Tech Forum : e30 rear calipers

redmist

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 7:08am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 676

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

I was under the impression that the e30 calipers bolted right on to the 323 swing arms. The bolt spacing is different. What am I missing?

imaradiostar

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 8:22am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 648

Nashville, TN
81 323i, 82 525i, 85 524td, 90 535i

um...I think you're right.

Are you sure they're E30 calipers?

jamie

cnvkellogg

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 9:09am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1

Eugene, OR
78 320i

The bolt spacing is the same on the E30 caliper carrier. You will need to make some mods to the carrier to fit the e21 arm. The bolt hole will need to be drilled out so the bolt will pass through and tread into the e21 arm. There is a tab that is between the bolt holes on the carrier that needs to be ground down. Then new matting surface will need to be machined down to .580 so to aline up with rotor grove correctly. The E30 brake hoses work fine on the E21 and bolt right up. I have done this now to both of my E21 and feel its better way to go. There are more options for rear brake pad compounds and availablity.

davethedog

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 1:35pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 50

Northants, England
E21 320

Hi, I agree the E30 calipers fitted very easily with a little abuse from an angle grinder. I had both sides modded and fitted within the hour. I have found it much easier to find performance pads and as I have also fitted braided hoses through out I find the braking superb.

redmist

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 3:26pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 677

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

Yep that's the problem. Someone (I think it was Ray) sold me modified "e30" calipers. Well I checked on MY e30 and they aren't the same. So I need to swap them for some REAL e30's and I should be fine.
Thanks

ichiwan2

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 3:42pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 196

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
BMW320/6(e21)

OT

What other calipers can we cannibalise/modify(minimally) to fit the 323i rear disc brake assembly?

And anyone with pics showing the difference in pad size between the e30 and e21 rear brakes, please post. Is the brake pad size difference the main consideration or is the design of the caliper better?

Thanks in advance.

imaradiostar

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 3:55pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 649

Nashville, TN
81 323i, 82 525i, 85 524td, 90 535i

Alloy rear calipers from a Golf/Jetta 4 are nice...and have a built in parking brake so you could delete the factory one for weight reduction.

jamie

RDAvena

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 4:20pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Staff
Post nr. 1583

SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
1981 323i, 1988 545is, 1997 528i

Pete,

Sent you an IM. Sorry they did not work for you.

JJG323

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 5:11pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1123

Reading MA USA
1979 BMW 323i

imaradiostar wrote:

Alloy rear calipers from a Golf/Jetta 4 are nice...and have a built in parking brake so you could delete the factory one for weight reduction.

jamie

Jamie any pictures? Are these MKIV rear calipers a direct swap or do they have to be modified?

Any idea what they go for and if they are better than the e30 325i ones?

Pete, guys what is the approx cost of 325i e30 rear calipers? I rebuilt my rear 323i ones back in the day - they were siezed.

thanks
J

imaradiostar

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 10:00pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 650

Nashville, TN
81 323i, 82 525i, 85 524td, 90 535i

look around on the vortex- you should be able to find some pics of the VW parts. You should call Aardvark and see what they're doing for their rear disk conversion for 2002's. I think they might be using a similar design.

jamie

Jason_323i

Posted Thursday, Feb 9th 10:10pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 343

UK, Scotland
323i 2.7 tripple webber track car. Maserati Biturbo

Hi

The VW calipersa are the ones used in the 02 disk brake kits from what i have readup on the conversion, you use the e21/30 rear disks and a spacer for the calipers, plus odifed vw hand brake cable.

Jason

bmw_m_320i

Posted Friday, Feb 10th 8:44pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 564

Helena, Montana
none right now :(

I've been looking at E39 aluminum rear calipers, the pads are much bigger than E30 pads, but the calipers are really light

JJG323

Posted Friday, Feb 10th 9:43pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1125

Reading MA USA
1979 BMW 323i

How much should be a reasonable price for e30 calipers?? Who supplies these - junk yards?

BruceH

Posted Friday, Feb 10th 10:56pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 824

Atlanta, GA USA
81 323 Baur, 85 745

Cheap from the junk yard.

redmist

Posted Sunday, Feb 12th 5:06am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 678

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

$58 delivered for two with carriers from Vines.

redmist

Posted Tuesday, Feb 14th 11:47pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 682

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

WTF!!!???
The e30 calipers from Vines have a 3" bolt spacing like the ones Ray sold me. The trailing arm mounting flange is 2.25".
Are there different caliper spacing for different year e30's? Do I have oddbal trailing arms?
I mean I can just weld and redrill the trailing arm flange but I thought this was supposed to be a no brainer bolt on!!!!

RDAvena

Posted Wednesday, Feb 15th 12:03am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Staff
Post nr. 1587

SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
1981 323i, 1988 545is, 1997 528i

you could have the early 77 to 9/78 trailing arms.

The ETK shows two different types of rear calipers for the 323i.

JJG323

Posted Wednesday, Feb 15th 2:28am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1132

Reading MA USA
1979 BMW 323i

redmist wrote:

Pics please.

redmist

Posted Wednesday, Feb 15th 2:32pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 684

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

Ok here is the deal. For 2.25 spacing you can use VW type 1 calipers which have a built in handbrake.
But I have been meaning to utilize these brembo aluminium alfa calipers anyway so I'm going to weld up and redrill the mounts.
To get through inspection I will probably just mount a band brake temporarily on the inner CV joint or just put the VW calipers on for a couple of days.
BTW I now have two sets of e30 calipers for 3" spacing in excellent condition with pads, carriers and hardware. $50 a set before I put them on ebay.

Zolika_e21

Posted Thursday, Feb 16th 9:19pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 22

Hungary
e21_M54_30

Can you tell more about the VW type 1 calipers?
What the exact year is it come from?
Does it fit exactly? What have it modify?

I have also the 2.25" spacing trailing arm

imaradiostar

Posted Tuesday, Jan 30th 2:07am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 992

Nashville, TN
81 323i, 82 525i, 85 524td, 90 535i

Sorry to dredge up and old thread, just was tinkering with the brakes and had to figure this out for myself.

I have a number of E30 rear calipers at work- both the E30 and E21 323i calipers are 2.25" spacing. My 81 323i and the calipers I have from a '79 we parted out have 2.25 as well.

I have a feeling Ray ended up with something else- maybe E36 rears or something.

jamie

JJG323

Posted Tuesday, Jan 30th 6:09am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1302

Reading MA USA
1979 BMW 323i

imaradiostar wrote:

Has anyone heard from Ray.
He has not be on the board in ages.
Jamie I would be interested in e30 rear calipers
and the M30 bosch unit..let me know if you have these parts.

Are the e30 calipers a direct bolt on to the early 323i trailing arms?

redmist

Posted Tuesday, Jan 30th 8:59pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1025

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

They are a direct bolt on to the latter arms (with a slight dremel/grinder adjustment) The earlier arms require a major rework of the arms.

JJG323

Posted Wednesday, Jan 31st 3:55pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1304

Reading MA USA
1979 BMW 323i

redmist wrote:

They are a direct bolt on to the latter arms (with a slight dremel/grinder adjustment) The earlier arms require a major rework of the arms.

Can earlier trailing arms be upgraded to later trailing arms, or are they completely different?

redmist

Posted Wednesday, Jan 31st 9:33pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 1027

NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo

100% swapable without modification.

imaradiostar

Posted Thursday, Feb 1st 3:20am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car]

Member
Post nr. 998

Nashville, TN
81 323i, 82 525i, 85 524td, 90 535i

I swear I'm not trying to create a big fight here!

I've only found one trailing arm for E21 323i's- all them same part number for all the years per ETK. I also can find only one style rear caliper for e30's. All the calipers I've checked from used parts stock at work have 2.25" mounting centers, from E30 323i calipers to E30 325ic calipers (earliest and latest, best I know).

All the larger series and later rear calipers I found had 3 inch mounting centers (E36, E28, E23, etc). I would assume this is what someone sent you.

jamie