Brake caliper - recon or new?

[tom325sport]

Anyone got any experience reconditioning the calipers (front and rear)?

If so is it worth doing or just buy new?

[hennabm]

I have had the ones on 323 reconditioned by a compnay called Classic brakes in Cheshire. At around £60 per corner they are cheaper than the OEM BMW ones.
This included new seals, bleed screws and refinish including the caliper carrier.

http://classicbrake.co.uk/

[blazed]

I use Bigg red, they can rebuild for you or just get the kit and do it your self.
http://www.biggred.co.uk/catalogue.php

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/biggredltd_W0Q ... 1&_nkw=bmw

[Jesus325iTouring]

Or you can do what I did, wire brush, emery cloth and wd40, fixed my sticky calipers.

For now.

[ajay]

The E30 M3 minor rust repair thread by x works shows how to do a calliper refurb, iv'e done a few myself with great results, not a big deal really, i don't know what the price difference is though.
Here's a pair of mine i done a while back, blasted bare( not the piston housing) primed painted with new seals etc, still going strong!



GL!

[tom325sport]

Thanks for the pics, they look great! I think I'll recon mine, a job over the winter months I think while the car is laid up.

Do you know ajay what page on that M3 thread? It's huge!

[tom325sport]

Also what's the difference between ATE and GIR brakes? So I know which repair kit to order. Thanks

[ajay]

I forget what page its on, but its there for sure, your callipers should have the manufacturer stamp on them,( might be more visible once cleaned up), you can clearly see the ATE stamp on mine.

[tom325sport]

Ok I'll have look for it later. What paint did you use on your calipers (primer and paint)? Like the colour of them.

[ajay]

Acid etch primer first then and a sliver mix ( tried to match the colour of my front callipers) two pac mixed into a rattle can from a car paint shop, still look good to date!

[DanThe]

I now get brakes zinc plated and paint over the top, great protection against rust, sandblasting will never get rid of all the rust due to the nature of cast iron and if you don't seal the casting it will soon come through again. I had some callipers chemically de-rusted about 4 years ago and they are still sat in the plastic box open to air without a spec of rust showing, they get dipped in oil after the de-rust. The only problem with this is getting them 'dry' enough for plating or painting, this is Dezzy's engine block I had done at the same time, I had to brush thinners over it and blow it off with compressed air before painting and even then there were a few spots where the paint wouldn't take







But yes, well worth refurbing them yourself if you want to, any refurbed callipers you buy are sandblasted and zinc plated, they won't last past one winter before going rusty, especially if you put wheel acid anywhere near them, so if you go this route just paint them before fitting