Upgraded calipers for stock disc?

[Gruelius]

Hi all

What brake calipers can work with the stock discs? thinking 2 pot floating or 4 pot (or even better functioning single pot).

I saw volvo 240's have 4 pots that seem to be close. Id be happy to make an adapter plate, would prefer if its backyardable (no stepping of surfaces e.t.c.).

i would do the corrado setup (ive got behind disc spacers and line adapters as well as calipers) but the rotors arent sold here and cheap wheels arent around either.

Thanks

[jlevie]

What would you expect to gain from different calipers? The stock calipers are more than sufficient unless the car has a lot more power than the stock configuration. And in that case you need larger rotors and more capable calipers.

[lolcantturn]

Spec E30 guys run stock calipers and it works just fine for them.

[Teaguer]

Two words. Bugg brakes.

[Gruelius]

Spec E30 guys run stock calipers and it works just fine for them.

I hope to gain a solid pedal. perhaps slightly better braking force.

spec e30 guys run stock brakes because they HAVE to. they do work fine with racing pads + fluid but a fixed caliper would be much more optimal imo. If spec30 racers were allowed to run bbk kits they would.

and i do not know what bugg brakes are.

again before you guys make fun of me for keeping the stock disc size, corrado rotors arent available here as there were never any corrados sold in australia so i am looking at $150 usd just to cover shipping of the rotors. then i have to get spacers and there are hardly any correct offset wheels, the well priced us manufactuered/resold wheels arent available here either.

but yeah. the way i see it is ill be down the cost of a junkyard set of calipers, a bit of metal for the adapting plate, few hours of my time, maybe a fitting or two and ill have much better brakes.

[Hey_You]

Not sure what 325i front calipers look like, or relation to size (I have a 318i) but look into the truck market as well. I have a 240z and a common Big Brake upgrade for those is to swap over the 4pot caliper from the Early 90's Toyota Pickup 4x4.

[Gruelius]

Also ive got

Stock MC (old)
Braided lines all round
Ate calipers front + rear
New guides
Hawk HP + pads
Good fluid (but not ATE blue just cheaper stuff ive had reccomended by people)

[2002maniac]

How about lotus Elise brembo calipers?

[Gruelius]

sounds expensive, looking for a junkyard solution lol.

The volvo 240's are used by e21 owners so i might have a look at those, theres a yard about a hour away with those and a e30.

[jlevie]

Being a Spec E30 guy I can say that even if we were allowed to change calipers and rotors there'd be few, if any, that would bother to do so. I'd change the master cylinder for a slightly bigger one if the rules allowed, but i see no reason to change calipers or rotors. What came on the car is more than good enough.

[Gruelius]

guess the people i talk to winge a bit more, just sick of a mushy pedal till the pads are fully on the surface and working.

[Teaguer]

I hope to gain a solid pedal. perhaps slightly better braking force.

If thats what you are after then try a 25mm master cylinder from an E32.
I've run them in several car that i daily and auto-x.

and i do not know what bugg brakes are.

You have lots to lean young Bruce. :p

[Gruelius]

yeah i havent driven one with the 7 series mc but i hear it makes the pedal quite an effort, would prefer to nip the problem at the source.

[2002maniac]

sounds expensive, looking for a junkyard solution lol.

The volvo 240's are used by e21 owners so i might have a look at those, theres a yard about a hour away with those and a e30.

those calipers cast iron and really heavy. I had a set on a 2002 back in the day. I'd really try to get an alloy caliper.

[Adrian_Visser]

yeah i havent driven one with the 7 series mc but i hear it makes the pedal quite an effort, would prefer to nip the problem at the source.

How do you figure that it would make the pedal effort higher?

It doesn't. I have a 25mm master cylinder in my car and it definitely makes for a firmer pedal. I find it also makes the brakes touchier and probably a bit harder to modulate, the difference in pedal travel between no brake application and full stopping force with the ABS intervening is definitely smaller than with the stock MC.