E39 with a voracious appetite for discs
Discussion
My E39 530 Sport eats discs like my daughter eats strawberries – quickly, eagerly, and with no consideration for season or cost...
I have done 25,000 miles in it in just over 2 ½ years: I replaced all the discs soon after I bought it; 10,000-ish miles later, the fronts were warped, and the (thorough, sensible) indy who works on it for me replaced them again. The first set of replacements were decent-quality pattern ones, but the indy surmised this might have been why they only lasted a short while, and fitted genuine BMW ones. Another 10,000-ish miles later, they are warped again...
As they seem to last no time at all, whatever, I have bought a set of pattern ones, which my local motor factor happened to have on the shelf at a good price, and will fit them tomorrow, but does anyone have any bright ideas as to why this should be happening? Is this a sign of some underlying problem, or is it just "TADTS"?
The thing is properly maintained, all the bushes etc. are in good condition, the torque control arms were replaced quite recently, it has had various links etc. as required, decent pads, good tyres not that long ago, etc. etc. Obviously, older cars need maintaining, but my boss’s near-identical E39 has nothing like the same appetites, and his is an auto, so potentially heavier on brake components than my manual car.
I should point out that I drive briskly, but am not a boy racer. In fact, as the E90s I have been looking at as a possible replacement are all too hard riding for me, I must have turned into an old man. Ah well.
I have done 25,000 miles in it in just over 2 ½ years: I replaced all the discs soon after I bought it; 10,000-ish miles later, the fronts were warped, and the (thorough, sensible) indy who works on it for me replaced them again. The first set of replacements were decent-quality pattern ones, but the indy surmised this might have been why they only lasted a short while, and fitted genuine BMW ones. Another 10,000-ish miles later, they are warped again...
As they seem to last no time at all, whatever, I have bought a set of pattern ones, which my local motor factor happened to have on the shelf at a good price, and will fit them tomorrow, but does anyone have any bright ideas as to why this should be happening? Is this a sign of some underlying problem, or is it just "TADTS"?
The thing is properly maintained, all the bushes etc. are in good condition, the torque control arms were replaced quite recently, it has had various links etc. as required, decent pads, good tyres not that long ago, etc. etc. Obviously, older cars need maintaining, but my boss’s near-identical E39 has nothing like the same appetites, and his is an auto, so potentially heavier on brake components than my manual car.
I should point out that I drive briskly, but am not a boy racer. In fact, as the E90s I have been looking at as a possible replacement are all too hard riding for me, I must have turned into an old man. Ah well.
The 3.0 variants of 3 and 5 series also have an appetite for brake calipers,usually they seize up so Id be looking at them aswell.The hub faces will also need to be checked and must be mint.
Has to be said though warped discs are uncommon on this model even under repeated hard braking,so mabe there is another issue with a suspension bush if you are having a shimmy through the steering ect.
Has to be said though warped discs are uncommon on this model even under repeated hard braking,so mabe there is another issue with a suspension bush if you are having a shimmy through the steering ect.
CarbonM5 said:
The 3.0 variants of 3 and 5 series also have an appetite for brake calipers,usually they seize up so Id be looking at them aswell.The hub faces will also need to be checked and must be mint.
Has to be said though warped discs are uncommon on this model even under repeated hard braking,so mabe there is another issue with a suspension bush if you are having a shimmy through the steering ect.
Yes... It has had a new front caliper, and all the bushes have been checked quite recently, and found to be good. The shimmy is only under braking, and the discs are definitely warped. Checking the hub faces makes sense - will do.Has to be said though warped discs are uncommon on this model even under repeated hard braking,so mabe there is another issue with a suspension bush if you are having a shimmy through the steering ect.
The discs are not warped. The BMW pads are known for leaving deposits on discs after the kind of mileage you are talking about, I suffer from it myself. The solution is better pads but theres nothing actually wrong with the discs. Normally very hard and repetitive braking will clean them up (think 5-10 80-20mph hard stops). I have had to use hard race pads in the past to clean then up.
Alternatively, get them skimmed as there will still be pleanty of disc left on them.
Alternatively, get them skimmed as there will still be pleanty of disc left on them.
stringbag said:
Ta very much - might well try this.Otherwise, even if the discs are not truly warped, the effect on braking and steering for the driver is the same, and I don't fancy the idea of multiple emergency stops to clear the discs, nor do I think it should be necessary.
I've bought a set of cheap pattern ones, which, if I can't get the on-wheel skim done, I will fit while having the OE ones skimmed; the hubs, I will check and clean. At least I have a quick-ish solution then.
And if the cheap ones start doing it, I can change back - although I think my BMW owning days may have come to an end before then, I fear....
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