Brembo balance pipes

[untakenname]

I'm in the process of refreshing the dust seals on the front calipers for both my cars and although they are the same model year (though different makes) both use the same size seals and look physically similar yet only one set has balance pipes.

I've noticed there's the threaded insert built into the body to allow fitment to the other pair of calipers so wondered if there's any benefit in doing so?


Cheers.

[GreenV8S]

I'm not sure what you mean by balance pipe - there is no balancing involved. On multi piston calipers all the pistons will be connected, either internally (by drillings within the casting) or externally via link pipes. The fact your calipers don't have an external link pipe implies that they are linked internally. There is no benefit to adding a redundant external link pipe to calipers which are already linked internally.

[E-bmw]

Pics would help as you could also be describing blanks for unnecessary bleed plugs on castings that could be for left or right handed use.

[untakenname]

Cheers, yeah I figured they would have to have internal routing with only one brake line running to the caliper but wondered if the external pipe maybe offered more performance/better balance between the sides.





Here's a picture of them both, you can see the holes in the black caliper, externally they looked similar so was curious if the red ones had both internal and external routing for the fluid.

[Chromed]

I’m not familiar with those particular callipers, but it seems strange to me the black calliper has the casting for external brake pipes. Is there a bung there and do the pistons function correctly?

[Jakg]

Chromed said:

I’m not familiar with those particular callipers, but it seems strange to me the black calliper has the casting for external brake pipes. Is there a bung there and do the pistons function correctly?

Is that not because the caliper comes in two halves, and the "front" half could be fitted on either the left or the right caliper, with the nipple and blank being swapped?

My BMW Brembo calipers have a similar trait despite having no external link pipes.

[Chromed]

Ahhh, I reckon you solved it. Makes sense.

[E-bmw]

You are of course correct they are the same casting for either side but that isn't what the OP was asking, he was asking why one has balance pipes & one doesn't or if it should have.

[The Wookie]

E-bmw said:

You are of course correct they are the same casting for either side but that isn't what the OP was asking, he was asking why one has balance pipes & one doesn't or if it should have.

It's just variations in customer requirements. Some prefer them to be internally piped as it makes for a cheaper assembly and the link is then protected from impacts, some prefer external as there are then no joining seals between the caliper halves needed and there might be a marginal advantage in terms of fluid boiling