can i use different brake master cylinders

McAlpinGTR · 06-09-2012, 01:57 PM

Discovered the brake master cylinder is trash last night. I'm going to replace that and the booster but I was wondering if I could use a booster and master cylinder set up from a newer M3 or another model? Has anybody ever done that? What are the difficulties? And are there is any benefit to going with something newer? Or would the brake performance be better improved by a better caliper rotor set up... I just want to avoid doing the same job twice.

jlevie · 06-09-2012, 05:33 PM

You can change the master cylinder to gain a slightly firmer pedal, but better brake performance will come from for aggressive brake pads. A Big Brake Kit can be installed, but the brakes on a E30 are really quite good when you use high performance pads. The stock brakes on a Spec E30 and race pads are more than able to overwhelm the traction that R compound race tires produce. That is way more braking than street tires can handle.

Rothinfeuer · 06-13-2012, 03:01 PM

I went with a e34 double diaphragm booster and e36 m3 25mm master on my 24v car and the brake feel is just about perfect. With that said though i agree a good set of pads makes all the difference in terms of brake performance.

06-09-2012, 01:57 PM	#1
McAlpinGTR Noobie Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Charlotte, North Carolina Posts: 14 Images: 3	can i use different brake master cylinders Discovered the brake master cylinder is trash last night. I'm going to replace that and the booster but I was wondering if I could use a booster and master cylinder set up from a newer M3 or another model? Has anybody ever done that? What are the difficulties? And are there is any benefit to going with something newer? Or would the brake performance be better improved by a better caliper rotor set up... I just want to avoid doing the same job twice. __________________ oh to the guilty pleasures in life.

06-09-2012, 05:33 PM	#2
jlevie R3V OG Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 11,473	You can change the master cylinder to gain a slightly firmer pedal, but better brake performance will come from for aggressive brake pads. A Big Brake Kit can be installed, but the brakes on a E30 are really quite good when you use high performance pads. The stock brakes on a Spec E30 and race pads are more than able to overwhelm the traction that R compound race tires produce. That is way more braking than street tires can handle. __________________ The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen. Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL NASA & BMWCCA Certified Instructor NASA MidSouth Spec E30 Series Director

06-13-2012, 03:01 PM	#3
Rothinfeuer Noobie Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bay Area Posts: 9	I went with a e34 double diaphragm booster and e36 m3 25mm master on my 24v car and the brake feel is just about perfect. With that said though i agree a good set of pads makes all the difference in terms of brake performance.