Aftermarket brake callipers or restore original ones

[Wookie_79]

Hi all,

Need to fix my front callipers.

Aftermarket are at a reasonable price or is it better to stick to originals just restore them. Restoration kit costs not much less than a new aftermarket callipers... what’s your thoughts and experiences please?

[Alan Gunn]

I have refurbished all 4 on my e53 for around £100 and not a massive job.
This is where i get the kit's from.
http://www.biggred.co.uk/

[X5Sport]

If you don’t have the tools then you can get perfectly good calipers from ECP or Carparts4less. I bought Pagid refurbed last year. Looked like brand new and not hugely expensive (compared to new) as long as you send the old ones back (or drop them off). I think X6 ones were about £100 a corner for the front, slightly less for the rear.

The only original parts I got were brand new mounting bolts from BMW as the book says replace them on the X6 and given they’re done up kind of tight, it makes sense. Not that you can find an open dealer at the moment though.

[Wookie_79]

I have refurbished all 4 on my e53 for around £100 and not a massive job.
This is where i get the kit's from.
http://www.biggred.co.uk/

Have you replaced just the rubber elements or the piston as well? Also have you respirated the callipers or just wore brushed them? What else have you replaced/fixed whilst at it? Thanks!

[Wookie_79]

So the callipers on eBay for about £40 are not worth it?

[Alan Gunn]

I have refurbished all 4 on my e53 for around £100 and not a massive job.
This is where i get the kit's from.
http://www.biggred.co.uk/

Have you replaced just the rubber elements or the piston as well? Also have you respirated the callipers or just wore brushed them? What else have you replaced/fixed whilst at it? Thanks!

The whole lot piston and any other parts that can be taken off you get all the parts in the kit.
Good clean up with wire brush.

[X5Sport]

So the callipers on eBay for about £40 are not worth it?

They might be absolutely OK but ... the time to find out they aren’t though could be the time that you really need them.

[Greydog]

What X5 Sport says is so scarily true!!

Brakes Steering Tyres all have to be the best you can afford

[Leslie]

You can get the kits from biggred as said but it can be a faf to get twin pistons out of some calipers and they do an exchange scheme which is cheap enough to save any hassle £125 a a pair plated in gold for twin piston ones like my e70 needs is a bargain