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Thread: E32 4-pot fixed calipers with 15" wheels

  1. #1
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    E32 4-pot fixed calipers with 15" wheels

    I wonder if the BMW E32 750i(L) fixed 4-piston calipers fit under any original equipment BMW E32 15" wheels, or not.
    The part numbers of the calipers are 34111159775 (left) and 34111159776 (right). Thanks.
    --
    1994 E32 730i M30 manual
    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
    ex- 1986 E28 535i

  2. #2
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    That was standard for E32 750 National version Germany from 01/1990 and the wheel size did not change , 7JX15 ET:20 from , so I assume it should fit.
    With the 4-piston + bigger front brake rotors also came the new spoiler with cooling ducts for the front brakes.
    My 11/88 750 has only one cooling duct and that is for cooling the alternator

    brake upgrades general info http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Upgrade/Brakes.htm
    Last edited by shogun; 10-09-2018 at 08:39 AM.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  3. #3
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    Here E39 M5 brakes are recommended https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...lipers-on-540i
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  4. #4
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    Thanks.
    Please note that the E39 /E38 brake calipers do not fit on E32 / E34 / E31. The distance between carrier bolts is different - just enough to be impossible to mount them, and also impossible to manufacture a proper adapter bracket.
    --
    1994 E32 730i M30 manual
    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
    ex- 1986 E28 535i

  5. #5
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    Maybe this is a good solution, This setup adapts OEM BMW 340x30mm, but needs min. 17" wheels and not all 17” wheels fit.
    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...et-Kit-is-live
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  6. #6
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    RobertRO: did you meanwhile make a brake upgrade? If so, what did you install and what wheel size is needed then?
    Here is another thread about upgrading: E31 Brakes on E32 fitment with stock wheels? https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...=brake+upgrade
    Last edited by shogun; 02-08-2021 at 09:35 PM.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by shogun View Post
    RobertRO: did you meanwhile make a brake upgrade?
    Yes, I perfromed the brake upgrade.

    For the front axle I used the original BMW E31 Brembo 4-piston calipers, p/n 34111161177 left and 34111161178 right.
    These are fixed calipers that bolt right on the struts, there are no caliper carriers.
    They are made of aluminum, so are very light: 3.3 Kg. Compare to 6.1 Kg, the weight of one E32 ATE 4-piston caliper!

    I purchased the calipers brand new from BMW. Quite expensive.
    For the upgrade, one also needs:
    - 4 bolts caliper to strut, p/n 34111156989 or 34116767217;
    - 1 set of brake pads, p/n 34111163922;
    - 2 sets of mounting parts, p/n 34111164082;
    - 1 pad wear sensor, p/n 34351181823;
    - 2 brake discs, p/n 34116756087.
    Of course, the discs, pads, mounting parts and wear sensor may be sourced from various manufacturers.

    Although the brake disc p/n 34116757747 may also be used, I recommend the 34116756087.
    The former is typically used with the 750i E32 4-piston iron ATE brake calipers.
    The later is slightly lighter (9.74 Kg vs 10.40 Kg) and its friction area is correctly sized for the 4-piston Brembo caliper brake pads. However, it is a bit more expensive.

    With this setup, 15" wheels don't clear the calipers. You need at least 16" wheels - but be warned, not all 16" rims fit.
    I tested the following and I confirm that they fit:
    - BMW E31 styling 9 rims, 7.5"x16"ET15, p/n 36111180197 and 36111180198;
    - BMW E31 styling 8 rims, 7.5"x16"ET15, p/n 36111181919 (newer model, from 11/1992 to 03/1994).

    Note that, a few years ago, I read on a BMW forum that E31 styling 8 rims p/n 36111179922 (older model, up to 11/1992) DO NOT work. Unfortunately, I don't have the link to that forum topic anymore. But pay attention to E31 styling 8 rims, check their p/n.
    --
    1994 E32 730i M30 manual
    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
    ex- 1986 E28 535i

  8. #8
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    ^ Excellent intel! Thank you for sharing.

  9. #9
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    I would also like to point out that, if you upgrade the front brakes only, you will increase the front brake bias, leading to a some brake unbalance front vs. rear. As a result, it would be best to also upgrade the rear brakes.

    Unfortunately, unlike E34 5 series, for the E32 7 series there are fewer rear brake upgrades available, using stock blot-on BMW parts.

    The best E32 rear brakes are 40mm single piston floating calipers with 300mm x 20mm vented discs.
    That's caliper p/n 34211160399 (left) and 34211160400 (right), with disc p/n 34211162967.
    Of course, the calipers also need carriers, p/n 34211160384.
    They were stock on 750i and 740i, so if your car already has them, then there's no upgrade path (except for some aftermaket solutions - if they exist).

    However, if you have a stock 735i or 730i, then your rear calipers are 38mm single piston.
    Note that:
    - rear brake discs and calipers are different between 730i and 735i. Although the discs are both solid and have the same 300mm diameter, the 735i disc is 12mm thick, while the 730i one is 10mm. The caliper piston diameter is 38mm - thus the braking power is the same. It's only that the 735i discs can take more heat, being thicker;
    - the 300mm x 12mm brake discs were also used on very early E32 730i - up to 11/1987. So if you have one of those early 730i, their rear brakes are identical to E32 735i.

    It's obvious that the best bolt-on rear brake upgrade with stock BMW parts is to install the calipers and discs that were stock on E32 740i or 750i.
    However, on some markets, these are hard to get, or are too expensive.

    An interesting alternative is to use the rear brake calipers that were stock on 5 series E34 Touring. They are single piston floating calipers, but the piston diameter is 40mm - just like the 740i and 750i calipers. The main difference is that the E34 Touring rear calipers go with 300mmx 10mm solid discs, while 740i/750i calipers need 300mm x 20mm vented discs. Same braking power, less fading endurance. But we don't track our E32s, do we?

    The E34 Touring rear calipers p/n are 34211160927 (left) and 34211160928 (right).
    They perfectly go with stock E32 730i caliper carriers p/n 34211160383 and 300mm x 10mm solid dics p/n 34211165259.
    These calipers do not work with E32 carriers and rotors specific to all E32 735i, and E32 730i up to 11/1987.
    Last edited by RobertRO; 02-10-2021 at 02:41 AM.
    --
    1994 E32 730i M30 manual
    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
    ex- 1986 E28 535i

  10. #10
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    The information contained in your posts is very good, that must have taken a lot of research. If you and Moroza combined your powers I'm sure you could decipher all the possible part combinations on our cars.

    Do you know if the 735iL uses a different braking set up compared to the 735i because of the extra length?

    90,700 miles 1992 BMW 735iL Azure Blue Metallic with Silver Grey leather interior ‣My car ‣My YouTube channel

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cactuar View Post
    [...] Do you know if the 735iL uses a different braking set up compared to the 735i because of the extra length?
    Thank you.

    As far as I know, the E32 735i and 735iL have identical brake systems.
    --
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  12. #12
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    Thanks for your report RobertRO. Seems like a double bummer for me -- I am a 750 owner, and I want to keep 15" wheels. Not only can I not upgrade my front brakes and keep my dear pizza dish wheels, I also have no options for rear brake upgrades.

    Probably not necessary anyway. While I haven't ever tracked an E32 (yet! -- definitely want to), I've never experienced brake fade before on an E32. My old E32 was a 6 speed 740, and even after 60+ minutes driving flat out on backroads, I was never able to get brake fade. And I understand the rotors are even larger on 750, I think..

    1989 BMW 750iL (prod 08/88) (vin: 2768675)
    Gone but not forgotten: 1994 BMW 740iL (prod 10/11/1993) (vin: *DE89667) 6spd swap, 2001 BMW 740i Sport

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by paulmer View Post
    My old E32 was a 6 speed 740 [...] And I understand the rotors are even larger on 750, I think..
    Paulmer, based on the VIN in your signature, your 750i has floating calipers with 302x28 rotors on the front axle, and 300x20 vented rotors on the rear axle.
    However, I was surprised to discover something that I didn't know and didn't expect: there are two different sets of E32 rear calipers for vented rotors (300x20).

    The old set (p/n 34211160385 / 34211160386) was fitted on 750i and 750iL models up to Jan. 1990, and the newer set (p/n 34211160399 and 34211160400) was fitted on E32 750i(L), 740i(L), as well as some E34 models from Jan. 1990 onward.
    The difference: piston diameter. The old set comes with 38mm piston, while the new set comes with 40mm piston.
    They use the same carrier and rotors, so they are interchangable.
    Until now, I was only aware of the newer set. There's always something new to learn.

    Conclusions, assuming that the brakes of your car are still stock:
    - you have the same front brakes as the E32 735i(L) or E32 740i(L);
    - you may upgrade the rear brakes (while still using 15" wheels) by swapping to the newer 750i/740i rear calipers (40mm piston);
    - you may upgrade the front brakes to E32 750i(L) fixed 4-piston ATE calipers (p/n 34111159775 and 34111159776) - with related rotors and pads, but only afer you double check that they fit 15" wheels. See my very first post on this topic. Note that these calipers are very rare, very expensive, and very heavy. Even if they fit, I strongly doubt it's worth the effort and expense.
    --
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    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
    ex- 1986 E28 535i

  14. #14
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    http://82.78.8.129/mye28/pics/e32/IMAG4822.jpg

    Here's a picture of a BMW E31 Brembo 4-piston caliper (left side, p/n 34111161177) with 30mm x 324mm brake rotor p/n 34116756087, installed on my E32.
    Note the specific friction area of the rotor. It is limited to the exact size of the brake pads and doesn't go down to the "hat" of the rotor. Most likely, this is the reason why the 34116756087 rotor is slighly lighter than the 34116757747 one, although they both have the same size (30 x 324 mm).
    Last edited by RobertRO; 03-10-2021 at 03:06 AM.
    --
    1994 E32 730i M30 manual
    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
    ex- 1986 E28 535i

  15. #15
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    @RobertRO, would you know the stock brake bias of the 750i (ATE 4-piston version)?

    Also, what's the brake bias of your current setup?

  16. #16
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    Please excuse my late reply.
    My current setup is E31 4-piston Brembo front calipers with 324x30mm rotors, and E34 touring 40mm piston rear calipers with 300x10mm solid rotors. To improve the front/rear bias, I use stock pads in the front, and Ferodo DS2500 brake pads in the rear. The solid rotor keeps rear brakes warmer than a vented rotor, and that makes the DS2500 pads more efficient.
    With this setup, the car brakes are excellent. Unfortunately, I do not have a numeric value of the brake bias.
    --
    1994 E32 730i M30 manual
    ex- 2006 E86 Z4M Coupe
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