Brake Calipers 101

[jprottas]

Can you guys offer a mini-education on calipers. Im just after reliable stream performance -not track.

There seem to be either Nugeon. OP, etc in the $50 range or Ate, original Bmw. in the $250+ range.

Are these parts that are usually rebuilt rather than replaced? What are other brands that offer a good product at an affordable price?



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[TostitoBandito]

Why do you need new calipers? If you just want to refresh your existing calipers, rebuild them for very little $ and a bit of work. You can buy caliper rebuild kits which consist of a new internal o-ring and piston boot. It's also recommended you replace your guide pin bushings (and pins if you want) with new OEM parts at the same time. All told, you can do this on all four calipers for probably around $100-125 in parts (plus you'll need some new brake fluid). If you end up needing to replace any pistons, they aren't too expensive either.

If for some reason you need to replace unsalvageable OEM calipers, get either ATE or BMW calipers. You can buy rebuilt ones online for fairly reasonable prices.

[pbonsalb]

You can also send yours out to be rebuilt or buy already rebuilt ones.

[JitteryJoe]

Bimmerworld sells nice stainless steel caliper pistons for rebuilds. http://www.bimmerworld.com/Brakes/Caliper-Parts/
Stock steel ones tend to get pretty pitted.
Rebuilding yourself is a PITA if you have not done before. I'd get someone else to do it or buy rebuilt ones.

[Moron95M3]

I went with Nugeon rebuilds (from Pelican parts)...and they're fine. For $50 I wasn't up for the hassle of rebuilding mine, potentially finding more issues or causing more issues. (I had one sticking).
Mine did come with the ///M in the casting, so oem castings.

**Note, you do send your cores back, so these are essentially having yours rebuilt for $50**

I also figured if Pelican is selling, with really good service/history, then they can't be that bad. Worst case, they'll work with you. I didn't have to bother...have 50k+ on mine now since

[earthwormjim]

Bimmerworld sells nice stainless steel caliper pistons for rebuilds. http://www.bimmerworld.com/Brakes/Caliper-Parts/
Stock steel ones tend to get pretty pitted.
Rebuilding yourself is a PITA if you have not done before. I'd get someone else to do it or buy rebuilt ones.

Rebuild process was not that bad in my view. There are far more difficult and annoying jobs people regularly do on these cars in comparison.

Just buy an extra kit or two, in case you tear the boots, and use a lubricant. Brake fluid is OK if you don't have any paint on your calipers.

I went with Nugeon rebuilds (from Pelican parts)...and they're fine. For $50 I wasn't up for the hassle of rebuilding mine, potentially finding more issues or causing more issues. (I had one sticking).
Mine did come with the ///M in the casting, so oem castings.

**Note, you do send your cores back, so these are essentially having yours rebuilt for $50**

I also figured if Pelican is selling, with really good service/history, then they can't be that bad. Worst case, they'll work with you. I didn't have to bother...have 50k+ on mine now since

Hmm I didn't see your post. $50 is completely worth it in my view, and I take back what I said above. I assume the calipers are cleaned too?

[Moron95M3]

Hmm I didn't see your post. $50 is completely worth it in my view, and I take back what I said above. I assume the calipers are cleaned too?

Mine looked just like in the pelican ad:
https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...SVSI=.htm#tab1

PS no idea why one side is $58 and the other is $46 lol.
34112227515-M234.jpg

[jprottas]

What material is best for brake pads? I want decent braking with minimal dust - especially on the front brakes where I'm going with pagid rotors.

What are the differences between semi- metallic and ceramic and others?

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[jprottas]

And does one have to replace all brake sensors (4) at the same time? I have a convertible - are the rear sensors a special length/item as suggested by one of the options on rockauto website?

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[earthwormjim]

And does one have to replace all brake sensors (4) at the same time? I have a convertible - are the rear sensors a special length/item as suggested by one of the options on rockauto website?

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I thought there were only two sensors total, front and back?

Check realoem.com to see if there's a difference between front and rear sensors.

By the way, I personally don't suggest changing all 4 brake pads at the same time. Do one axle at a time, since braking for the first 10-20 miles on street pads is pretty terrible. It's pretty unusual to need to change the fronts at exactly the same time as the rears too.

[TostitoBandito]

There are only two brake wear sensors, I think front left and right rear. No need to replace them unless they break. Mine are pretty beat but they still work fine, or at least don't throw any codes. I personally don't care whether or not they actually work since I check my brakes pretty regularly.

[jprottas]

I thought there were only two sensors total, front and back?

Check realoem.com to see if there's a difference between front and rear sensors.

By the way, I personally don't suggest changing all 4 brake pads at the same time. Do one axle at a time, since braking for the first 10-20 miles on street pads is pretty terrible. It's pretty unusual to need to change the fronts at exactly the same time as the rears too.

Is it ok to use two different branded pads ie akebono on the front, and something like the bosch on the rear?

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[earthwormjim]

Is it ok to use two different branded pads ie akebono on the front, and something like the bosch on the rear?

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It's probably OK for street pads, they're not that vastly different when it comes to initial bite.

Why do you want to do that though? I know both companies offer pads for both axles.

[jprottas]

It's probably OK for street pads, they're not that vastly different when it comes to initial bite.

Why do you want to do that though? I know both companies offer pads for both axles.

Willing to step up on the front where I get tons of dust...otherwise just trying to save $60. Of the oem pads does any brand have less dust?

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[pbonsalb]

A non OEM ceramic pad is likely to have the least dust.

[RRSperry]

Probably the last place to save $60 is on the brakes... Just saying.

Anyway. I'd avoid the Hawk HPS pads, I didn't like them at all, They felt very wooden, with very little initial bite.

But pads have probably changed since I've had stock brakes.. (12 years with Wilwood superlites...)

[BMWManiac]

Mine looked just like in the pelican ad:
https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...SVSI=.htm#tab1

PS no idea why one side is $58 and the other is $46 lol.
34112227515-M234.jpg

Wow, those are damn good deal for completely rebuilt with new pistons/seals, and a clean/fresh caliper....I was in the process of rebuilding mine, but may just buy those

[TostitoBandito]

FYI, if you do buy rebuilt calipers online they'll likely be missing the ///M stamp on them, if you care about such things. One reason why I suggest just rebuilding your calipers unless they are so rusted out as to be unsalvagable.

[BMWManiac]

FYI, if you do buy rebuilt calipers online they'll likely be missing the ///M stamp on them, if you care about such things. One reason why I suggest just rebuilding your calipers unless they are so rusted out as to be unsalvagable.

Not true....even the ones from Autozone have the ///M in them

[TostitoBandito]

Not true....even the ones from Autozone have the ///M in them

Really? I've heard lots of people say the remanu ATE units you get online at ECS or bimmerworld or wherever while being functionally identical OEM parts, usually don't have the M stamp.

[NoLastName]

I bought a set of Nugeon remanufactured fronts several years ago. They had the M logo. I'd say the rebuild job was questionable. One caliper had obviously been dropped - the eyelet where the slider pin goes through was deformed and dented in. This worked ok for stock rubber slider boots but didn't work when I changed to brass bushings. I had to grind a flat on one of the bushings to get it to fit through the caliper. Also, the bleeder threads were super loose and sloppy. This made bleeding a pain in the @ss. In short, the quality of reman caliper you receive depends in large part on the quality of core unit they start with. It can be a crapshoot. I've experienced this with reman alternators too. Knowing what I know now I always buy new stuff.