I need to rebuild my 4-pot Brembo calipers, and am not sure whether to tackle it myself or have my shop do it. How would you guys ratea caliper rebuild on a 1-10 difficulty scale? Anyone got a link to a good writeup? What tools are needed for the job (other than the ones used to remove the calipers)?
I think so, but am not sure. I bought them used, always thinking that they were 8 series Brembos. But now it looks like they are the "Brembo 324mm GT" calipers that Tirerack offers. Now I do believe that the kit TR sells uses the same exact Brembo calipers as the 840, but need to somehow verify it so that I don't order the wrong "rebuild kit" for the calipers.
I have rebuilt my single pot calpiers, and there is not much to them
On single pot, there is a Rubber boot and a internal seal that sits in a groove on the bore.
Al you do is get the caliper, apply Air from a Compressor to where the brake line enters, and it will pop the piston out..just watch that your fingers are not in front of the piston when holding the caliper.
get a seal removing tool (like a dentist tool with a hook (i just used a fine screw driver.)
removed the seal and rubber boot and replaced them, put the internal one in first, the piston and the rubber boot ...the boot can be difficult though , dip the seal and boot in brake fluid beofre putting them in.
The boot has to fit in to 2 grooves, 1 on the piston and one on the caliper, takes a little patience ..im not sure if brake shops have a special tool for putting the dust boots on?
i cant imagine 2 pots being any more difficult except forthe fact that there are 2 pistons.
When using air to pop the pistons out, caution, it only takes a few pounds, caution, they come out FAST if you use more than a few pounds, caution, put a chunk of soft stuff (wood) in the gap to allow the pistons to dent the wood instead of themselves or you fingers as noted above.
On multi-piston calipers, some pistons may decide not to come out with air, they can be removed using some twisting pull force kinka like with channel-locks. Using low air pressure and a thick enough chunk of wood may allow all the pistons to start coming out before one comes loose and releases the air.
Jamming the pistons into the caliper and putting the dust shields in place are the hard parts, lube the pistion & seals with fluid and work patiently on the dust shields.
Thanks guys. Do any of you happen to have a closeup pic of the 840ci Brembo calipers? I'm trying to confirm that my calipers are the same so I dont order the wrong rebuild kit.
Looks like I'll be driving down to Santa Barbara on Saturday night, and will take care of the calipers/brake bomb on Monday at my old shop. Problem is, I am still not 100% sure that the calipers I have are identical to the 840ci calipers, and would therefore use the same rebuild kit. If anyone has some up-close, detailed pics of their Brembo e31 calipers, I would appreciate if you could email them to me or post them on the board.
Unfortunately (in retrospect), I did sell the 850i single piston calipers to a guy in Santa Barbara that has a supercharged e34 530i. I wish I had kept them so I could throw them on my car and drive it until i fixed the other calipers.
If I recall, I picked up the rebuild kit from Maximillian...it came with all of the parts necessary for the rebuild less the fluid cross-over tubes, which were replaced also.
