Redoing Brakes: What Else Should I do?

[Tim Flat4]

I recently picked up a US-Spec '89 325i that I plan on turning in to my street legal auto-x/track car. It needs quite a bit of work but the big problem area right now are the brakes because it basically doesn't have any. Next week I'm going to order new stock rotors, Hawk HPS pads (for street duty), SS braided lines, wear sensors, caliper rebuild kits, and upgraded guide pins w/machined bushing.

What I'd like to know is if I'm missing anything aside from a master cylinder and/or if you guys would recommend taking care of some other parts while I have everything apart. I'm new to BMWs so bare with me. please. I appreciate any and all input.

[Sean]

get ATE type 200 or super blue fluid, since you didn't mention any fluid. Maybe get a pressure bleeder if you don't already have one. Other than that, lots of brakecleen, and lots of patience. Rebuilding the calipers is not hard, just a tad time-consuming! :)

If your master cylinder isn't leaking, it's probably good - so don't worry about it.

One thing I'd do though is remove the brake reservoir, and clean it out very thoroughly. DONT USE WATER. Unless you want to let it dry out for a couple days, do not use water to clean it out. Just saturate the thing in brakeclean and cheap clean brakefluid - it should get all the crap out of there. Helps a lot. I mean, it seems a big counter-productive to do all that work - when there's still crud in the brake reservoir, doesn't it? ;)

[Tim Flat4]

Yeah, I didn't mention fluid because it's a given as well as a bleeder system.

[Sean]

Yeah, I didn't mention fluid because it's a given as well as a bleeder system.

OK, right on. Wasn't sure.

I made an edit too, so check that out.

[Tim Flat4]

Thanks Sean, I'll be sure to clean the brake reservoir.

Is there really nothing else I should consider replacing while I have everything torn apart? Wheel bearings, bushings, anything?

[PiercedE30]

Might want to consider the e-brake system as well since you will have everything apart.

[Sean]

Everything else is kind of a seperate project. Changing the bushings and bearing later will not be affected at all.

However, if you were doing rear subframe bushings, SS brakelines would be a loooot easier to install in the rear...

[jlevie]

I think brass guide bushings are okay on a track only car, but are questionable on a street/track car. They will bind if dirt gets in them and frequent cleanings are needed. New OE rubber bushings are good enough for track duty and more suitable for the street.

Personally, I'd just short out the pad wear sensor wires on a car that will see track duty. That makes it a lot easier to switch pads at track and you don't have to worry about damaging a sensor each time you swap pads.

I don't care for ATE Super Racing Blue as it will stain the reservoir and make level checks more difficult. ATE Type 200 is the same fluid, sans dye. But Valvoline SynPower is a good bit cheaper, readily available, and has a dry boiling point close that of ATE. I use it in my Spec E30 (as do a number of others) and have never had a problem.

Unless you know that it has recently been replaced, I'd replace the master cylinder on a car of this age before I took it to the track.

[Tim Flat4]

Jlevie,

By "short out the pad wear sensor wires" do you mean just remove the sensor and deal with a warning light? A little more explanation would be greatly appreciated. Mind you, I'm very new to these cars and I've yet to tear in to mine.

Also, thanks for the recommendation against the brass guide bushings. This car isn't my daily driver but I will be driving it to events, so it will rack up some miles.

As far as fluid goes, I'll be using Motul for the time being. It's extremely easy to get over here.

[JGood]

The sensor is a closed loop that wears through when the pad wears down. So chop the wires on your sensor, and splice them (solder, butt-connector, whatever). Do it on the sensor side of the connector, that way you can just disconnect it and reconnect a new sensor down the road if you want to.

[makaio]

If you're like me and don't have a good parts house near by, get new bleeder screws and caps as well. The old ones may have crud or rust on/in them as well.

If your not on a real tight budget I would put a wheel stud kit in at this time as well. Vorshlag (sp) has a nice kit for about $50 and it makes swapping wheels much nicer. Not madatory, just a nice to have thing.

[houstonh]

I second the ebrakes... problem is you wont know if you need them until you pull the rear rotors (unless your ebrake is obviously out of whack). When I got my rear rotors off chunks of the ebrake pads fell off.