What can be done with poor brakes on E36 320i?

Well, as the subject says, I have a '97 E36 320i, and since I drive it hard, my brakes always get smoked after such driving, but the real problem is that they stop braking efficiently, so sometimes it's even dangerous. A friend of mine advises teflon-based brake pipes (where the fluid is) for a low-cost solution (like because they don't get affected by heat and thus don't expand and lose their pressure), and for high-cost solution a complete change of brakes and putting the M3 brake system.

What do you say?

Thanx.

Reply to
J.G.
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"J.G." wrote

Better brake lines won't reduce fade (due to boiling brake fluid).

1) ensure that the brake cooling ducts are open and actually cool the brake rotors. 2) put on ceramic pads 3) consider cross-drilled rotors.

Floyd

Reply to
fbloogyudsr

No, the reason you have brake fade is either a) the type of pads you are using or 2) the fluid is too old and has water in it.

My suggestion would be to skip the fancy brake lines and get a set of good combo street/track performance pads and flush the brake fluid.

The stainless steel jacketed (Teflon liner) brake lines are more for preventing one of the lines from failing during racing by being hot by some track debris than they are for improved braking. People will try to convince you that they will make the brakes more responsive because they don't expand as much under pressure, but the stock lines don't do that either, at least not if they are in decent shape.

-Fred W

Reply to
Malt_Hound

After taking those steps you could also look at adding some brake ducts to the fronts.

-Russ.

Reply to
Somebody

fluid.

I agree, the next step is maybe you could fit bigger brakes from say a

325i or even a 328i if your wheels are big enough.
Reply to
adder1969

well, there already are ducts for cooling the brakes, and wheels are 17" so I might consider putting a 325 brakes, or change the fluid as Malt said. But there shouldn't be a problem with brake pads, since they're new, I bought them and installed last week, it's Lockheed. And, when I drive hard and brake hard, they start smoking white smoke and smell bad, but also they lose their efficiency and I have to press them even harder to stop.

Reply to
J.G.

BINGO! I think you have just diagnosed your own problem. Whenever troubleshooting any kind of problem, be it automotive or electric, electronic, whatever, always suspect the MRFWU.

If you just recently replaced the pads and now they are smoking (sign of excess heat) and do not seem to stop the car fast enough, wouldn't you suspect the new pads first?

Or was the problem there prior to the pad change last week?

-Fred W

MRFWU = Most Recently F***ed With Unit(s)

Reply to
Malt_Hound

Brakes brake poorly whenever the car is driven hard. It's got nothing to do with new pads, he braked poorly with old pads as well as with new ones. Thus, I believe the problem generally is in - poor brake system which was not designed for hard driving, in my opinion. After all, it is a 320i limousine, not an M3 :-) It's probably one of the "flaws", so now I must consider improving the brakes. Maybe the best thing to do would be to buy new drilled front discs?

Reply to
J.G.

Your problem could be a simple as lousy pad choice. Try a set of Repco/Axxis/PBR Metalmasters for a more aggressive street pad. I've used them for years on OEM rotors and been quite satisfied. They're a bit marginal on track, but for street use, I love 'em.

The other thing that occurs to me is that you may not have properly bedded in your pads. If you glazed them, they're trashed already. If you switch to Metalmasters, be *sure* to follow the procedures for bedding them in.

-- C.R. Krieger (Been there; done that)

Reply to
C.R. Krieger

where I live there are no "metalmasters" etc., but only the most common brands such as brembo, lockheed, etc.

might be, but I still think that problem is in poor cooling which may be solved by either drilled discs or change of complete system :-( because, pads I had before had shown similar behavior when pushed hard

Reply to
J.G.

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