Front brakes upgrade suggestions!

[thequietracer]

Hi,

I would like to upgrade my 74 front brakes to a larger rotors and calipers and was told that I will need a 1977 320i hubs, hub rings, calipers and of course rotors. So questions are:

Has anyone done this conversion?

Is this the best conversion?

Anyone has hubs and calipers for sale?

tks.

[Mike87]

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/content/category/3/22/32/

[thequietracer]

Great help Mike, thanks.

Now I have to find those parts.

[Schweineback]

www.ebay.com

[Luckyz02]

Go with Big Brake upgrade from Ireland Engineering I talk to Jeff Ireland all the time...

[BLUNT]

im not sure id do the volvo upgrade again. i have it on my 69 and it works well but so do properly set up stock brakes. i guess if youre doing DE's or really hammering the car the vented part is nice but im not sure its worth the time and money on a plain street car driver.

[doug73cs]

Blunt - what brand of pads do you use front and rear for street use?

[BLUNT]

Blunt - what brand of pads do you use front and rear for street use?

man i honestly dont recall. i have too many cars and i need to write stuff down. dont get me wrong, i wasnt saying the volvo kit doesnt work well. it does. im just not sure its needed on a daily. the stock brakes are pretty awesome if set up correctly and adjusted

[Kidasters]

Doug,

I just rebuilt my stock fronts (with help from Blunt - thanks Blunt)...

I used the stock calipers with TRW pads. They seem to be holding up fine.

Ken

[thequietracer]

Thank you. I think I'll go with Ireland Engineering as you had suggested. Spoke to Jeremy who seemed very knowledgeable and said IE remannufacture Volvo calipers...the whole set up (front only) is $525.

I'll make decision by this weekend.

Noticed you had upgraded the radiator to 320i, was it worth it? My car runs cool just right below mid point.

Tks.

[Todd21]

Heres an option for Wilwood if you want to get crazy...

http://estore.websitepros.com/1397118/Categories.bok?category=Brakes

These guys have fronts and rear disc options.

[thequietracer]

This may be overkill.

I think I'll stick with IE. big brake kit.

thank you anyway.

[schliske]

I did the volvo caliper, 320 hub, 320 vented rotor and it was one of the best

improvements over stock so far. I live in Steamboat Spgs CO and there are mountain passes every where you go. The stock brakes are okay around town and on the flats but you get on hills and you feel like you are in a different car. (yes, I had my brakes up to new before I made the switch).

Junk yard hubs, calipers; caliper rebuild kits, new bearings, 77 vented rotors & pads I think I spent less than $400. Some work but I notice it every time I step on the brakes. Michael

[thequietracer]

Thank you Michael.

I think I will go with IE, complete kit cost $525.

Did you install it yourself? Was it difficult? I am not to mechanically incline so i may have my local BMW shop do it.

[schliske]

I'm a good junior assistant mechanic wannabe and it was scary but went well. The one thing that I had to figure out on my own was the washers that spaces the caliper in or out (I can't remember which) to get the disc centered.The FAQ leaves that out I think. Power bleeder is way cool. Michael