brakes Front Calipers Siezed. Rebuild or Replace?

[SeanH]

Front calipers have completely siezed.

I'm not really surprised as they sat for years with no fluid in the lines. So I got fluid back in and air out of the lines two weeks ago. Sealed it all back up and pressed the brake pedal and bam, sealed tighter than an Amish electronics store.

Since they haven't loosed up on their own since then, I assume its rebuild or replace time.

Is this a good time to get some 320i breaks? Or have I missed something obvious?

Thanks!

Sean

[RoccoGilroy]

I rebuilt mine. Its a piece of cake... I wasnt to conserned with making things pretty. I just took the caliper pistons out put new seals in and cleaned things up a bit. 1-2 hour job start to finish and 1-2 cans of break cleaner. Seal kits are cheap too. I think like $10-15. Breaks are tight as a drum now. I did have to buy a new break master cylender though. Hopefully yours is still ok. The break set up on 02's is under rated. Unless you got a screamin motor I would rebuid em. Good luck which ever direction you go.

Rocco

[SeanH]

Good advice. I've always been super happy with the stock brakes, but I've never taken them on the track and this car will spend lots of time there.

I'm worried about brake fade in the stock setup. Any experience there?

The motor is a solid stage II: 292 Schrick, 9.5 pistons, Stahle, lightened flywheel, upgraded clutch, weber45 DCOEs, petronix, LSD, 320i radiator.

So it's pretty quick, but the driver is a wimp :-)

[RoccoGilroy]

Now were in a fight! lol How has that rocket been sitting around for a few years? I dont run my car on the track at all so sorry I have no clue about break fade issues. Maybe you can have your roders drilled? No experience there either. I just redid my entire suspension with urethane everywhere, new billy sports, st sway's, strut mounts and I grabbed an LSD for cheap a week ago. Its almost done but now im afraid my puiny little rebuild 1.6L 1600 motor will leave me wanting. Good luck with the breaks. Im over my head on this one. lol

[SeanH]

Yeah, suspension work is fun. Nice and straight forward - take apart, clean, install.

I did the bushings on mine too and installed some sport bilsteins and race H&Rs.

It's sat for so long because money and time never come together. But it will be roadworthy soon! It just turned over for the first time the other day!

Cheers!

Sean

[RoccoGilroy]

Yeah, suspension work is fun. Nice and straight forward - take apart, clean, install.

I did the bushings on mine too and installed some sport bilsteins and race H&Rs.

It's sat for so long because money and time never come together. But it will be roadworthy soon! It just turned over for the first time the other day!

Cheers!

Sean

Money and time never come together!!! I got my whole damn car on a credit card. Paying it off as I go. Well kinda. If I keep thinking of fun stuff to do to it ill never get caught up. But thats the nature of the beast we all love so much. My girlfriend needs a Ring but my car needs a 5 speed!!! lol

[FB73tii]

The first steps to avoiding brake fade include using track pads, high boiling temp brake fluid and brake ducting to get air to the brakes.

If your stock calipers are that seized up there is probably some piston pitting and best just to buy rebuilt stock calipers, or move to a big brake setup. How much brake you need depends on what level of track work you expect to do and how deep your wallet is. I prefer to use tii front struts for track because they have a larger spindle and bearing diameter.

If you go with tii struts then the standard big brake upgrade in front works fine (528 caliper, E21 vented rotors, early 320i hubs--see brake FAQ). You can do the 320i rear drum conversion as well, but I was fine on the track for years with stock tii rear brakes.

Vented Brakes Upgrade

Written by Rob Shisler

Saturday, 01 October 2005

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/content/view/44/32/

If you are building a race car and rules allow then just go straight to Wilwood. But then there are other things to think about, like rim size, suspension setup, etc. Also, Wilwood race calipers do not have dust boots on the pistons, so need to be serviced often to keep them in good shape. Not appropriate for a street car.

HTH, Fred

'74tii track, Massive brakes, super blue, full cage, etc.

[SeanH]

Great. Thanks much. This car is a non-tii, but I'd like to avoid replacing the strut if I can.

I'd like to avoid the Wilwood kit for the very reason you mention. Do you have any experience with the Ireland Engineering kit? Seems like it might be a nice intermediary.

I'm also not so good at the junk-yard parts searching. I reckon that doing the upgrade on my own and following that FAQ would probably still cost me about $500 if I used mainly new or retail parts - not far off from Ireland. Any thoughts?

[Kidasters]

Re-man calipers run about 140 per. I think people have said you can get them from Autohaus AZ for cheaper. Maybe 80 per? Try Blunt as well.

Remember - if your rotors are old, you might as well replace them too. But - if you are going to do that, it means you have to pull the hubs. If you pull the hubs, you might as well do the bearings too.

So -

Re-man calipers - 140 (per side)

Rotor - about 30 (per side)

Pads - 80

Spring clip and pins (if not with calipers) - 20 (per side)

bearings - $6 (per side)

Stainless steel flex lines - 125 (entire car kit)

Grease -10 per tube

So - 276/side x 2 = $552 +10 (grease) + 125 (brake lines)= $677 to do the entire front brakes.

The only re-build kit I found was at bavarian autosport and it was around $55 bucks, and only o-rings and dust covers (woo). And only for 1 caliper.

So - about $110 for both.

When I had your problem (a year ago) when I had to beat the caliper off of the rotor, the above is what i did.

Good Luck.

Ken

[Bill_Riblett]

Is this a good time to get some 320i breaks? Or have I missed something obvious?

Thanks!

Sean

Replace the rubber brake hoses, regardless of what else you do. They disintegrate on the inside over time and can act as one-way valves to lock up the caliper.

[SeanH]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

I actually already have some stainless steel hoses, so at least that's one thing done.

Kinda seems like the Ireland set is the way to go, simply because it's so much easier to get the parts for and basically the same price.

I'll contact Blunt though. Maybe he's got things put together too.

Thanks again!

[BLUNT]

Ive got Non Tii rebuilt calipers for 54.50 or i can do the volvo big brakes cheaper than anyone also. email me

[Kidasters]

Are you sure Steve? You told me once that you didn't remember what stock brakes looked like.

Hah!

You are the man with the $54 price. Cheaper to replace than BavAuto's kit!

Ken

[BLUNT]

Are you sure Steve? You told me once that you didn't remember what stock brakes looked like.

Hah!

You are the man with the $54 price. Cheaper to replace than BavAuto's kit!

Ken

'you may be partially right on that but I think that stems from the fact i cant leave anything stock and im used to looking at less massive kit or my volvo set up. combine that with my feeble mindset and you are probably right

[c.d.iesel]

stay stock

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