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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

2003 - 2009, roadster, coupe, facelift
Simon Blythe

3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Simon Blythe » Mon Apr 24, 2017 1:56 pm

Need a bit of knowledge from the experts on here please. Essentially will a front brake setup from a 3.0si fit directly onto a preface lift 3.0?

Thanks in advance.

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Roundozo
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Roundozo » Mon Apr 24, 2017 1:59 pm

I think it will if you get the carriers etc. Don't know if you need to modify the dust plate at all though. You then would need to consider the rear for balance purposes.
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Simon Blythe

3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Simon Blythe » Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:20 pm

I'll check on the size of the rears - I'm assuming you cannot adjust the bias?

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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Artful-Bodger » Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:59 pm

The Si brakes are the same as the 330I ones I fitted to my Z4, you need the calliper and carrier but otherwise no other modifications required.

Only problem I had was a long pedal, seeing as the Si uses the same master cylinder it should not have been an issue, I traced it to excessive movement in the calliper, when you released the brakes the rubber bushes (all new and reconditioned) were allowing the calliper to droop, which meant I had to take up that slack before the brakes bit, I rectified the problem by turning up a set of brass bushes the same dimensions as the rubber ones and capped them at the back to prevent dirt ingress, instant solid pedal! :thumbsup:
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Ducklakeview » Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:31 pm

330i or 330d are a straight swap and same brakes add the Si i did mine, massive improvement.

Mike.

Simon Blythe

3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Simon Blythe » Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:19 pm

Did you have the long pedal problem too Mike?

Artful could you make up another set for a cost?

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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Artful-Bodger » Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:52 pm

Simon Blythe wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:19 pm Did you have the long pedal problem too Mike?

Artful could you make up another set for a cost?
Hi Simon, I can make up a set but the apertures for the bushes are all slightly different sizes, I make them up as a snug fit so they are a good press fit when assembled so I have to skim some to fit the caliper so You may have to have them fettled to fit your casting, there's no guarantee you will need them anyway it seems to affect some callipers but not all, so if you do have a problem PM me and I will help you out.

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I saw some online but they were a poor design which gave little support to the pin, so I designed my own with dust caps, dirt trap at the front and full support of the pin over its entire length.
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Scooba_Steve » Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:58 pm

You could well be onto a winner with these, but aren't you in the US? I too got some brass ones without caps and couldn't really stop them from binding despite regular clean and grease. Most also seem stuck in the calipers despite copious grease on install.
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Simon Blythe » Mon Apr 24, 2017 6:14 pm

How much are they mate?

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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by cj10jeeper » Mon Apr 24, 2017 6:21 pm

Just to clarify the is a really common conversion that's been a 'standard' upgrade for years. I ran it for most of my 10 years of ownership with no issues.
The long pedal is a very rare issue, so would not worry about it as a reason to not convert, but deal with it if you're unlucky

The carriers are the challenge as so many do it inc. of course 3 series owners that they are chased down at breakers. Calipers as so cheap part ex that you can just buy scrap or leaky old ones and part ex for rebuilt, rather than risk crudy old ones on new disks and pads. Some don't even want the old anymore

Results are as others have said a massive improvement
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Artful-Bodger » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:00 pm

Simon Blythe wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 6:14 pm How much are they mate?
I can do them for a tenner each but as I mentioned above you may well not need them, I believe the issue lay in the slider rubbers and the piston seal, it seemed the new seal was withdrawing the piston further than normal allowing the calliper to droop on the soft aftermarket slider rubbers, hence more pedal required to put it back onto the disc, they may well have firmed up in time as the callipers bedded in but I am extremely fussy about how my car works and the rubber sliders were bothering me anyway :roll:

But this seems a rare occurrence as Jeeper mentions.

As I say if you have the problem let me know and we can sort it out .
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Artful-Bodger » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:04 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:58 pm You could well be onto a winner with these, but aren't you in the US? I too got some brass ones without caps and couldn't really stop them from binding despite regular clean and grease. Most also seem stuck in the calipers despite copious grease on install.
South Wales Steve,

The only problem is the bores in the calliper castings vary in size slightly so they need to be fettled for a perfect fit, what I do is turn the outside diameter up to the clip slot slightly undersize so they slip into the calliper easily then the area between the slot and the retaining flange is sized so you either lightly press them in or tap them in with a rubber mallet for a snug fit.

Next set I make I am considering an O-Ring seal on the brake pad end instead of a dirt trap, the wheel end is closed with a cap so no dirt ingress is possible.
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Scooba_Steve » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:56 pm

May well be taking you up on these as I have a bit of soft pedal with new calipers. I still need to do a full ABS bleed to be double sure but I have gone from brass to rubber so it's worth a try.

Potential to make a lot of cash from these :)
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.

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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by Artful-Bodger » Fri Apr 28, 2017 4:33 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:56 pm May well be taking you up on these as I have a bit of soft pedal with new calipers. I still need to do a full ABS bleed to be double sure but I have gone from brass to rubber so it's worth a try.

Potential to make a lot of cash from these :)
No Worries Steve if you need a set PM me and we will sort it out!

Mike.
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3.0si brakes onto a 3.0

Post by ESP » Mon May 01, 2017 5:53 pm

330 e46 brakes (callipers), bolt straight onto the Z4, allowing 325mm disks
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-330-330D- ... SwEppUQQg7

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ESP wrote: Thu May 23, 2013 10:44 pm This is something thats been nagging me for ages and finally iv got around to it.
The standard 2.0lt Z4 brakes perform well BUT for vanity reasons i wanted to change them, especially since fitting the ZM wheel's last Summer.

Before
Image

I found a guy on ebay selling a pair of BMW 3.0lt front callipers with carriers and snapped them up for £70. He assured me they where ready to bolt on and had only done 40k miles, i already knew id rebuild them, but when they arrived and sound dead spiders and cobwebs in them so i guessed maybe they had only been on a car that had done 40K but they must have been on a shelf for 2 years, lol!

Image
Image

So i too them apart, wire brushed them down all over, removed the piston and the seals, washed them in Washing up liquid, left them to dry and then sprayed them with silver Halfords calliper paint and left them to dry over night.
:thumbsup:
Image

I also found these bad boys on ebay for £100 delivered.

Image
Image

Last night i started removing the drivers side and finished that, and then finished the whole job of this afternoon.

Image
Image
Image

Bosh! Job done, im really chuffed, to me it makes such a big visual difference :)

Image
Excuse the front bumper damage, some C*@t did that in a car park and drove off, thats my next job to sort.
Last edited by ESP on Mon May 01, 2017 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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