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View Full Version : Upgraded the brakes from a e32 750il


BigKriss
01-31-2007, 11:49 PM
Using e32 750i 4 piston fixed calipers at the front and e34 540 single piston floating callipers at the rear purchased off ebay.de

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=GC81&mospid=47354&btnr=34_0363&hg=34&fg=05

The front received new rebuild kits for the calipers, one piston had to be re-sleaved as it had pitmarks on it. This was sent to a shop in Lismore. New clips to hold the pads also. These brakes fit under 15” wheels as the e32 750i in Germany came with 15” wheels as stock with an offset of 20 (thanks for the information Shogun). Yes the callipers actually just fit under 15” wheels. There about 3-4mm of space between the calliper and wheel.

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1091/dsc00298bh9.jpg

The rotors are Brembo at 324x30 (from a e31 840) and the pads are Lucas/TRW part number GDB-1161

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7830/dsc00281ng6.jpg

The rear received new rebuild kits, new bleed valves and new machined brass bushings, some members don’t think they are a good idea though http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showpost.php?p=182899&postcount=4

More was talked about them a while ago. http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=21953&highlight=brass+bushing

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/457/dsc00279gw3.jpg

Brembo rear rotors at 300x20 and Bendix Ultimate pads part number DB-1132. http://www.bendix.com.au/index.php?module=Website&action=Text&content=1117003515031-3804&parentContent=1132281613041-6043

I had some new rubber brake lines to install but instead I bought some ADR approved Stainless steel brakelines from a shop in Wollongong (I had to provide the rubber brake lines), 1 for each calliper and two lines near the rear subframe. The brake fluid I used was Lucas Racing fluid 600. http://www.dairally.net/shop/pics/BrakeFluidpfb601.jpg

I’ve only driven it gently and about 10kms so far. The pedal feels more spongy than before. From talking to other members on here I can’t upgrade the car’s master cylinder to the larger e32 750i type :(

Here was the approximate pricing;

Front rebuild kit usd$200
Front pins – usd$60
Rear rebuild kit – usd$40
Rear machined brass bushes – usd$52
Approximately Aud $470

Front and rear callipers aud$550 delivered
Front rotors $360
Rear rotors $200
Front pads $95
Rear pads $120
Resleaved piston $90
Brake fluid $45 1L - http://www.dairally.net/shop/pics/BrakeFluidpfb601.jpg - The car took just under 1L.
ADR approved Stainless steel brake lines $510 - 6 lines
Labour $500 – Disassemble and rebuild callipers, install brakes lines rotors and pads.
Tiger
02-01-2007, 12:18 AM
4 pot piston?! Factory? Wow! As for the spongy brake... did you pressure bleed it? ABS system really needs pressure bleeding for best result.
BillionPa
02-01-2007, 12:18 AM
time to break in those pads!

i posted in some other thread the specifics, but it will feel significantly different after thats done.

also the spongyness doesnt mean you arent able to activate ABS when you put your foot down!
Martin in Bellevue
02-01-2007, 12:27 AM
Kris, those calipers look good. How much do the front calipers weigh? Are they aluminum?
I had the aluminum e28 m5 4 pot calipers on the e34 for a little while. They also seemed to have a sponginess that got scary pedal travel on the track. I used the e32 750 (300mm?) front rotors with them, as an upgrade to the e28 m5 rotors.
mattyb
02-01-2007, 05:53 AM
good work matey
kev535i
02-01-2007, 06:05 AM
well done mate
DanDombrowski
02-01-2007, 11:11 AM
I'm not sure if you've listed things twice or not, but you spent AU$2832 on this whole setup? Seems like an awful lot. I know that car stuff usually costs double down there in austrailia, but it still seems like an extrordinary amount.

Good job on getting it all together though, seems like quite a task.

As for your spongy pedal, I've often had to bleed a system twice or even 3 times after replacing lines or calipers - somtimes bubbles can stick on the rough surface of the inside and won't come out with the bleeding.
BigKriss
02-01-2007, 11:13 AM
The brakes were bled by pumping the brake pedal and the calipers are cast iron. They weigh roughly 5.5kg each. I really do have to bed in the pads, it will take time. I thought the stainless steal brakes lines would sharpen up the brake pedal.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8137/dsc00295xx7.jpg

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4418/dsc00272wu7.jpg


The guys said to use wheel bearing grease on the brass bushes for the rear brakes, is that okay?
rob101
02-01-2007, 06:44 PM
I'm not sure if you've listed things twice or not, but you spent AU$2832 on this whole setup? Seems like an awful lot. I know that car stuff usually costs double down there in austrailia, but it still seems like an extrordinary amount.

more like 4 times as much!
Alexlind123
02-01-2007, 08:42 PM
Stainless steel brake lines will decrease sponginess. My brother has the ones from bavarian autosport on his 535i, and they hardened the pedal.
BigKriss
02-05-2007, 08:55 AM
I didn't list anything twice. That was about the price of the brake upgrade. Show me a equilivant brake system for cheaper.

There seems to be about 1-1.5 inches of travel before the brakes kick in and then after another inch they are biting in hard. I pumped each bleed valve around 1 dozen times. They seem okay to me.


I'm not sure if you've listed things twice or not, but you spent AU$2832 on this whole setup? Seems like an awful lot. I know that car stuff usually costs double down there in austrailia, but it still seems like an extrordinary amount.

Good job on getting it all together though, seems like quite a task.

As for your spongy pedal, I've often had to bleed a system twice or even 3 times after replacing lines or calipers - somtimes bubbles can stick on the rough surface of the inside and won't come out with the bleeding.
Booster
02-05-2007, 11:07 AM
Agreed...with ANY full brake swap....you'll definatly want to bleed the system a few solid times. The greatest tool is the Mighty Vac. About 30 bux US.
It draws the fluid throught the system into a resivour where you can SEE the progress and fluid color and condition.
Your pedal pressure should feel rock solid when right, particularly witht the SS lines.
That is.....unless the booster volumn can't compete with the larger volumn of the calipers ??
Lets hope not.......Vinny
BigKriss
03-15-2007, 06:24 AM
having driving around on them for a while and now they are bedded in correctly, the braking power seems awesome. maybe they are roughly 30% better than the old stock setup. The best way I can describe it is to pick you usuall braking point, half it and then time to mash the pedal. only problem now is that the abs kicks in a lot more, my front tires are too poor. at speed i've only tried braking from max 110kms and in terms of fade I haven't flogged the car yet with them installed to see how they hold up.
Ross
03-15-2007, 08:37 AM
Yow! Did I figure correctly? ~2500 USD for this project.
Oh boy it's expensive to keep a car there. Worth it perhaps to keep from splattering a roo on one's hood.
How is the weather supposed to be for F!?
genphreak
03-15-2007, 09:06 AM
Yow! Did I figure correctly? ~2500 USD for this project.
Oh boy it's expensive to keep a car there. Worth it perhaps to keep from splattering a roo on one's hood. How is the weather supposed to be for F!?heheh, yea they need to be avoided at all costs. One Roo=$2500 or a chance at a roll in the ditch. What size are the rotors btw, Kriss?
grave77
05-27-2007, 07:08 AM
actually that's one of the things associated with this upgrade, sorry to tell you dude that it has nothing to do with the wheels, the front braking is way stronger than the rear. I thought I had a problem in my car too when I did the upgrade, I guess I need to fit in the benz rear system on the bimmer, as it has 2 pistons on the rear to have all the wheels stop at the same pedal step. any wheel faster than the other will cause the ABS to kick in and loose the grip.
shogun
05-27-2007, 07:37 AM
Mity Vac gets some negative comments here, they prefer the speed bleeder
http://www.concours.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=26971&
BigKriss
05-27-2007, 07:46 AM
What benz upgrade will work on the e34 though. Do you have a link mate?


actually that's one of the things associated with this upgrade, sorry to tell you dude that it has nothing to do with the wheels, the front braking is way stronger than the rear. I thought I had a problem in my car too when I did the upgrade, I guess I need to fit in the benz rear system on the bimmer, as it has 2 pistons on the rear to have all the wheels stop at the same pedal step. any wheel faster than the other will cause the ABS to kick in and loose the grip.
grave77
05-27-2007, 01:39 PM
well ... I'm not sure ... maybe it needs a bracket or so, but I'm sure that most E class Benz has 2 piston caliper on the rear rotors, so it would really balance the braking torque and stop the ABS silly trigger.
Vanguard
05-27-2007, 05:03 PM
I've used a Mity vac before and it was a big waste of money. Useless for bleeding brakes.
grave77
05-28-2007, 02:30 AM
I guess pressure bleed is the best until now since bubbles doesn't get to the top of the piston without being under pressure. I don't think that the system sucks that much air from the bleeder, as the fluid is already under high pressure even when u release the brakes. also it wastes the fluid since it has a free exit.