - probably one of the easiest job on our cars. ... though if you're going to ceramic pads, it sounds like you're planning on using the old rotors: then plan on very green brakes for a good couple hundred miles... short of that start with fresh rotors and pads, then it'll be stopping at 95% within a couple miles. ... I've done the pads only swap quite a few times... and those first couple stops are pretty spooky, and am grateful to finally have them mated fully. You might consider such: new rotors aren't terribly expensive - needing 100% of your brakes and not having them for those first miles could be much more expensive. YMMV.
    Thanks for the warning. If I go pads only I will definitely be cautious for a while. My car is a bit of a garage queen so I may not do this brake job for a while. My current pads work fine. They are just very dusty in the front.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Redding Calif
    Posts
    4,131
    My Cars
    1999 Z3 2.5L 5sp
    Quote Originally Posted by Kram71 View Post
    Thanks for the warning. If I go pads only I will definitely be cautious for a while. My car is a bit of a garage queen so I may not do this brake job for a while. My current pads work fine. They are just very dusty in the front.
    Sadly after experimenting with all sorts of pad and rotors: it seems that more or less: dust and stopping power are co-related [more stopping power, more dust]... and since I like my brakes to brake, I give the wheels a bath as needed... ;-)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Galt,CA
    Posts
    1,068
    My Cars
    2002 M Coupe
    Quote Originally Posted by gmushial View Post
    Sadly after experimenting with all sorts of pad and rotors: it seems that more or less: dust and stopping power are co-related [more stopping power, more dust]... and since I like my brakes to brake, I give the wheels a bath as needed... ;-)
    Everything I read suggested that getting a set of pads that produced less dust would also produce less braking power, so when it came time to install new pads and discs I went with OEM; couldn't be happier.

    Marty

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Kent, Ohio
    Posts
    4,431
    My Cars
    1998 M Roadster
    I don't know so much about that. I put ceramic pads on a couple of years ago, and they brake just as well as the OE pads in every way that I can tell, and have no--zero--dust. I certainly haven't noticed any lack of braking power. I don't track my car, and that's a totally different question, but for street use they are the same. I couldn't be happier with them--no--zero--dust. I went with Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors with their street warrior ceramic pads. I know the drilling and slotting is just for looks--I think it looks pretty good.


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Redding Calif
    Posts
    4,131
    My Cars
    1999 Z3 2.5L 5sp
    Quote Originally Posted by MartyBtoo View Post
    Everything I read suggested that getting a set of pads that produced less dust would also produce less braking power, so when it came time to install new pads and discs I went with OEM; couldn't be happier.

    Marty
    From everything I've read: a most excellent choice.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Bingley View Post
    I don't know so much about that. I put ceramic pads on a couple of years ago, and they brake just as well as the OE pads in every way that I can tell, and have no--zero--dust. I certainly haven't noticed any lack of braking power. I don't track my car, and that's a totally different question, but for street use they are the same. I couldn't be happier with them--no--zero--dust. I went with Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors with their street warrior ceramic pads. I know the drilling and slotting is just for looks--I think it looks pretty good.

    Looking to buy right now. Thanks for the advice!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    West Bend, WI
    Posts
    553
    My Cars
    MRoadster,Tacoma,DR650
    Akebono european ceramic pads delivered this week. Removal of calipers was impossible with my longest 1/2” drive breaker bar, so the pad change is scheduled for tomorrow at the dealership. Looking forward to minimal dust on the wheels. OEM stopping power is superb, but I could still be happier by having clean wheels after every outing.
    You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Kent, Ohio
    Posts
    4,431
    My Cars
    1998 M Roadster
    They are holding up really well btw (of course I only put a couple thousand miles a year on them), still no dust and plenty of brake. I have two ///M Roadsters--a '98 supercharged with the ceramic Powerstops and a '99 bone stock with OE brakes (very dusty). No difference in braking to me.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Bingley View Post
    They are holding up really well btw (of course I only put a couple thousand miles a year on them), still no dust and plenty of brake. I have two ///M Roadsters--a '98 supercharged with the ceramic Powerstops and a '99 bone stock with OE brakes (very dusty). No difference in braking to me.
    That is great news. I put around 5000 miles on mine this year after years of barely driving it. My car stays clean but wheels get filled with dust. Hopefully installation goes easy.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Kansas
    Posts
    2,353
    My Cars
    2000 m roadster 2010 x3
    It’s one of the easiest jobs to do. Remove the two guide pins (allen head) and the caliper lifts off the carrier as long as the rotors don’t have a heavy lip. I went through two sets of OE pads on my first roadster and switched to ceramic. I’ll never go back.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,159
    My Cars
    1999 BMW MZ3 Roadster
    Quote Originally Posted by z3forlife View Post
    It’s one of the easiest jobs to do. Remove the two guide pins (allen head) and the caliper lifts off the carrier as long as the rotors don’t have a heavy lip. I went through two sets of OE pads on my first roadster and switched to ceramic. I’ll never go back.
    I have to go to Home Depot and grab that 7mm allen bit. Great that the size was located on this board. Thanks for the advice!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    West Bend, WI
    Posts
    553
    My Cars
    MRoadster,Tacoma,DR650
    Sitting at the dealership right now while they do the installation. Too bad I couldn’t break the caliper bolts loose at home.
    You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    West Bend, WI
    Posts
    553
    My Cars
    MRoadster,Tacoma,DR650
    Success. Driving on new Akebono European ceramic pads. Hard and soft braking feels identical to the oems. Looking forward to clean wheels. They had a fresh thin carbon film from my 45 minute drive to the dealership. Wiped them down and they were still clean when I arrived home. Two different crazy SUVs almost ran me off the road for staying approx 100 feet back at 15-20 mpg over the speed limit. One actually was blowing his horn and shaking his fist at me. The slow lane was full and I was pacing the traffic in front of me, but not tailgating, so I’m the jerk. Glad I’m retired. Uff!
    You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Houston, TX, USA
    Posts
    1,064
    My Cars
    1999 BMW Z3 Coupe 2.8
    Y’all have convinced me. Bought the Akebono set. Cant wait to get them in and give them a spin.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Similar Threads

  1. couple questions before I attept my first brake pad replacement
    By bigjoe87865 in forum 1996 - 2003 (E39)
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 11-02-2010, 12:14 AM
  2. Brake pad replacement question
    By dblmikeusa1 in forum Southwestern - US
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 09-03-2005, 08:39 PM
  3. brake pad replacement
    By paul e in forum 1992 - 1999 M3 (E36)
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 09-14-2003, 05:36 PM
  4. Brake Pad Sensor question
    By Sonic A in forum General BMW Mechanical Help sponsored by RM European Auto Parts
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 01-06-2003, 03:51 PM
  5. Front brake pads replacement complete!
    By MidnightSpeed in forum 1991 - 1999 (E36)
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-06-2002, 10:54 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •