Brake pad question

[[email protected]]

Ok, so as my engine swap is nearing complete, I'm anticipating driving this car soon. I am in the process of readying the brake system. Thus far in the front I had ordered caliper rebuild kits from bavarian auto, although I personally did not rebuild the caplipers my brake guy did and he seemed to think it went fine. I had ordered brake pads from a local Napa and the PADS ARE SO THICK. They don't fit between the rotors and calipers. The pads are the same size and shape as the old ones. Has anyone experienced this? For now I will use the old ones, and maybe order new pads and rotors from Bavarian auto. I wonder if this problem will still exist. Will I also need new calipers? Or does my 1975 csi euro car have different brakes all together. Appreciate any help. Fred

 

[Tierfreund]

Sounds like the wrong pads. GO get them from BMW and you´ll be fine.

 

[Nicad]

Do you have the vented rotors and corresponding calipers?

 

[[email protected]]

I have vented rotors. The calipers are the double piston type, I think they are correct to the car. They look the same as my 68 coupe calipers.

 

[MMercury]

I had ordered brake pads from a local Napa and the PADS ARE SO THICK. They don't fit between the rotors and calipers.

My "guess" is that you do have the wrong pads. The confusion is not surprising.

New E9s OEM pads are (typically) 15 mm thick (BMW part number 34111159257). FWIW, here are other vehicles using that same pad: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part= 34111159257&showus=on&showeur=on




The 15mm pad you need:

BMW used a similar pad on various E12, E23, E24 models (part number 34111159261) These pads are dimensionally similar to the E9 pads (above) except that they are 19mm thick when new. Thus, a total of (approximately) 4mm in pad material makes this pad too thick for use with stock E9 calipers. FWIW, here is a list of models that employed the thicker pads: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=34111159261&showus=on&showeur=on


The pads you have??

You have two or three options. (1) Exchange the pads for the correct ones; (2) remove enough friction material on the new pads to make them fit your calipers and rotors or; (3) switch to the larger width calipers found on the second group of cars mentioned above.

Most of us would opt for numbers 1 or 2. :wink:

HTH

 

[sfdon]

You can't have it both ways.....

the PADS ARE SO THICK. They don't fit between the rotors and calipers. The pads are the same size and shape as the old ones.


Micrometer the old and new pads.
If your old ones are gone thats OK
Use channel locks to compress the pistons.
Show us a pic.