Dial gauge for brakes

Nov 28, 2006 8 Replies

I'm planning to service the brakes on my '98 M3.



I'd like to get a good quality dial gauge to check rotor run out, and a clamp to keep the gauge steady. I've seen pictures of a Honda clamp which is basically a flexible arm which attaches to the vehicle near the wheel, with the gauge attached to the other end of the arm.



Does BMW make something similar? Or can anyone recommend a specific make/model of a clamp/gauge set?



Thanks



Exactly. And it can be found on any decent tool site...

Don't overengineer this.

All you need is something you can attach in a way it doesn't move under the small pressures needed to deflect dial indicator's plunger. A magnetic base is fine and you could probably put it on the strut, at least in the front; a clamp base is also fine so long as something in the vicinity is within the range of the clamp's jaws. Both kinds of adjustments (rods with clamps and flexible goosenecks) are likewise fine. If all else fails you can attach the thing to the floor jack and still get a good reading for disk runout.

Mine's got a magnetic base and rods and clamps, but only because that's what was available where I bought it 25 years ago or so. I've never failed to find a way to use it when I needed it but YMMV.

JRE

I always used an axle stand and a screwdriver. Discs are either true or they're not. In my experience most problems diagnosed as warped discs actually turn out to be suspension wear usually in the bushes.

yer ideal instrument

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