Brake caliper refurbishment

[oguz327]

Has anyone refurbished there brake calipers? new seals and all the gubbins on the 325 or 320?

Thinking of doing this and just wondering if it is a novice job, how long it takes or if you are better off just buying new calipers.

Any input would be appreciated.


Apologies if this in the wrong section.

Oz

[oguz327]

Oh this is for the fronts by the way!

[dazleeds]

im no expert but been told its not too hard to do with some
basic knowledge

biggest warning is mind your fingers when you pop the pistons out from the calipers ouchhhhhh

[old_skool]

Oz, it's easy. I've done loads of E30 & E36 calipers. Take a look at my restoration thread in the engine swaps/ FI section. New seal kits are available at reasonable cost from BMW and to be honest out of all the E30 calipers I have stripped, the pistons have been fine. I just clean them up with scotchbrite or a light scourer and fit new seals.

Make sure you clean the calipers internally with meths or brake fluid and reassemble in a clean environment, preferably using brake fluid to lubricate the seals when you refit the seals. If you want to really splash out then fit new bleed nipples too. (I would recommend that).

Nothing more to it other than cleaning and painting.

Hope that helps.

[old_skool]

Forgot to add - If you can't get the pistons out then use an airline blower on the hose connection and blow the piston out. Make sure you stuff a rag in between the piston and the caliper body otherwise it will shoot out and crack your fingers. It will really go bang so try and get someone to stand behind you to stick their fingers in your ears too

[Simon]

Definitely worth doing, buy some 'new' ones from GSF or ECP, and it's pretty much what they do anyway!

[fuzzy]

i bought some fronts from ECP ,reburbished with new seals and nice and shiny. only cost about £50 a side iirc. the caliper refurb kit from bmw cost around £35 and that did both the fronts.its easy enough to do with basic knowledge and you should manage both fronts in a couple of hours.or longer if you plan to paint them with caliper paint at the same time.easiest way to get the piston out is to remove the pads from caliper then pump the brake pedal until the piston pops out.

[beem]

http://www.biggred.co.uk/ Ive had brakes from rally car totally refurbed by this crowd and was very impressed also had them electroplated.Good turn around time too.

[oguz327]

Thanks for the help guys.
I may go for recon calipers if the difference in cost is as little as that!

[fuzzy]

Thanks for the help guys.
I may go for recon calipers if the difference in cost is as little as that!

recon obviously means you have to give them your old ones,i think i had to pay a £25 surcharge that was refunded when i handed in the old ones

[Demlotcrew]

Fuzzy im getting the repair kit in at £8 per caliper from BMW.

Did yours have the piston included in the kit?

Andrew

[old_skool]

Did yours have the piston included in the kit?

I don't think the piston is available any more, if ever. Demlot, £8 sounds right for a seal kit. With luck, a piston shouldn't be required though.