DIY - 135i Front Caliper Rebuild

[joeo]

Using the turner motorsports kit, this is how I go about rebuilding the front calipers (ie replacing the seals and dust boots):

The INPA brake bleeding method is really excellent. Just go into INPA, select chassis, and it gives options to bleed each corner. Get a hose and container and follow the on-screen directions to a nice firm pedal.

Hope you find it useful!

-Joe

[Katkarot]

Great helpful video Joe!!

Thanks

[houtan]

thanks for making and posting this video. Very helpful.

I have some questions I was hoping you could answer:

1. I thought when you remove the calipers to change pads, the hex bolts on the caliper bracket are supposed to be used, not the allen bolts. Did you use the allen bolts so you don't have to deal with the bracket being mounted to the caliper and have more room to work when you replace the pistons?

2. Why are you calipers gold? from heat?!

3. Have you used the turner rebuild kit before? If so, how do they hold up?

4. How often are you tracking your car and also needing to rebuild your calipers?

5. What pistons are you using?

Thanks again.

[joeo]

Glad you liked it!

1. Yes, you're going to need to remove the caliper from the car. The only way to do that is to remove the large allen (10mm) bolts. Not sure what you mean by "bracket being mounted to the caliper" - what bracket are you referring to?

2. Yes, the calipers turn a gold color when they get hot.

3. Yes, this is the second time I've rebuilt the calipers using their kit. The first time I ordered the kit with pistons (more $), the second time I just ordered new seals. The seals were OK, but they had left deposits on the pistons which took a while to clean off.

4. Depends - maybe ~10 events, but I think it would be best to rebuild once a year. Don't want to wait until they leak.

5. I'm using the pistons from the turner kit.
https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...rade-e82-135i/
Then I use their stop-tech seals to rebuild - using the same pistons.

[houtan]

Originally Posted by joeo

Glad you liked it!

1. Yes, you're going to need to remove the caliper from the car. The only way to do that is to remove the large allen (10mm) bolts. Not sure what you mean by "bracket being mounted to the caliper" - what bracket are you referring to?

2. Yes, the calipers turn a gold color when they get hot.

3. Yes, this is the second time I've rebuilt the calipers using their kit. The first time I ordered the kit with pistons (more $), the second time I just ordered new seals. The seals were OK, but they had left deposits on the pistons which took a while to clean off.

4. Depends - maybe ~10 events, but I think it would be best to rebuild once a year. Don't want to wait until they leak.

5. I'm using the pistons from the turner kit.
https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-3...rade-e82-135i/
Then I use their stop-tech seals to rebuild - using the same pistons.

Thanks Joeo.

For number one, I was referring to hex bolt labeled number two in the picture below. I believe there is an adapter/bracket that mates the caliper to the hub. The allen screws you removed attach the caliper to the bracket. The hex bolts in the picture below mount the bracket to the hub. I thought I read in Rheingold or my Bentley manual that when doing pads, you remove the hex bolts, not the allen bolts.

I am thinking to do the seals, you would still have to remove the allen bolts though to give you more room to work.

Here is a link to an aftermarket bracket that kind of shows how the caliper is attached to the bracket which is attached to the hub. http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=639905

That's crazy and awesome at the same time that they have turned gold from the abuse! haha. Have the stock brakes been an issue on track with fading? Are you running brake ducts to help cool them?

[joeo]

In order to remove the caliper, you need to remove those two 10mm allen bolts. Honestly, I'm not sure what that hex bolt is!

The calipers are not gold from abuse, they are gold because that's the color they turn when they get really happy! In my opinion the stock brakes are very good. Of course the ceramic caps on the stock pistons crumble away, and the dust boots will never last. I figure it's just a maintenance item. With the right pads, and fluid, they work very well.
I've been using PFC08 pads, but recently tried Raybestos/Performance Friction ST43s. So far they bite harder than the PFC80s, and (amazingly) seem to last longer. They are a little tough to modulate, but I think I'm getting used to them.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by joeo

...

The INPA brake bleeding method is really excellent. Just go into INPA, select chassis, and it gives options to bleed each corner. Get a hose and container and follow the on-screen directions to a nice firm pedal.

Hope you find it useful!

-Joe

You really should make a video on how to use INPA and brake bleeding. I don't believe anyone has posted something like that. Using INPA is the only real way to get back a firm brake pedal when servicing the braking system. Make a video and I will "sticky" it!

Dackel

[houtan]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

You really should make a video on how to use INPA and brake bleeding. I don't believe anyone has posted something like that. Using INPA is the only real way to get back a firm brake pedal when servicing the braking system. Make a video and I will "sticky" it!

Dackel

There's a video on YouTube of someone doing it to their e90.

[houtan]

Originally Posted by joeo

In order to remove the caliper, you need to remove those two 10mm allen bolts. Honestly, I'm not sure what that hex bolt is!

The calipers are not gold from abuse, they are gold because that's the color they turn when they get really happy! In my opinion the stock brakes are very good. Of course the ceramic caps on the stock pistons crumble away, and the dust boots will never last. I figure it's just a maintenance item. With the right pads, and fluid, they work very well.
I've been using PFC08 pads, but recently tried Raybestos/Performance Friction ST43s. So far they bite harder than the PFC80s, and (amazingly) seem to last longer. They are a little tough to modulate, but I think I'm getting used to them.

Thanks for all the info brother. Hopefully I can share a little mor love with my calipers so they turn gold as well.