Z3M Coupe Brake Caliper Problem

Z3M Coupe Brake Caliper Problem

Author
Discussion

paulm3

Original Poster:

657 posts

224 months

Tuesday 19th January 2010
quotequote all
Hi, any help would be great..

My Front (Drivers Side) caliper I think is 'sticking'/siezing. It is making contact with the disc and making the steering wheel wobble, getting worse the hotter it gets. and when u leave it in nuetral and roll along the car will come to a stop.

What is the best thing to do.. take it apart and clean the caliper? and what sections/parts do i need to pay more attention to?

Or change it?

Thanks for your help.

CPCauto

9 posts

197 months

Tuesday 19th January 2010
quotequote all
Very common problem , if you are lucky , a £20.00 BMW seal kit and a full cleanup / stripdown of caliper will sort it , otherwise £130.00 for aftermarket recon e.g. lucas / ate, £275.00 odd for BMW recon. Doing lots of these now . HTH

Neil.D

2,878 posts

205 months

Tuesday 19th January 2010
quotequote all
Yup, a common issue. Happens when a bit of clag gets in behind the rubber seal.

Does the wheel get really hot?

Best get it done ASAP to avoid any damage to the caliper bore and/or piston caused by the pesky piece of clag.

paulm3

Original Poster:

657 posts

224 months

Tuesday 19th January 2010
quotequote all
booked it in to get both front calipers refurbed and seal kit changed. and brake fluid changed.

hopefully will sort it, as my £££ saved up i want to get some coilovers.. not go on maintenence frown lol.

rampz

108 posts

190 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
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paulm3, happened to my m3 evo last summer, same steering wobble etc, hot alloys.... unfortuneately for me, i not only needed new calipers, but also new disc and pads. ouch!!!! hopefully yours isnt that bad.

chippy17

3,740 posts

242 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
quotequote all
rampz said:
paulm3, happened to my m3 evo last summer, same steering wobble etc, hot alloys.... unfortuneately for me, i not only needed new calipers, but also new disc and pads. ouch!!!! hopefully yours isnt that bad.
this exact thing has just happened to on one rear caliper on mine, need new discs and pads all round etc

not happy camper!!!!

quick question: I took mine into my mechanics (good guy trust him etc) twice complainng of steering wobble etc he said he could not see anything both times, did long journey over the weekend so the disc got so hot it is ruined and pad gone

do you think this should have been spotted by mechanic before it ruined the disc?

Edited by chippy17 on Wednesday 20th January 13:58

jz325i

269 posts

175 months

Wednesday 20th January 2010
quotequote all
It could have happened due to a bit of internal corrosion getting caught in the seal (from old brake fluid which holds water). Or the dust boot is broken and something went in that way.

How often do you flush the brake fluid?

chippy17

3,740 posts

242 months

Thursday 21st January 2010
quotequote all
jz325i said:
It could have happened due to a bit of internal corrosion getting caught in the seal (from old brake fluid which holds water). Or the dust boot is broken and something went in that way.

How often do you flush the brake fluid?
only had the car since October and it had just been serviced...but yes you are right it was the boot that had split just one of those things, salt, cold, wet etc

a note to the OP get it sorted asap!

Edited by chippy17 on Thursday 21st January 09:17

paulm3

Original Poster:

657 posts

224 months

Thursday 21st January 2010
quotequote all
hopefully caught it quickly, only started happening Tuesday on way home from work, took it to garage weds morningand left it there so only done 6/7 miles slowly, get it back today. So fingers crossed. They are also changing the brake fluid (Castrol Super Response Dot4, my fav fluid and have run it in many cars) which I had only changed last year, and it gets done at the start of every summer ready for track days and ring trips. and then again if i think its begining to go.

If discs do need changing im not to worried , as i think they are near there life anyway. and would prob have to change them by the start of summer anyway.
But i only just put yellow stuff pads on all round less than 3000 miles frown


paulm3

Original Poster:

657 posts

224 months

Thursday 21st January 2010
quotequote all
Picked her up, both front calipers refurbished, bushes changed, all good smile
changed fluids... discs and pads fine. very happy smilesmile

Broccers

3,236 posts

252 months

Thursday 21st January 2010
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paulm3 said:
Picked her up, both front calipers refurbished, bushes changed, all good smile
changed fluids... discs and pads fine. very happy smilesmile
What was the damage £ Paul?

paulm3

Original Poster:

657 posts

224 months

Friday 22nd January 2010
quotequote all
just over £140.. The seal kits are 15£ish + labour. I supplied the brake fluid.


I use my local BMW/AUDI specialist, top notch, serviced my e46 m3, s3 etc for many years, would definately recommend them to anyone near cheltenham/tewkesbury area.

chippy17

3,740 posts

242 months

Friday 22nd January 2010
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glad you have had it sorted

still waiting for mine to come back frown

jz325i

269 posts

175 months

Friday 22nd January 2010
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paulm3 said:
Picked her up, both front calipers refurbished, bushes changed, all good smile
changed fluids... discs and pads fine. very happy smilesmile
Good stuff