| MayanArch |
Posted
Monday, Nov 27th 9:18pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1200
Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978 |
What do I need to change out inside of the trunk?
Can I keep the big drum that the master cylinder bolts onto? This is rusty, but I am sure I can clean it up and paint it nice.
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| imaradiostar |
Posted
Tuesday, Nov 28th 2:47am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 955
Nashville, TN
81 323i, 82 525i, 85 524td, 90 535i |
Redmist can chime in here- he made adapters to use (I think) VW rear calipers. They're lightweight aluminum parts and they are a good match for E21/E30 rear discs.
Not sure if it required other changes.
jamie |
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| MayanArch |
Posted
Tuesday, Nov 28th 2:10pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1201
Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978 |
Ooops, my bad. I mean what changes need to be made inside the hood....not the trunk. 
I have some 323i trailing arms complete with brakes. I need to know what changes to make up front. |
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| davethedog |
Posted
Tuesday, Nov 28th 4:12pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 143
Northants, England
E21 320 |
I converted from rear drums on my 320/6 to rear disks. I did'nt do anything up front. Just replaced the radius arms with 323i ones. I used E30 325 rear calipers and it all works great. |
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| MayanArch |
Posted
Wednesday, Nov 29th 5:08pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1202
Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978 |
So I can keep the booster and master cylinder?
I thought the master cylinder on a 320/6 needed to be changed. |
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| redmist |
Posted
Wednesday, Nov 29th 10:21pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1008
NY USA
357i , 325i e30 turbo |
If you want to go the route that I did you can probably keep your drum trailing arms.
I originally was going to do the e30 conversion but I found out (too late) that all 323 trainling arms are not created equal. The earlier ones have a different bolt spacing (2" versus 2.5" as I remember)for the calipers. The e30 calipers will not bolt to the earier arms.
Just take off all the drum stuff and the e-brake hardware. Get some Audi TT rear calipers or the VW ones (aluminium versus steel) and a pair of e30 disks. Weld a mounting plate to the back of the trailing arms and you are done. The TT/VW calipers have an integrated e-brake. You have to modify the ends of the e-brake cables to work with the AUDI/VW caliper actuation lever but its simple stuff.
If you have the later 323 arms then the e30 calipers bolt right up (I have not personally done this so you might have to shim the calipers a little to line them up to the rotor).
In either case you don't have to change the master but you should change the proportioning valves. The disk brakes use more fluid than the drums so you may have more pedal travel.
If it were me I would swap in an e30 master cylinder. Your e21 booster should be fine although you could swap the e30 one in as well.
Instead of swapping in disc brake proprtioning valves from a 323 you can eliminate them altogether and plumb in a Wilwood manual proportioning valve so you can adjust the balance to your particular set-up. |
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| davethedog |
Posted
Wednesday, Nov 29th 10:34pm [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 144
Northants, England
E21 320 |
| MayanArch wrote: | So I can keep the booster and master cylinder?
I thought the master cylinder on a 320/6 needed to be changed. |
Well if they do I did'nt and my brakes are great.
Fitting the E30 Rear calipers was a doddle. Bit of grinding here a bit of grinding there and they also worked great.
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| MayanArch |
Posted
Thursday, Nov 30th 12:01am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 1206
Florida, USA
Baur E21 2.7 1982, Baur E30 318i 1985, 323i 1978 |
I got E21 323i rear trailing arms and calipers.....so it is a matter of deciding what to do with the booster and master cylinder.
Will any E30 booster work?
Will any E30 master cylinder work? Mine is pretty rusted up. I am not sure if I should rebuild it....or what. |
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| aussie323i |
Posted
Thursday, Nov 30th 1:14am [Edit] [Quote] [IMS] [View car] |
Member
Post nr. 543
australia
1979 323i |
you can just bolt the trailing arms brakes etc. straight in... I'm running a 320/6 master cylinder on my 323i (found a virtually new one on a 320/6 at the wreckers) and everything is fine.
I didn't even think about them being different... just assumed they were the same  I haven't had any problems though. Pedal feel is fine.
I don't know about the e30 master cylinders.
Do you have vented disks on the front? If so they're the same brakes as the 323i in any case.
Cheers
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