135i brakes on 128i; softer pedal feel issue?

[juld0zer]

17" OEM wheels are fine

[M-A]

Originally Posted by gjm120

Did you upsize the master cylinder or did it work fine with the 128i master?

plug & play on mine. I doubled check on realoems.com for parts to change with the performance brake kit and its the same master cylinder.
Also, no caliper carriers needed; they come with the calipers.
Ill code them in a few weeks to see change in performance.

[M-A]

Originally Posted by juld0zer

17" OEM wheels are fine

I run 17" BBS in the winter and they fit fine. I saw a few guys with pretty common wheels from the e82 line-up in 17's and it all fitted properly.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by M-A

I run 17" BBS in the winter and they fit fine. I saw a few guys with pretty common wheels from the e82 line-up in 17's and it all fitted properly.

Great. Thanks.
Are most people who upgrade to the 135i fronts buying new? They are pretty pricey.

[M-A]

Originally Posted by gjm120

Great. Thanks.
Are most people who upgrade to the 135i fronts buying new? They are pretty pricey.

I found them freshly rebuilt for a very good good price (under 400$ for the pair of calipers with core charges). New is just rediculously priced but hey, we drive premium cars so...

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by M-A

I found them freshly rebuilt for a very good good price (under 400$ for the pair of calipers with core charges). New is just rediculously priced but hey, we drive premium cars so...

That is really good. I guess I just need to look around and be patient.

[M-A]

Originally Posted by gjm120

That is really good. I guess I just need to look around and be patient.

yep. Automotive rebuilders should be easy to find anywhere in north america.

[gixracer]

Originally Posted by juld0zer

Master cylinder is same across all non-M E8x models. Yes, for all models except 135i you will need to code the car for Sport Brake. I actually find stock 125i/128i brakes to be far sharper than stock 135i brakes.

First i've heard of a vacuum accumulator for F15 models, not even the M models have one. The software changes are mainly to adjust the DSC threshoulds to update the vehicle order.

FWIW i have coded my 135i to have sport brakes even though they come with them from the factory. There was a slight change in pedal feel but you quickly get used to it and forget it has evem changed. You cannot reverse this once it has been done unless you alter it using software other than ISTA/P. Maybe BMW technical might be able to reverse it on request also. Even coding a new DSC control unit did not delete the sport brake

Interesting because the 128i and the 135i have different part numbers and are different diameters which you can visually see. Also per real oem the 128i master is NOT used in the 135i. i have visual seen this because i have done the swap front brakes and master cylinder.

to the OP the master is different, yes you need to code them also a smaller diameter master will give a softer pedal feel, a larger will firm it up. smaller = spongier, firm = wooden. If you don't mind the softer pedal than your good.


135i master
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...664&series=E82

128i master
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...662&series=E82

[juld0zer]

Apologies for the misinformation, I hope i haven't misled or upset anyone here!

After cross examining the 1er and 3er catalogs constantly to see what parts are shared/what cars i might find in wrecker shops with lower mileage to harvest parts off, I must've gotten my mind messed up.

Most of the E9x non M cars share boosters and masters with the 6 cylinder 1er models.
I dont know why BMW would bother with so many different masters and boosters for the 1er..

[gixracer]

I'm not upset😉
The pedal feel is very subject to personal scrutiny. There are options to make it feel what you desire. Regardless I swapped the master because it would benefit heel toe operations at the track. It's nice to have the spare parts from my donor car to put into the 128i for some factory upgrades. Next is going to be the piston kit upgrade to make them bomb proof.

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by M-A

yep. Automotive rebuilders should be easy to find anywhere in north america.

I've read that some people tracking their 128i install 330i calipers and rotors. Is this an upgrade for street only use? Also, will it work with stock 17" wheels?

Bump for my question. All the 135i calipers I've found are very expensive or not so good condition or both.

I have found 335i calipers priced more reasonably. Questions are:

Is this much of an upgrade for street use?
Is front alone worth it?
Will they fit under stock OE 17" wheels?
Assuming will need a caliper carriers. Correct?

Thanks for any input.

[gjm120]

Bump for my questions just above.
I thought an edit created a bump - oops!

[M-A]

Originally Posted by gjm120

I've read that some people tracking their 128i install 330i calipers and rotors. Is this an upgrade for street only use? Also, will it work with stock 17" wheels?

Bump for my question. All the 135i calipers I've found are very expensive or not so good condition or both.

I have found 335i calipers priced more reasonably. Questions are:

Is this much of an upgrade for street use?
Is front alone worth it?
Will they fit under stock OE 17" wheels?
Assuming will need a caliper carriers. Correct?

Thanks for any input.

i did read that as well.

my full setup is:
135 calipers, aftermarket discs & pads. front.
328/330 calipers aftermarket discs & pads. rear.
Calm street driver . Spirited highway entry driving . Few time-attack track events per summer. No drag : .

the rear is just a few milimeters upgrade from stock bud with BWM Performance Brakes code-in (you read that correctly) and part matches i find the kit superb for the price. (Mind you, did get everything very cheap)

On FB, 128i group, one of our fellow enthusiast did exactly what you've mentioned. Or 335i maybe... not sure. join the group and search for "brake". We had pretty detailed conversations. you'll also find a Z4 setup which i considered honestly.

If id track the car more often than the 3-4 times a year, had not found such good prices for my upgrades, leveling-in the reliability issues of the 135i calipers without proper fluids, discs & pads... I would have chosen the 330 or 335i bullet-proof setup with SS lines as described on the 128i FB group.

again, like you'll read around, stoptech internal for the 135i brembos seem to have solved the issues of the phenolic? OEM pistons. But again; $.

Hope this helps!
**Im no guru and many guys on this forum have significant more knowledge than i on heat dispersion and braking coefficient... Use the destop site for easier search of their brilliant conclusion. I did and in the end i bought the nicest gear i could find for my budget.**

[gjm120]

Originally Posted by M-A

i did read that as well.

my full setup is:
135 calipers, aftermarket discs & pads. front.
328/330 calipers aftermarket discs & pads. rear.
Calm street driver . Spirited highway entry driving . Few time-attack track events per summer. No drag : .

the rear is just a few milimeters upgrade from stock bud with BWM Performance Brakes code-in (you read that correctly) and part matches i find the kit superb for the price. (Mind you, did get everything very cheap)

On FB, 128i group, one of our fellow enthusiast did exactly what you've mentioned. Or 335i maybe... not sure. join the group and search for "brake". We had pretty detailed conversations. you'll also find a Z4 setup which i considered honestly.

If id track the car more often than the 3-4 times a year, had not found such good prices for my upgrades, leveling-in the reliability issues of the 135i calipers without proper fluids, discs & pads... I would have chosen the 330 or 335i bullet-proof setup with SS lines as described on the 128i FB group.

again, like you'll read around, stoptech internal for the 135i brembos seem to have solved the issues of the phenolic? OEM pistons. But again; $.

Hope this helps!
**Im no guru and many guys on this forum have significant more knowledge than i on heat dispersion and braking coefficient... Use the destop site for easier search of their brilliant conclusion. I did and in the end i bought the nicest gear i could find for my budget.**

Thanks for the feedback.
I need to find out if the 335i calipers only work with the 335i or similarly sized rotors. The 335i rotors are 48mm greater diameter than the 128i rotors. So my guess is they are needed and likely not to fit with 17" OE wheels.

The 335i calipers are certainly easier to find and cheaper than the 135i ones. Don't look as nice though.

[asbrr]

Originally Posted by gjm120

Thanks for the feedback.
I need to find out if the 335i calipers only work with the 335i or similarly sized rotors. The 335i rotors are 48mm greater diameter than the 128i rotors. So my guess is they are needed and likely not to fit with 17" OE wheels.

The 335i calipers are certainly easier to find and cheaper than the 135i ones. Don't look as nice though.

You are correct, you will have fitment issues with 17" wheels. Search this forum for a thread by Suprgnat he did a LOT of work and test fitment around this. He went from 335i calipers to Z4 to 330i fronts because he couldn't get them to fit on the stock 17" m sport wheels.

This is one of the advantages of the 135i calipers and rotors, they will fit with the stock wheels. Or you can search the transplant kit for an m235i brake kit, there are a couple of people that did that also here on a 128i that should fit on 17" wheels.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by M-A

hey guys,

i just installed bmw performance brakes on my 128i (135i brake setup). the pedal feels slightly softer... its bleed properly with no air in bud the pedal feels somewhat a little softer... mind you, bedding isn't finished; freshly installed.

anyone felt the same feeling?

When you install 135i brakes or Performance "yellow" brake kit on a 128i... you MUST code the braking system for the larger brakes. A dealer can do this for you or the aftermarket car coders.

You also need to use the ISTA tool to bleed the brakes properly on a 135i. There is a menu where you can pulse the ABS block and each brake caliper to get all of the air out of the braking system.

go to 18:29...

Some useful threads for you...


DIY 128i BMW Performance Brake Kit W/ Steel Hoses
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=556807

BWM Performance Brake Kit 128i
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=886475

Coding performance brakes
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...1317220&page=2

[M-A]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

When you install 135i brakes or Performance "yellow" brake kit on a 128i... you MUST code the braking system for the larger brakes. A dealer can do this for you or the aftermarket car coders.

You also need to use the ISTA tool to bleed the brakes properly on a 135i. There is a menu where you can pulse the ABS block and each brake caliper to get all of the air out of the braking system.

go to 18:29...

Some useful threads for you...


DIY 128i BMW Performance Brake Kit W/ Steel Hoses
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=556807

BWM Performance Brake Kit 128i
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=886475

Coding performance brakes
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...220&page=2

awsome input bud!