How-to: Cheap brake upgrade

[Darkangelv2]

I used carriers and calipers from an E46 330d. They went straight on. Coupled with new slotted & dimpled discs and quality pads, they have made a massive improvement in braking. I paid £60 delivered for compete front hubs, but only used the carriers and calipers.

Mike

Thats really good. I've been looking and most places quoting me around £150!! ...the search continues.

Cheapest way I found was searching for '330 breaking' on eBay and then just firing emails to he guys who were breaking them requesting a price.

Think I paid £60 too.

PS. The carriers are actually the same on the 300MM & 325MM calliper setup.

[kis]

Cheapest way I found was searching for '330 breaking' on eBay and then just firing emails to he guys who were breaking them requesting a price.

Think I paid £60 too.

PS. The carriers are actually the same on the 300MM & 325MM calliper setup.

So as I've already got a 3.0 I can use my existing carriers? My fronts are 300mm.

Or are you talking about e46 300mm carriers?

Thanks for the update!

[Darkangelv2]

Cheapest way I found was searching for '330 breaking' on eBay and then just firing emails to he guys who were breaking them requesting a price.

Think I paid £60 too.

PS. The carriers are actually the same on the 300MM & 325MM calliper setup.

So as I've already got a 3.0 I can use my existing carriers? My fronts are 300mm.

Or are you talking about e46 300mm carriers?

Thanks for the update!

You can use your existing carriers with either of the 325mm upgraded callipers.

[kis]

Cheapest way I found was searching for '330 breaking' on eBay and then just firing emails to he guys who were breaking them requesting a price.

Think I paid £60 too.

PS. The carriers are actually the same on the 300MM & 325MM calliper setup.

So as I've already got a 3.0 I can use my existing carriers? My fronts are 300mm.

Or are you talking about e46 300mm carriers?

Thanks for the update!

You can use your existing carriers with either of the 325mm upgraded callipers.

Thanks Darkangelv2. A lot of E36 owners sourcing the E46 330 brakes, common mod for them too. So makes sourcing parts a right pain. So if I can use my existing carriers I'm gonna hit up some X3 breakers! It seems far easier to get your hands on calipers than both calipers and carriers. No idea how that works... Will source parts and report back!

[Darkangelv2]

So as I've already got a 3.0 I can use my existing carriers? My fronts are 300mm.

Or are you talking about e46 300mm carriers?

Thanks for the update!

You can use your existing carriers with either of the 325mm upgraded callipers.

Thanks Darkangelv2. A lot of E36 owners sourcing the E46 330 brakes, common mod for them too. So makes sourcing parts a right pain. So if I can use my existing carriers I'm gonna hit up some X3 breakers! It seems far easier to get your hands on calipers than both calipers and carriers. No idea how that works... Will source parts and report back!

Just a warning reference the X3 calipers (of which I have no experience). The OP made this note in his initial post.

PS3: sourcing the front brakes from an X3

The X3 has the same front calipers as the 330i (325mm vented); however the carrier has a different p/n so it might not be a perfect bolt on.

[kis]

You can use your existing carriers with either of the 325mm upgraded callipers.

Thanks Darkangelv2. A lot of E36 owners sourcing the E46 330 brakes, common mod for them too. So makes sourcing parts a right pain. So if I can use my existing carriers I'm gonna hit up some X3 breakers! It seems far easier to get your hands on calipers than both calipers and carriers. No idea how that works... Will source parts and report back!

Just a warning reference the X3 calipers (of which I have no experience). The OP made this note in his initial post.

PS3: sourcing the front brakes from an X3

The X3 has the same front calipers as the 330i (325mm vented); however the carrier has a different p/n so it might not be a perfect bolt on.

Hi, thanks mate. From my research the calipers are exactly the same, it's just the carriers which are different. So I'll get the calipers and use my existing carriers. That's the plan at least. Should work out if it's as everything we've discussed?

[cj10jeeper]

Not sure if I've missed something here but you cannot use the existing 3.0 carriers for the larger 330 calipers. They won't be big enough.

I did the conversion from my stock 3.0 and need the matching set of carriers and calipers

[Ducklakeview]

Not sure if I've missed something here but you cannot use the existing 3.0 carriers for the larger 330 calipers. They won't be big enough.

I did the conversion from my stock 3.0 and need the matching set of carriers and calipers

+1

My 330d calipers would physically fit onto the 3.0 brackets, but they would not allow the (bigger) disc to fit, as they 330d brackets are (obviously) around 12.5mm or extended from the mounting points compared to the 3.0 ones. They are different part no's on RealOEM, I checked as it was obv easier to find just calipers rather than those with carriers.

Mike

[Ducklakeview]

Hi, thanks mate. From my research the calipers are exactly the same, it's just the carriers which are different. So I'll get the calipers and use my existing carriers. That's the plan at least. Should work out if it's as everything we've discussed?

The calipers are different.

Mike

[Darkangelv2]

Ah, my apologies guys. I thought they were identical when I swapped them over.

[Toe-side]

Use the real oem web site to confirm parts are the same and direct replacement. Different numbers = different parts

Ducklakeview and cj10jeeper are spot on. 325mm Carriers are different to the 300mm's

Another source for the calipers I believe is the old MG ZT's which shared a number of BM parts.
Never purchased any however.

[Toe-side]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZT-190-2-5 ... Swh2xYAgiw

Difficult to say about the carriers being correct but they did run 325mm discs on the bigger output ZT's

[kis]

The calipers are different.

Mike

Thanks Mike & CJ - that messes up my plan!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZT-190-2-5 ... Swh2xYAgiw

Difficult to say about the carriers being correct but they did run 325mm discs on the bigger output ZT's

Just to update everyone, the calipers are okay (as Toe-Side said), however the carriers do not fit.

[cj10jeeper]

Out of curiosity has anyone tried a set of the Rover calipers?

While they are the same casting I'd want to be sure they had the same piston size inside. Could be scary and out of balance if not.

Not a concern for me as I have the 330d fitted

[kis]

Okay so I'm back!

I'm still trying to source these and possibly going down the route of X3 calipers and sourcing carriers separately.

I know you need to check part numbers as mentioned before, only I don't know how? I've looked at RealOEM and I know which part numbers I can use, so that's fine... Only there aren't part numbers stamped/engraved on the actual part are there?

It's fairly easy to see if the calipers are correct, they are normally stamped with 57/25 on the front (if they're not completely rusted!) so along with the description from the seller you know. But the carriers? How do you identify them? They're normally stamped up on the inside. I've seen a few with 443 and 505? Listing here shows an example.

Anyone know which number or numbers to look out for? (I'm thinking possibly different numbers for a 3.0si carrier and a 330 carrier which is why I say numbers).

Cheers guys!