[nbesheer]

Okay so about 6k miles ago I did a 4 wheel brake job, Including
Stoptech SP pads
BMW Performance Rotors
BMW Brake fluid flush
BMW caliper rebuild kits
BMW Brake lines
Pad sensor (rear)
cleaned guide pins and mating serfaces

Brakes were alright at first and got better after a bed in process from zeckhausen. Then after a thousand more miles I did it again but after I was done I think my brakes were still too hot to stop so I started it back up and drove around till they cooled. about a week or so later I started getting little shakes that progressively got worse. so per or threads I did the bed in again and it was great for a day and then i got little shakes again that progressively got worse. after a while I did this whole process Again, but with more hard stops to try and grind off any residue and same result.

I know FCABS can do this too, however I don't think the cab related shaking would improve with bedding. but I've ordered new Arms and bushing anyways just to be sure.

So now when they come in the mail I plan on checking out my front brakes at the same time, hopefully reseating parts or something might help. But what can I look for that could be causing it as I'm not 100% positive the rotors have pad deposits. And if they in fact do, being 6k old would I be able to get them turned just enough to even em up or are these badboys gonna be trash :/


EDIT: When I felt the brakes were too hot to park. I had parked gotten out, heard ticking, got back in and drove away. The time it took to do that is how long the car was stopped for.

 

[Mango]

You should be fine once you replace your arms and bushings. I hope the new arms have their bushings pressed on already. Make sure you wirewheel/clean/scrub any rust or surface abnormalities from wheel to hub mounting surfaces. Make sure everything is perfectly clean

I torture my brakes on a daily basis and did all the above I am recommending to you. They're as solid and stable as a gps-guided missle

BTW, where did you get your bmw performance rotors?

 

[nbesheer]

Well have a bone to pick with www.oembimmerparts.com I ordered meyle HD control arms/bushings 14 hours ago and they're here already. and I can't help but start even though I know I won't be finished till monday with work and everything else I have to do haha. Good thing for second cars. But while I'm at it I'll go through and clean things up.

 

[Mango]

I think that was my experience too. Ordered from OEMbimmerparts and my parts arrived SAME DAY

 

[nbesheer]

E46Mango has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space.

Ok if I free spin the rotors they 'bind' in the same spot every time. I took them off and cleaned the mating surfaces and they no longer bind. but i'm not sure if the pads got compressed ever so slightly to allow it to free spin. I'll report on that in a couple days I guess.

 

[E46330iguy]

Ok if I free spin the rotors they 'bind' in the same spot every time. I took them off and cleaned the mating surfaces and they no longer bind. but i'm not sure if the pads got compressed ever so slightly to allow it to free spin. I'll report on that in a couple days I guess.

If you cant see any residue on the Rotor then you dont have any, If you say you cleaned off the mating surfaces and it went away thats most likely It. As far as harming breaks just driving around is pretty hard with these cars. Abusing these Brakes in the city isnt really Abuse for them at all.

 

[nbesheer]

Ok during reinstall of the CA's I was hand tightening the bushing lollipop bolt with a socket on it till it got 'tight' and apparently cross threaded it. the damage is about 2 or 3 threads deep. if I get everything lined up a new bolt doesn't go in easily so i wanna clean it up. will renting something like this do the trick http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...-26vd?itemIdentifier=391372_0_0_&target=shelf
or should I buy this http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...d-die-set/_/N-25ez?itemIdentifier=864651_0_0_ or will both do the same thing ? I've never done this type of repair before and i don't know the thread size, just that it's metric.

 

[E46330iguy]

Looks like the first one you linked has more taps and dies, Its not hard to do just make sure everything os straight , You may want to look up a DIY on youtube , I will explain it best i can on here though,

Once you have the correct tap make sure you line it up square, If you havent damaged the first few threads you might be able to start it like a normal bolt thats even better. Once you start it just screw it in and cut the threads down, Once you have fixed the threads twist it back and for quickly a few times to polish them up a bit and your done Remember this is for fixing threads, if you are making brand new ones there is a slightly different procedure to follow, You may PM me if you need to drill it out and make brand new ones . , You have to remember that the tap you are using is High carbon hardened steel about 4% carbon, and can shatter just by dropping them so be careful.

 

[nbesheer]

Ok,wasn't too much damage took less than a minute to clean the threads up. for reference they're M10x1.5 threads.
Now I just have to clean the brake rotors off, install the wheels, preload the suspension and tighten everything up, replace the support brace with NEW bolts and off to get an alignment. and hopefully the shakes are gone.

 

[Mango]

What do you mean preload the suspension?on E46 vehicles, nothing needs preload treatment except the RTABs

 

[nbesheer]

Well I did a lot of reading and it seemed a ton of people said it had to be preloaded, and and ton more said it didn't so I wasn't too sure and was just going to do it just in case.

 

[nbesheer]

Alright, got everything aligned and the car works great, no more shakes and drives perfectly. I'm not sure why bedding the brakes would help with the shaking but oh well. And just a tip for future DIY'ers the brake dust shield on both wheels got bent into the rotors during ball joint removal, making a crazy loud noise while driving, so make sure your shields aren't making contact with the rotors.

 

[rkreimer10]

I have the exact same problem. My first brake job consisted of meyle rotors and pbr ceramic pads. After about 2000 miles the vibrations started. So I tried rebedding my brakes with no real success. So I thought I Figures it was a calliper that was frozen so the second tim doing my brakes I did: Stainless steel brake lines, New Meyle rotors, Remaned calipers all the way around, fcab, and sanded down my ceramic brakes flat as they have a lot of life left. I rebed my brakes and things felt amazing. then an alignment. I did this last job in january. The shakes started again last month, About 2500ish miles.

I did not replace the control arms because when the front wheels were off the ground I could not budge the wheels when shaking them from top to bottom or side to side.

(not sure if this is related, because the shaking would go away right after I replaced the brakes) I also noticed a slight issue with the tightness of steering when at higher speeds after I replaced the fcab. The car feels like Its beeing blown by strong gusts of wind. I think this may have to do with struts/shocks, springs and front upper strut mounts starting to go.

Its all just so frustrating!!!!

 

[Mango]

I have the exact same problem. My first brake job consisted of meyle rotors and pbr ceramic pads. After about 2000 miles the vibrations started. So I tried rebedding my brakes with no real success. So I thought I Figures it was a calliper that was frozen so the second tim doing my brakes I did: Stainless steel brake lines, New Meyle rotors, Remaned calipers all the way around, fcab, and sanded down my ceramic brakes flat as they have a lot of life left. I rebed my brakes and things felt amazing. then an alignment. I did this last job in january. The shakes started again last month, About 2500ish miles.

I did not replace the control arms because when the front wheels were off the ground I could not budge the wheels when shaking them from top to bottom or side to side.

(not sure if this is related, because the shaking would go away right after I replaced the brakes) I also noticed a slight issue with the tightness of steering when at higher speeds after I replaced the fcab. The car feels like Its beeing blown by strong gusts of wind. I think this may have to do with struts/shocks, springs and front upper strut mounts starting to go.

Its all just so frustrating!!!!

Replace your CABs.

 

[rkreimer10]

Replace your CABs.

Both front and rears have been replaced along with every bushing, ball joint, and mount in the rear end. :banghead:

 

[rkreimer10]

Could it be that I need to replace my control arms and and tie rod ends too?

 

[zander271]

OP Let me save you the trouble " Rebuild your brake calipers"

I had the exact same problem coupled with failed meyles.

You have 2 stickly calipers that is consitantly causing crap to build up on them(Look for black streaks on your rotors). Do a rebuild on both cost for me was just under 30 dollars, and replace your rotors.

 

[rkreimer10]

I replaced the calipers with remanned ones. what rotors did you use after the meyle's?

 

[rkreimer10]

OP Let me save you the trouble " Rebuild your brake calipers"

I had the exact same problem coupled with failed meyles.

You have 2 stickly calipers that is consitantly causing crap to build up on them(Look for black streaks on your rotors). Do a rebuild on both cost for me was just under 30 dollars, and replace your rotors.

So I jacked up the front end and found that my front passenger rotor was warped. I had it turned rebed my brakes and shakes are gone.

You said you had failed meyles? What rotors did you go with after them? Is this a problem with certain rotors that they warp easier than others? I just want to be able to go more than 3 months without having to work on any part of my breaks!

 

[zander271]

I got another pair for crossed drilled zimmerman's. The last pair was slotted by the company I purchased it from, basicly making the rotor weaker. So at least that bit of the problem was from me being an idoit and not reading completely what I was buying.:facepalm: