5 series brake rotors?
HDGoose
Any comments on the replacing-vs-turning of the front brake rotors on
a 2001 525i?
I'm told by BMW techs that they MUST be replaced at each brake job.
I'm also told by a brake shop owner who works on BMWs among others
that it's not always necessary. I need them done but don't want to
give BMW any more money than I already have for things which may or
may not need doing.
Thanks in advance.
Floyd Rogers
BMW uses very soft pads and rotors, so that stopping is good in all
conditions.
As a result, the pads often last only 15K-20K miles; but usually go 40K-50K.
Also as a result of the soft iron used in the rotors, they never last more
than
two sets of pads before reaching minimum thickness. Often, they will last
only one set of pads before their lifetime is used up. Remember, if you use
more than 50% of the available rotors' thickness with the first set of pads,
you're going to be under specification at some time during the 2nd pad's
lifetime, whereupon you will need to change both the pads and rotors in
any case.
Since the rotors are cheap (Bav Auto shows them at $55 each, with OEM
Mintex pads at $45) you should probably just replace the rotors.
The dealers are a rip-off. Go somewhere else. Or, buy the parts and
do it yourself, or buy the parts and take them to a corner shop. They're
dead easy to install (except for the sensor, which requires an easy touch
not a big hammer - not the strong point of many garages.)
The rears usually last twice as long as the front, btw. Do not change
all 4 corners unless the rears are actually gone.
FloydR
Floyd Rogers
> "HDGoose" <IlDonP...@yahoo.com> wrote
>> I'm also told by a brake shop owner who works on BMWs among others
>> that it's not always necessary.
Forgot to address re-finishing. Re-finishing removes thickness. On BMW
rotors, it's very likely to result in the rotor going under-spec during the
2nd
pad's lifetime, and is therefore not recommended. Occasionally, it is
necessary
to cure a wobble if the rotor warps a little. Usually re-finishing in those
cases fixes it for a while, but it will eventually un-warp or warp worse and
you'll have to replace it anyway.
FloydR
Dave Plowman (News)
<042e5179-388a-4ed6...@m3g2000pri.googlegroups.com>,
BMW discs have the minimum thickness stamped on the hub so can be easily
measured for wear.
It's not worth having them skimmed as any grooves deep enough to need
this will go down below the minimum thickness.
I find discs last for two sets of pads.
If you really want to save money fit OEM parts yourself. It's an easy job.
Took me a morning to change all four discs and their pads and saved 500
gbp over dealer prices. Wish I could make over 100 an hour at work. ;-)
--
*The most wasted day of all is one in which we have not laughed.*
Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
pheo...@gmail.com
wrote:
> In article
> <042e5179-388a-4ed6-ba48-89d30cb41...@m3g2000pri.googlegroups.com>,
> HDGoose <IlDonPepp...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Greetings:
> > Any comments on the replacing-vs-turning of the front brake rotors on
> > a 2001 525i?
> > I'm told by BMW techs that they MUST be replaced at each brake job.
> > I'm also told by a brake shop owner who works on BMWs among others
> > that it's not always necessary. I need them done but don't want to
> > give BMW any more money than I already have for things which may or
> > may not need doing.
> > Thanks in advance.
>
> BMW discs have the minimum thickness stamped on the hub so can be easily
> measured for wear.
>
> It's not worth having them skimmed as any grooves deep enough to need
> this will go down below the minimum thickness.
>
> I find discs last for two sets of pads.
>
> If you really want to save money fit OEM parts yourself. It's an easy job.
> Took me a morning to change all four discs and their pads and saved 500
> gbp over dealer prices. Wish I could make over 100 an hour at work. ;-)
>
> --
> *The most wasted day of all is one in which we have not laughed.*
>
> To e-mail, change noise into sound.
I agree with Dave.
For most german cars, it's NOT good to cut the rotors.
if rotors are bad replace, DO NOT CUT.
Good luck,
Oskar
HDGoose
Thanks for all that good info. I would have considered doing them
myself, or at least have my local shade tree mechanic do it, but
"they" make it sound like because of the ABS it's a technical job
requiring a special touch and unobtanium tools. So basically, with the
exception of the sensor, I (or more likely my shade tree guy) can just
swap out the rotors and pads like a "regular" car?
Floyd Rogers
>Thanks for all that good info. I would have considered doing them
>myself, or at least have my local shade tree mechanic do it, but
>"they" make it sound like because of the ABS it's a technical job
>requiring a special touch and unobtanium tools. So basically, with the
>exception of the sensor, I (or more likely my shade tree guy) can just
>swap out the rotors and pads like a "regular" car?
Absolutely.
The sensor is easy, but just a little fiddling. It fits into the center of
the inner pad: it should just slide in. You can re-use the old ones
if you want to save $10-$15, but they often don't come out clean
or slide in as well as new ones. Also, don't force the electrical
connector; you can break the retention tabs or pins.
FloydR
Jeff Strickland
"HDGoose" <IlDonP...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a1fb5d81-6345-4500...@m3g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
<JS>
The brakes on my BMWs are by far the easiest brakes to replace. By far.
If you are not up to the task, then you should find a shop that works on
BMWs. I'd resist the temptation to ever go to BigO or Midas or any of the
equivelent shysters for anything more complicated than filling the washer
fluid bottle. There are two BMW shops in my town that claim to have BMW
certification. They use BMW parts and do good work for a fraction of the
dealership charges.
There is no rocket science involved in BMW brakes. If you have any
familiarity with brakes at all, you can replace BMW brakes with ease.
I echo the thoughts of the others here, do not turn the rotors. If the
rotors are in good shape, you might not have to replace them, but if they
are worn or scored at all, the material that has to be removed to make them
true again will leave them too thin.
As a general rule of thumb, rotors should cost $50 each and the pads should
cost $50 per axle. This means front rotors and pads should cost about $150.
You can spend more and you can spend less. I'd think twice about going too
much less, and more is going to give you parts that exceed the need.
Brembo makes excellent rotors at a reasonable price. They may exceed the $50
price point, but they are a very good product and if you have the money, the
parts are worth it. If you are price-driven, Raybestos and Bosch are good
choices.
I bought nickle plated, slotted and drilled rotors with pads, for the front
and rear, for $200 on eBay. The front rotors weren't true. They were cheap,
but not true. they sent me a second set of front rotors that were also not
true, but they were free. I took them to the machine shop and got them
machined for $35, installed them and they work fine. I took the original set
and had them machined also, and I'm saving them for later.
So, you can get parts for less, but you have to know some of the problems
that can happen if you're a cheap bastard, like me.
PS
My slotted and drilled rotors make a clicking noise as the slots and holes
pass the pads. I suppose I could swap sides so the straight edges of the
slots don't catch on the pads. Hmmm, maybe another project for the weekend.
Dave Plowman (News)
<a1fb5d81-6345-4500...@m3g2000pri.googlegroups.com>,
HDGoose <IlDonP...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Thanks for all that good info. I would have considered doing them
> myself, or at least have my local shade tree mechanic do it, but
> "they" make it sound like because of the ABS it's a technical job
> requiring a special touch and unobtanium tools.
Perhaps to your local 'experts' metric hex keys do represent unobtainable
tools. I'd try and find some honest experts.
--
*Learn from your parents' mistakes - use birth control.
Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
dizzy
>"HDGoose" <IlDonP...@yahoo.com> wrote
>>Thanks for all that good info. I would have considered doing them
>>myself, or at least have my local shade tree mechanic do it, but
>>"they" make it sound like because of the ABS it's a technical job
>>requiring a special touch and unobtanium tools. So basically, with the
>>exception of the sensor, I (or more likely my shade tree guy) can just
>>swap out the rotors and pads like a "regular" car?
>
>Absolutely.
>The sensor is easy, but just a little fiddling. It fits into the center of
>the inner pad: it should just slide in.
That would be the brake-wear sensor, of course. I vote getting new
oens and making the job easier.
>You can re-use the old ones
>if you want to save $10-$15, but they often don't come out clean
>or slide in as well as new ones. Also, don't force the electrical
>connector; you can break the retention tabs or pins.
The disk itself is quite easy - a hex wrench to remove the bolt, and a
tap with a hammer and it falls right off.
I don't do a lot of my own mechanical work, but I do do the brakes,
because it's pretty easy and saves a lot of money.
Scott Dorsey
>In article
><a1fb5d81-6345-4500...@m3g2000pri.googlegroups.com>,
> HDGoose <IlDonP...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Thanks for all that good info. I would have considered doing them
>> myself, or at least have my local shade tree mechanic do it, but
>> "they" make it sound like because of the ABS it's a technical job
>> requiring a special touch and unobtanium tools.
>
>Perhaps to your local 'experts' metric hex keys do represent unobtainable
>tools. I'd try and find some honest experts.
There are some fancy tools required if you are going to take the brake
calipers apart, but you aren't going to do that so don't worry.
The BMW brakes are fairly easy, BUT I will say that the BMW rotors are
generally more difficult than most to turn down properly. So I'd suggest
just replacing the rotors if the runout is too high on them rather than
trying to turn them down.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
Dave Plowman (News)
Scott Dorsey <klu...@panix.com> wrote:
> Dave Plowman (News) <da...@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:
> >In article
> ><a1fb5d81-6345-4500...@m3g2000pri.googlegroups.com>,
> > HDGoose <IlDonP...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> Thanks for all that good info. I would have considered doing them
> >> myself, or at least have my local shade tree mechanic do it, but
> >> "they" make it sound like because of the ABS it's a technical job
> >> requiring a special touch and unobtanium tools.
> >
> >Perhaps to your local 'experts' metric hex keys do represent
> >unobtainable tools. I'd try and find some honest experts.
> There are some fancy tools required if you are going to take the brake
> calipers apart, but you aren't going to do that so don't worry.
Last time I overhauled a BMW caliper I managed without any special tools.
Which ones were you referring to?
> The BMW brakes are fairly easy, BUT I will say that the BMW rotors are
> generally more difficult than most to turn down properly. So I'd suggest
> just replacing the rotors if the runout is too high on them rather than
> trying to turn them down.
In general if they need 'turning' there won't be enough meat left to do
this. They have to remain above the minimum thickness for the life of the
pads. Although My guess is that minimum is pretty generous.
--
*If I worked as much as others, I would do as little as they *
ianp...@googlemail.com
<da...@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>If you really want to save money fit OEM parts yourself. It's an easy job.
>Took me a morning to change all four discs and their pads and saved 500
>gbp over dealer prices. Wish I could make over 100 an hour at work. ;-)
Or use genuine parts bought from BMW dealer. My local one discounted
the parts to the price of aftermarket when I thtreatened to walk away
when he gave me the quoted price. I seem to remember it was about 40%
discount.
I agree with Dave...do them yourself if you've ever tackled brakes
before. Very straightforward and you know its done properly.
Please reply to group - email address is not monitored
Ian
DonP
them, and I'll watch so I can do it myself next time. $50 per hour,
and the parts are at his cost.
R. Mark Clayton
> Greetings:
> Any comments on the replacing-vs-turning of the front brake rotors on
> a 2001 525i?
Waste of time puting them on a lathe.
> I'm told by BMW techs that they MUST be replaced at each brake job.
Rubbish. Only replace if well or unevenly worn.
DonP
> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:13:38 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
>
Oh, one final question. IF I do them myself, is there any adjusting
necessary?
I ask because last time I did a brake job, MANY years ago, you had to
"adjust" them when you were done. But I don't rememeber what that
entailed. In fact, it was so long ago, that they may have been drum
brakes on an old Cadillac!
Just covering all bases, here.
Thanks again!
Floyd Rogers
>On Oct 28, 8:36 am, ianp5...@googlemail.com wrote:
>> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:13:38 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
> necessary?
No adjustment is necessary (on disc brakes). You might check to see
if you have too much brake fluid in the reservoir after finishing.
The only place where adjustment on BMW brakes is necessary is
on the emergency brake (which is a drum.)
BTW, there are only two brake wear sensors: front left and right rear.
FloydR
DonP
> "DonP" <IlDonPepp...@yahoo.com> wrote
Good to know, Floyd. Thanks.
Alan B. Mac Farlane
brake material on the pads.
Nice that way ...
Also .. give a good think to draining out the old brake fluid down the
lines and replaced the whole system with new brake DOT 3 fluid or what
ever specs call for.
The old fluid has dirt, rust, that keeps getting plowed into the
cylinder walls scoring them ... a fluid exchange keeps that problem in
abeyance a bit.
Also to NOTE ... BMW suggests you replace the brake pads at 2 mm
thickness ...
BMW ... DO NOT WANT you to score the rotors.
Hence the recommendation from the manufacture.
sumbuddie wear blind sea
:?
kpb
>
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