Best Place to get E46 330i Calipers and Carriers

[c-red]

Howdy All,
Have tried all the normal Ebay options for these but all I can find is refurbished items and they are going to cost me 500 bucks delivered by the time I land them.
Just wondering where everyone else got theirs from?
Many Thanks,
Jeff

[adamud]

Have you tried the for sale section over at bimmerforums.com?

[RCV7]

Or the for sale section over at: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35
I bought a set of rebuilt front e46 330i parts including calipers and carriers from a member over there. I also bought new Zimmerman solid non/vented rotors to match. Good luck!

[pi4ovete_84]

I just ordered ti rear refurbished calipers from TMS ($160 with shipping after I return the core) and also wanna get 330i front calipers from there. The disks I'll get from bavauto.com , the vented ones.

[RCV7]

You might want to check out this thread on which are the preferred rotors here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1738903

[pi4ovete_84]

Originally Posted by RCV7

You might want to check out this thread on which are the preferred rotors here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1738903

Very helpful info, and still don't understand if the cross drilled rotors are that bad why all the $100 000+ cars have them installed as factory setup?

I might leave drilled at the back and oem front. When you guys changed to 330i front setup, did you feel big difference in stopping? I know they cool off a lot faster.

[RCV7]

Crossed drilled are not bad for casual street use. If you're going to do any hard driving such as auto-X or track, you'll want to stay away from cross drilled. They do look pretty but not up to snuff for hard abuse.

Originally Posted by pi4ovete_84

Very helpful info, and still don't understand if the cross drilled rotors are that bad why all the $100 000+ cars have them installed as factory setup?

The e46d 330i front brake setup stops much better than the stock setup. Do a google search and you'll find many e36 drivers doing the swap for much better braking performance.
I might leave drilled at the back and oem front. When you guys changed to 330i front setup, did you feel big difference in stopping? I know they cool off a lot faster.

[RCV7]

The e46 330i front brake setup stops much better than the stock setup. Do a google search and you'll find many e36 drivers doing the swap for much better braking performance

[BimmerBum]

Originally Posted by RCV7

You might want to check out this thread on which are the preferred rotors here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1738903

I did not read that entire thread but the brand and type of drilled/slotted rotor you buy makes all the difference in the world. The "brembo" drilled and slotted rotors you can buy on eBay are junk... there are several brake retailers on eBay buying brembo blanks and drilling them at their facility and selling them as brembo cross drilled rotors. This is not safe, these are the rotors that will crack on you.

I have personally run cross drilled rotors and slotted rotors on my cars at one time or another. I always spent more to get a quality rotor. I only used Brembo Sport slotted rotors and Zimmerman Cross Drilled rotors. These rotors come from Brembo and Zimmerman with their slots and holes already in them. I have never seen either of these rotors crack. Zimmerman does not actually drill their rotors, the holes are cast into the rotor. This retains strength.

That said I do carry 330 pads and 330 Zimmerman drilled and blank rotors.

[pi4ovete_84]

Originally Posted by BimmerBum

I did not read that entire thread but the brand and type of drilled/slotted rotor you buy makes all the difference in the world. The "brembo" drilled and slotted rotors you can buy on eBay are junk... there are several brake retailers on eBay buying brembo blanks and drilling them at their facility and selling them as brembo cross drilled rotors. This is not safe, these are the rotors that will crack on you.

I have personally run cross drilled rotors and slotted rotors on my cars at one time or another. I always spent more to get a quality rotor. I only used Brembo Sport slotted rotors and Zimmerman Cross Drilled rotors. These rotors come from Brembo and Zimmerman with their slots and holes already in them. I have never seen either of these rotors crack. Zimmerman does not actually drill their rotors, the holes are cast into the rotor. This retains strength.

That said I do carry 330 pads and 330 Zimmerman drilled and blank rotors.

I see. What about brass bushings and steel lines? Is there a difference in the response while stopping?

[aznlonewolf135]

I did this swap a few years ago with amazing results. I too had trouble finding a source for the calipers and carriers I ended up going to one of the bmw recycling centers in Rancho Cordova, CA. There's a small section of the city dedicated to auto recyclers and there are a few just for BMW.

just search "auto recycler Rancho Cordova, CA" in maps.google.com


WARNING a lot of them are worse then dealerships but sometimes the laws of supply/demand and money don't leave you many options...for the most part I've had great experiences with " B&M&W "

At the time I had a great deal on r1concepts premium rotors and a set of hawk HPS pads (high performance street) the rotors have held up great, the pads are a little "dustier"


Keep in mind other then a lead food I do not participate in any kind of performance or competition driving.

[BimmerBum]

Originally Posted by pi4ovete_84

I see. What about brass bushings and steel lines? Is there a difference in the response while stopping?

Brass caliper bushings are by far the best upgrade you can make on any of BMWs clamping style calipers. The rubber bushings that come on your stock calipers are by far the weakest link. You do need to keep up with greasing the brass bushings as they do not have dust boots like the stock bushings do.

The E46 330 actually uses a different line than the E36 but I do suggest going to stainless lines as well. You want to make sure the stainless line you purchase are DOT approved. I have DOT Approved stainless line kits available and I can also do custom kits for non-stock brake set ups.

I will be swapping a set of E46 330 front brakes already fitted with Akebono Ceramics, stainless lines, brass bushings (which I initially used on my E46 wagon) onto my new 318ticlupsport.com project car.

[pi4ovete_84]

Originally Posted by BimmerBum

Brass caliper bushings are by far the best upgrade you can make on any of BMWs clamping style calipers. The rubber bushings that come on your stock calipers are by far the weakest link. You do need to keep up with greasing the brass bushings as they do not have dust boots like the stock bushings do.

The E46 330 actually uses a different line than the E36 but I do suggest going to stainless lines as well. You want to make sure the stainless line you purchase are DOT approved. I have DOT Approved stainless line kits available and I can also do custom kits for non-stock brake set ups.

I will be swapping a set of E46 330 front brakes already fitted with Akebono Ceramics, stainless lines, brass bushings (which I initially used on my E46 wagon) onto my new 318ticlupsport.com project car.

tnx for info. I like your ti. Did you fill difference with the dinan chip?

[BimmerBum]

Originally Posted by pi4ovete_84

tnx for info. I like your ti. Did you fill difference with the dinan chip?

I did... as an autocrosser the best part of a chip is the increased red line... it means you get more speed out of every gear and you are upshifting into a better part of the power band.

[c-red]

Many Thanks for all your suggestions guys.
I ended up going old skool and got them from the local Euro parts recyclers, cost me $350 Aussie, which is about the same in USD these days.
Will be installing with DBA Rotors, Ferodo DS2500s and braided lines.
Jeff