loafer
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- Feb 4, 2008
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Here's a little something which I feel I should share with everyone. I'm pretty sure some of you at some point in your car modding days would have experienced this. It all started some time in May '08, when I saw a post in BMWCM from someone selling a 4 pot Brembo caliper. Since I was new at that time and didn't really know much, I decided to purchase the caliper after much persuasion from the seller. Initially I thought I got it at a bargain but eventually I found out that the same Brembo caliper can be purchased from chop shops at half the price. Of course the Brembo caliper wasn't meant for my E36 and I know that it was possible to make a custom bracket so that it'll work. At that time I didn't know that many people who really modded their cars so I didn't really have anyone to ask. Despite my better judgment, I decided to take the advice of the seller and let his mechanic fabricate the bracket. Here is how my "custom" bracket looked like when it was completed. (Unfortunately it was done else where so I didn't see the whole process and only saw the end product when my caliper and spindle was returned to the workshop. To be honest, even if I had witnessed the whole process I probably wouldn't have known any better if that was the right way or not.)
* Notice how the bottom hole at the mounting area has been enlarged? This was made so that adjustment could be done when fitting the caliper. It is also possibly one of the few reasons why there were so much vibrations under hard braking. The thin part is only 1mm thick.
* This is the rear bracket that holds the top part of the caliper to the spindle. I was assured many times that this piece of metal would be able take the forces it would eventually be subjected to.
* To enable the new screws to be locked in place, a nut was fastened on the opposite side of the hole. It was welded into place at only 1 point, which was the top of the nut.
* Guess what, the welding cracked after a few months.
* This is what happened to the perfectly flat metal bracket holding my caliper to the spindle after almost half a year. Any longer and it would have probably snapped. Perhaps I'm lucky in a way, to have had signs that things weren't right on my brakes which lead to the discovery of all this. If the brakes were to fail during high speed...I might not be around now to tell this story. Feeling things weren't exactly right, with all the vibrations and what not, I decided to seek advice from some other BMW fanatics I've known over the months. So to cut the story short, after all the "Wah crazy ah the fella do bracket like that?", "Want people to die meh?" etc.. I decided to redo the bracket at a tried and tested fabricator. Here is how my new bracket looks like.
* Notice the L shaped bracket extends into the mounting area of the caliper. This is wedged into place to limit movement of the caliper.
* The mounting hole wasn't enlarged like my old spindle so there is no risk of movement under high load. Both the holes to mount the calipers on the spindle were also threaded so that the screw is bolted directly into it without needing a nut on the opposite end. I've yet to try this new bracket since my mechanic hasn't had time to put everything back together for me. But by looking at how the bracket is made, I can honestly say I am very confident this will last. That's all for now. Hopefully there is a lesson to be learnt for those of you who are reading this. 1. Never trust a mechanic you don't know.2. Always research something properly before doing it.3. Always seek advice! Total damage so far for this is:-1. 1st "custom" bracket - RM370 (May '08 )2. New custom bracket - RM7503. 2 x 2nd hand E36 spindle - RM200 I will forever remember this sentence that was said to me by the mechanic when he was mounting my caliper the first time round... "Don't worry, if anything happen come back and look for me" ....yeah right, assuming I don't crash and die first la... P.S (I guess I'm more disappointed than angry...so no names will be disclosed. Reason why I'm posting this is so that people are more diligent next time when modding their cars. Always do proper research before going ahead with something or you're going to end up like me!!!)
