335i Fronta brakes on E87 130i

[maupineda]

Hi there I am opening this thread to share with you guys my last modification. It all started when I realized my car would need new rotors, pads and sensor at the front so I started to look for options and to my surprise someone local was selling the front brakes from his 335i as he had put BMW Performance brakes (yes de 135i's but in yellow). The good thing is that he had recently changed brakes in his car so everything had just a couple of months worth of use, so I bit the bullet and bought the set off him.

I will post some pictures of the process and how the car looked before and how it looks now. I won't be able to tell how the brakes feel as I was on my own and I wasn't able to properly bleed the system and the pedal feel isn't quite as it used to, I hope it is just the bleeding LOL

So, lets start by comparing the calipers and the discs, the 130i comes with what I thought were big brakes (by big I mean the size, not the fancy kits out there ) but after putting them next to the 335i set OMG, they are rather tiny







Also the 335i calipers are lighter as they are aluminum and the 130i seems to be iron casts as they were at least the same weight but I am pretty sure they are heavier.

Now lets check the discs, my original ones are 330mm DIA and 26mm thick and the 335i are 348mm and 30mm thick and side by side you can see the difference



The rusted one is 335i's

see how thicker the 335i's are, although my discs were kind of worn



The next picture is how the assembly looks back on the car, all bolts right on and without hassle (although everything is very heavy to be handling with one hand and putting a bolt on with the other)



Here is how the car looked before



Next how it looks with the bigger brakes



Once I sort out the bleeding along with a fluid change will report back as right now she doesn't feel top notch. I also will code the car once my cable arrives as having "Performance Brakes", that should balance things out from a calibration stand point.

Regards!

[631twentyeighteye]

Does this mean 335i/135i brakes fit a 128i?

[maupineda]

Originally Posted by 631twentyeighteye

Does this mean 335i/135i brakes fit a 128i?

Yes they do, actually they fit even lesser models not available in the US like 116, 120, 320, 323, 325, etc.

[631twentyeighteye]

Front and Rear? looks like i know what i'm getting when i need brakes!

[maupineda]

Originally Posted by 631twentyeighteye

Front and Rear? looks like i know what i'm getting when i need brakes!

Just fronts, rears won't fit my car

[631twentyeighteye]

ah. may have to just bite the bullet and go for the OEM performance option then. don't want to mess up the brake bias.

[kennman]

hello, an interesting find you got there. One thing bothers me though... the caliper carrier in your 130i is meant to hold the caliper at the distance where only 330mm disc would fit. the part number is 34*11*6*769*097. As for the 335d caliper carrier, the part number is 34*11*6*773*203, a completely different piece.
did you swap the discs, calipers AND BRAKE CALIPER CARRIERS? Please if you can clear this up for me...thanks!
best regards
Igor

[maupineda]

I changed the complete calipers (w/carriers) and discs as well...

[skyscraper_g80]

Does this mean that a front AP Racing kit designed for a 335i (http://www.apracing.com/ProductDetai...ProductID=2727), which has a 356x32mm rotor would fit a 130i running on 208Ms without any modifications?

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by evolution42

Does this mean that a front AP Racing kit designed for a 335i (http://www.apracing.com/ProductDetai...ProductID=2727" rel="ugc" target="_blank">http://<a href="http://www.apracing....uctID=2727</a>), which has a 356x32mm rotor would fit a 130i running on 208Ms without any modifications?

Hm. Never thought of that. I just picked up a really inexpensive set of 335i brakes for my 128i. Haven't come yet, but I think since the 335 front bolts up, the bbks for 335 should also. The only issue is that each BBK is specifically made for the car that they're going on. Internals may be different along with piston surface area and all that fun stuff.

Some people say that the master cylinder must be swapped for a brake system with higher piston surface area, but I'm unsure on this fact.

I will give the fronts a shot and see what happens with the rears. The bias shouldn't be affected that much if you were to do fronts only since the BMW performance brakes for the 128i are just fronts and an "updated" rear stock caliper.

Anyway, maupineda, have you noticed any improvement after bleeding?

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

since the BMW performance brakes for the 128i are just fronts and an "updated" rear stock caliper.

Stock 128 rears are 40mm pistons, performance brake rears are 42mm pistons.

[andrey_gta]

Originally Posted by Suprgnat

Stock 128 rears are 40mm pistons, performance brake rears are 42mm pistons.

Are you sure, i though it was just silver painted OEM 128i calipers...

So if you are saying is true That sounds like 123d rear calipers most likely
or maybe even 130i...

[chris82]

I'm sorry, but what is the issue with the bias? How will it affect it?

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by andrey_gta

Are you sure, i though it was just silver painted OEM 128i calipers...

So if you are saying is true That sounds like 123d rear calipers most likely
or maybe even 130i...

I'm basing this on numbers provided by rebuilders, e.g. Centric (StopTech), Cardone, et al. Incidentally, one can pick up the larger 68697/98 rear calipers from ECS for ~$20:00 each (...I did. Genuine ATE/BMW. They also have the carriers for $4.95 each)

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by Chrisar82

I'm sorry, but what is the issue with the bias? How will it affect it?

Straight up force vs. area. A 42mm piston has 110% of the area of a 40mm piston, and therefore 10% more "clamping" force shifting bias towards the rear. Throw on great big front calipers without changing the rears and the formula is reversed and bias shifts towards the front.

[pj.rodriguez]

It is the bias that I'm worried about. Someone also said something about bigger pistons and the fact that the master cylinder sometimes cannot handle it or something. Although, doing some research, I'm led to believe that the 128 master cylinder is not much different from the 335 master cylinder.

[maupineda]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

Hm. Never thought of that. I just picked up a really inexpensive set of 335i brakes for my 128i. Haven't come yet, but I think since the 335 front bolts up, the bbks for 335 should also. The only issue is that each BBK is specifically made for the car that they're going on. Internals may be different along with piston surface area and all that fun stuff.

Some people say that the master cylinder must be swapped for a brake system with higher piston surface area, but I'm unsure on this fact.

I will give the fronts a shot and see what happens with the rears. The bias shouldn't be affected that much if you were to do fronts only since the BMW performance brakes for the 128i are just fronts and an "updated" rear stock caliper.

Anyway, maupineda, have you noticed any improvement after bleeding?

The pedal feel was actually a little better with the stock brakes, but then I was using god knows what pads (I used the pads that came with the calipers) and my car had originally OE pads (Euro spec) and those tend to have very good initial bite. however the stopping power was a little better with the 335i brakes and I simply was unable to fade them, but I never tracked it. however the original set did show fade once.

So it is an upgrade, and I am sure that using the right pads would match the initial feel the OE pads of my original set had.

[maupineda]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

It is the bias that I'm worried about. Someone also said something about bigger pistons and the fact that the master cylinder sometimes cannot handle it or something. Although, doing some research, I'm led to believe that the 128 master cylinder is not much different from the 335 master cylinder.

it is same across the board (1 and 3 series), except the M's. at least my car had the same master cylinder part number as a 335i

I just coded it as sport brakes and never noticed anything odd, the car would stop straight even when letting the wheel go. I tested this to make sure all was in check and I was not having an odd braking car.

[chris82]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

It is the bias that I'm worried about. Someone also said something about bigger pistons and the fact that the master cylinder sometimes cannot handle it or something. Although, doing some research, I'm led to believe that the 128 master cylinder is not much different from the 335 master cylinder.

I believe you're correct. I've also heard the master cylinder is the same as in the 335i

[Fidiman]

I'm interesting in your feelings with this new configuration (e.g. with the stopping distances).

To increase the pedal feeling when hard breaking, did you install some metallic hoses ?

[kobeballer96]

Tires make shorter stopping distances! Sorry just had to chime in because some were talking about distances!

[Fidiman]

Yep, you're right ! It was amazing the difference of brake distance compared to the Hankook Ventus V12 and the Michelin Pilot Super Sport ... Amazing ! And no ABS activation niether !