E46 330 Ci Sport - Front brake calipers

[dooosuk]

Have noticed the following recently:

- lower mpg
- shorter rolling distances when off gas coasting to red lights
- large amount of brake dust on front nearside wheel
- excessive heat from front nearside wheel

So my brake is binding.

Is it just likely to be the caliper?

Anyone know the cheapest supplier for a replacement part? GSF seem to be £107 exchange which doesn't seem too bad.

Thanks

[mike325112]

Have you tried to see if you can free it up rather than swaping the caliper? I managed to get mine moving by greesing the piston. Someone told me a while back that you can get a service kit for the calipers from a dealer which includes new seals etc.

[dooosuk]

Not yet. I need to wait till the weather in Manchester stops raining! :-)

[mike325112]

dooosuk said:

Not yet. I need to wait till the weather in Manchester stops raining! :-)

Surely July is leaving it a little too long...

[Mr Whippy]

Knowing BMW pads are very dusty, and it being the nearside (all the crap off the roads), I'd imagine that the slider pin/s have started to block up.

Remove wheel, slacked pin slider bolts on back of caliper (they have caps iirc).

Remove sliding part of caliper.

Probably need to slide dust covers back and then you can clean the shaft and treat with copper grease. They can get really stiff, but should slide really freely.


The issue you are having sounds exactly like that is causing it.

Cheers

Dave

[E30M3SE]

Definately do this first.^^^^^^^^^^

[dooosuk]

Thanks guys I'll strip and grease the slide bolts at the weekend (weather permitting).

[E30M3SE]

If you need a caliper,

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/brake-caliper

[Deano_BMW]

Unfortunately the 330s are more susceptible to binding cali pers than the rest of the range. My nsf went and the osf followed very shortly after.

[AlfaSpider]

I had the same problem on my e46 with the pistons sticking in the callipers. For less hassle I stripped all four callipers and got seal kits from BMW there fairly cheap, this was 3 years ago and no problems since. Be aware you can't use any grease on brakes internally it has to be red rubber grease.