325i cab improved braking?

Post Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:07 pm

Hey folks,
What mods can I do to my '87 325i cab?

Compared to my e46 the braking is slower, I know e46 is much more modern car but on the cab sometimes I really have to bury the pedal to get it to stop quick. The braking system is working as it should I just wish it was a bit easier to brake quickly.

Any ideas?

Post Tue May 01, 2012 10:46 am

I'm running Corrado G60 Discs, and Mazda RX7 4 Pot calipers on my Cabby and the brakes are very good indeed. You need 1mm machined out of the centre bore of the corrado Disc and an adaptor to fit the calipers to the mounts and a brake hose adaptor. Someone on here does them - not sure who though but I'll bet another Zoner can help. Only drawback is you need more caliper clearance so although std cross spokes will fit ( in the "drum" of the wheel they will need big ( 20mm i think ) spacers to fit std wheels. I'm running 17in Alpina Reps with a 10mm hubcentric spacer. Beware some people grind the nub on the RX7 caliper to gain clearance and ofter grind through thus needing new caliper.

Post Tue May 01, 2012 11:32 am

Seems like a lot of modding to me.! I'd rather keep it as original as I can.

What about disc and pad options? Would good pads and drilled and grooved discs help at all?

Post Tue May 01, 2012 12:47 pm

Knock yourself out

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... e_Upgrades

Post Tue May 01, 2012 1:27 pm

Would a master cylinder from a E32 750i create much more braking pressure?

Post Tue May 01, 2012 2:16 pm

There's nothing whatsoever wrong with the standard brakes on an E30 cab, as long as they are IN FULL WORKING ORDER and as they were when they left the factory, although they do require more pedal pressure than those on a more modern car. This in itself is not a deficiency, but a reflection of the fact that the E30 was designed for 'men'. The designers could have specified any pedal pressure they desired (along with any steering rack ratio), but this was what market research dictated at the time.
Just get everything working as it should, with decent flexible lines, discs, pads and master cylinder, all adjusted correctly, with the calliper pins properly lubricated. Nothing fancy is required - just good quality standard parts.

Post Tue May 01, 2012 2:38 pm

Yeah you're right Brian, I just worry sometimes that on the odd occasion when my missus drives the e30 she might not brake in time in the event where sudden braking maybe required.!

All the brake lines were done 2 years ago and the discs appear to be in good nick. Perhaps the pads on it are just a bit crap.

I can actually hear the rear pads rubbing as I pick up speed.! They still have a good bit of meat, what you think is up with them?

Post Tue May 01, 2012 7:59 pm

mcbonio wrote:Yeah you're right Brian, I just worry sometimes that on the odd occasion when my missus drives the e30 she might not brake in time in the event where sudden braking maybe required.!

All the brake lines were done 2 years ago and the discs appear to be in good nick. Perhaps the pads on it are just a bit crap.

I can actually hear the rear pads rubbing as I pick up speed.! They still have a good bit of meat, what you think is up with them?

"Yeah you're right Brian, I just worry sometimes that on the odd occasion when my missus drives the e30 she might not brake in time in the event where sudden braking maybe required.! "

dont let her drive it

putting the rear calipers off a tourer helps (more travel i think ) sorry to those who know the correct terminology just remember reading a thread at 1 or 2 in the morning about it corrct me if im wrong

Post Tue May 01, 2012 8:50 pm

guiver wrote: corrct me if im wrong

It's called a TourING

Post Tue May 01, 2012 9:10 pm

Grrrmachine wrote:
guiver wrote: corrct me if im wrong
It's called a TourING

Where's the link Grrrmachine..

Post Tue May 01, 2012 9:22 pm

Putting the rear callipers from a touring on another E30 will make it marginally more likely to swap ends under heavy braking! It won't noticeably improve the overall braking.
What's the problem with the brakes? If it's just that they need more pedal pressure than a modern car, then that's by design, not a fault, as I've already said further up the thread. Back in the '80s women still just about 'knew their place' and weren't really considered as potential purchasers by car designers, other than they might express an opinion about the range of available colours and interior trim.
Personally, I find the amount of servo assistance provided on most new cars to be ridiculous and seriously affects a driver's ability to modulate the brakes properly, which probably doesn't matter too much anyway, with DSC, ASC, ABS brake assist, etc., etc., which allows the brakes to be used as a switch anyway.

Post Thu May 03, 2012 6:10 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:Putting the rear callipers from a touring on another E30 will make it marginally more likely to swap ends under heavy braking! It won't noticeably improve the overall braking.

This is exactly right.

What are you trying to acheive mcbonio (assuming the OEM stuff is all working ok)?

- Easier pedal?
- More resistance to abuse / heat / fade etc? I suspect not!

To be honest a larger servo might be what you're looking for and I'm not sure one exists even if you like your brakes to feel like that. Uprated pads are not normally great from stone cold - even "fast road". Drilled / grooved / funny coloured discs won't make the slightest bit of difference.

If "bite from cold" is the #1 aim, maybe try all new discs (cheap is fine), and dare I say it maybe pads from BMW themselves?

Post Thu May 03, 2012 9:43 pm

Hey keri
Yeah I've just this second finished changing the brakes and pads to some Pagid ones from ECP. The ones on the car looked to be a bit cheap looking at the levels of rust they had.

I know Pagid arn't the best but I don't think I need high performance discs and brakes for pottering around.!

I'll take it around the block now and let you know how it goes.

Cheers guys.!

Post Thu May 03, 2012 10:23 pm

Have you fitted new discs to go with the pads? Pagid (road range) should be better than average.

Post Thu May 03, 2012 10:57 pm

Genuine BMW pads are usually Pagid.

Post Thu May 03, 2012 10:58 pm

Yeah I've fitted both Pagid discs and pads tonight.

I've just taken it out for a spin and although the discs and pads haven't properly created their new surface on the disc, braking already seems much much better.!

The old discs and pads still had plenty of meat on them, they didn't have any logo or name so I'm guessing they were cheap crap.

Cheers guys, always a good help.!