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And then there is always the ss brake line kits available from www.Outmotoring.com ( May even be a set for sale today in the Marketplace )
Brake Fluid MINI uses here at Inskip also comes with a 2 year warranty on brake parts/labor......They will do a flush of the system same time. IMO I would stick with what they use.
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2003 R53 - DS - 135K + Miles
Parts of MINI NOT Modded ( A Shorter List ) Block/Head/HK Stereo.
That's a ridiiculous price. For 1200 bucks, which is the total of what you're paying for front and rear, you could get an entire (and better) BBK.
If you track the car, don't get slotted rotors. They're just bling, don't add anything for performance (slotted is more debatable), and, more importantly, prone to cracking. If you're just driving it on the street, drilled is fine.
Stainless steel lines don't improve braking ability, but they do improve brake feel. If you track the car, it's worthwhile, if not, I wouldn't bother. (I recently had a brake line rubbing on the track--had it not been stainless steel, it probably would have been toast. So there is a safety measure there too.).
If you're in the least bit handy, I'd recommend doing the work yourself. Better than OEM rear rotors can be had for less than a hundred bucks (TSW), it's an easy installation. Fronts for the JCW are a bit more, shop around, but you're going to save so much money on what's a relatively easy job, it's worth it (Many DYI's on brakes here).
Pad choice and brake fluid really depends on what you do with the car.
I recently did my front brakes. I bought Centric Rotors and Hawk HPS Street pads from Tirerack, plus I picked up a new sensor from Rockauto. I think everything in total cost me around 240 including two shipping fees.
Rear Centric rotors and Hawk HPS Street pads would run 135 + shipping.
The rears require some additional work since you need to rotate the piston while compressing, but you can get a tool for ~20.00 to do the job.
You might want to take the car elsewhere and get the brake fluid flushed and bled properly as it's a tough 1 man job.
1200 sounds like a HUGE rip off
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2006 MCS JCW - Alta JCW Filter, Alta Short Shift Kit, GP Intercooler, Bilstein PSS9s, Camber Plates, Hotchkis Rear Control Arms, Joey Moded Xenons, Blacked-out Belt Line, Aero Grill, DT BBK, DT SS lines, DT Rear Caliper insersts, Ireland poly motor/gearbox inserts, Silicone Radiator Hoses Pending - Boost gauge, Wireless Auto-Up Sunroof/Window controls.
Actually bleeding the brakes is a piece of cake with a motive pressure bleeder, they cost about 60 bucks, with a pressure bleeder it's an easy one man job. On the other hand, any brake shop should be able to flush the brake lines for a reasonable price, just stay away from the dealer....
I put new pads and rotors on my '03 JCW last week, and since I've done several of these jobs for other club members I'm pretty used to the procedure. I swear, if I had a lift to get the car up off the ground I could change all 4 in less than 2 hours, easily. I spent as much time carefully jacking the car up and down on each side and removing/replacing the wheels as I did changing the pads and rotors.
This is one of the easiest jobs to DIY there is on the MINI, but it does require a few tools and techniques. For example, the Torx screws that hold the rotor in place (just a locator, the wheel nuts acturally hold the rotor on) tend to rust in and you need the right size Torx driver to remove them. I used my impact wrench set on low and they came right out (I did put some antisieze on them on installation for the next time) but if you don't have one they can be tough to remove if they're rusted badly. Soaking overnight with rust penetrant usually works tho......
You also need a 7mm allen to remove the caliper pins, and the aforementioned Harbor Freight tool to turn the rear pistons back in, plus various and sundry other metric sockets and such. However, it's very do-able, and I never have a problem buying new tools!
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'09 LB/LB Clubman S
'69 Jaguar XK-E
'04 Audi Allroad Twin-Turbo
MMC#580
You might want to check minimania.com because they are having a sale and if you call they might be able to give you a deal. If you go to their website, go to the suspension/brake upgrade section and then look for JCW Brakes (towards the bottom of the page of all their brake items). They have about 5 different JCW brake options (all 4 wheels) ranging in price from $660 - $825. I would call to see what price reduction they will offer.
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2006 MCS JCW GP #1405: Adj Front Camber Plates, 19mm Rear Sway Bar, MM Front Lower Brace, Milltek Cat-Back, TCE 13" Front/11.75" Rear BBK, 15mm Spacers, Wheel Studs, JCM Modified Intake, MM Filter, Gauges
I put new pads and rotors on my '03 JCW last week, and since I've done several of these jobs for other club members I'm pretty used to the procedure. I swear, if I had a lift to get the car up off the ground I could change all 4 in less than 2 hours, easily. I spent as much time carefully jacking the car up and down on each side and removing/replacing the wheels as I did changing the pads and rotors.
This is one of the easiest jobs to DIY there is on the MINI, but it does require a few tools and techniques. For example, the Torx screws that hold the rotor in place (just a locator, the wheel nuts acturally hold the rotor on) tend to rust in and you need the right size Torx driver to remove them. I used my impact wrench set on low and they came right out (I did put some antisieze on them on installation for the next time) but if you don't have one they can be tough to remove if they're rusted badly. Soaking overnight with rust penetrant usually works tho......
You also need a 7mm allen to remove the caliper pins, and the aforementioned Harbor Freight tool to turn the rear pistons back in, plus various and sundry other metric sockets and such. However, it's very do-able, and I never have a problem buying new tools!
Hey MINIDave,
This is a tad off-topic but i have looked everywhere for an answer to this. (and according to gmedeja- "MINIDave knows")
i am having a JCW brake kit installed on my 03 MSC next week. I have been told that with the correct spacers and lugs i can still use my 15" snows. Would you happen to know what size spacers and lugs to use?
Or can you at least point me in the right direction?
That's a ridiiculous price. For 1200 bucks, which is the total of what you're paying for front and rear, you could get an entire (and better) BBK.
If you track the car, don't get slotted rotors. They're just bling, don't add anything for performance (slotted is more debatable), and, more importantly, prone to cracking. If you're just driving it on the street, drilled is fine.
Stainless steel lines don't improve braking ability, but they do improve brake feel. If you track the car, it's worthwhile, if not, I wouldn't bother. (I recently had a brake line rubbing on the track--had it not been stainless steel, it probably would have been toast. So there is a safety measure there too.).
If you're in the least bit handy, I'd recommend doing the work yourself. Better than OEM rear rotors can be had for less than a hundred bucks (TSW), it's an easy installation. Fronts for the JCW are a bit more, shop around, but you're going to save so much money on what's a relatively easy job, it's worth it (Many DYI's on brakes here).
Pad choice and brake fluid really depends on what you do with the car.
If you bothered to read his first sentence before spouting off your nonsense about Brembo's......which are terrible on the track btw....
The MINI he is writing about is one he is LOOKING AT TO PURCHASE which ALREADY HAS JCW BRAKES IN need of service....
Try reading the OP again.
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2003 R53 - DS - 135K + Miles
Parts of MINI NOT Modded ( A Shorter List ) Block/Head/HK Stereo.
For context for the Dealer's (outrageous) quote, you can find a pair of front & rear brake wear sensors for $17 on eBay. And in general, disk brakes are one of the easier things to do on any car.
If you can get the seller to take off the $1200 the dealer quoted you from the selling price, awesome. But you can replace all the rotors, pads and the inexpensive sensors for far, far less than that, in just a couple hours of work in your driveway.
Brake Pad (front pads) How-to (By OctaneGuy)
Brake Pad (rear pads) How-to (new by OctaneGuy)
(and as others have mentioned, for $1200 you can buy a very, very nice set of high-performance big brakes -- oversized rotors, pads and calipers with steel brake lines, which combined with some decent tires will suck the eyeballs right out of your face when you step on the brake pedal! )
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((as much as i hate to admit it, i'm sometimes wrong. corrections are welcome!))
.....Since I'll be doing a brake service anyway...
Here's a suggestion that you should consider. Purchase a set of jack stands, impact screwdriver for the stud, a set of Harbor Freight caliper tools and the key for the pins. Buy the OEM rotors and get either OEM JCW pads or Hawk HPS pads which are similar but give off less dust. I also like the SS speed bleeders to make bleeding easier. Use ATW blue fluid and next time get the gold. A pressure bleeder is nice if you think you'll do the brakes again.
Read the directions. Start in the morning on a nice day. Take your time. Find someone local that you can call in an emergency or pay him/her to sit watch and help if necessary. A beer or lunch would be the requisite payment.
The feeling you will have mid afternoon when you are done will be priceless. And the next time you do it, you'll have it done in less than two hours. It should be said brakes are the most straightforward easiest job to do. Rotate the tires while you are at it.
Where do you live? You may have a Mini or BMW club that will lend you the tools and the expertise if you ask.
If you bothered to read his first sentence before spouting off your nonsense about Brembo's......which are terrible on the track btw....
The MINI he is writing about is one he is LOOKING AT TO PURCHASE which ALREADY HAS JCW BRAKES IN need of service....
Try reading the OP again.
Never did I say anything about Brembo's...Maybe you should read MY post a little more clearly before spouting off nonsense about my posts?
Yes, I clearly understood he already had the setup--my point was you can get a brand new BETTER setup for the price of the replacement parts for the JCW kit. Should be an obvious point, but I guess it needs emphasis. I then recommended he just buy the rotors and install them himself, I don't recall recommending he buy a whole new kit. I don't recall that because, well, I didn't recommend that at all....
As for the track, I've run the JCW setup before going to what I have now, I know what it can (and can't) do. What I run now is not even in the same league.
Next time maybe try taking your medication before posting?
nonsense about Brembo's......which are terrible on the track btw....
Why are Brembo's terrible on track?
You could also consider using Ford HEAVY DUTY brake fluid. Works just as well as the more expensive stuff (on track too!) and you can get it at any Ford dealer. It comes in a blue metal can.
Anyone have a part # for the Hawk HPS front pads? And rear for that matter...... I've been on a couple of sites and they list the same part # as a regular MCS . I've also considered Carbotech ceramic bobcats. Thanks in advance
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2006 MCS JCW #20/64 Competiton Edition (Canada's version of the GP but only 64), JCW Suspension, JCW Brakes, JCW Body kit, JCW Engine & exhaust with JCW header, ITG Filter, Brisk Plugs, RMW Tuned @ 196WHP, JCW CF dash, shifter and ebrake handle. English Panther Leather, full load, JCW R112 Challenge wheels summer and R98 webspokes winter {sig pic by COOPERation}
Yep, the only difference on the rears for the JCW's is the pad material, the brake caliper itself is exactly the same, so the Hawk's would be the same on the rears regardless of wether it's JCW or not.
I haven't tried the Hawk's, but I can vouch for the carbotech's--they are a bit pricey, but very gentle on the rotors (although rear rotors are pretty cheap), and low dust. I currently use XP 10's or 8's on the rear (depends on the track), and I just leave them on during the summer, and put street pads (bobcats) back on after track season. Even the track pads are gentle on the rotors, the bobcats are low dust too, it's my favorite street pad that I've tried so far. In fact I'm going back to carbotech for both street and track pads for the fronts next year as well (TSW BDM brake kit). You can get carbotechs for the JCW kit (front brakes) too, I believe Dustin (autoxcooper) has them.
For the Hawk HB560x.677 pads, x can be various letters, which indicate the different compounds:
F is the HPS Performance Street
G is the DTC-60 Race
N is HP Plus
Z is Performance Ceramic
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2006 MCS JCW GP #1405: Adj Front Camber Plates, 19mm Rear Sway Bar, MM Front Lower Brace, Milltek Cat-Back, TCE 13" Front/11.75" Rear BBK, 15mm Spacers, Wheel Studs, JCM Modified Intake, MM Filter, Gauges
if the dealer said the price included new sensors but the wear was "pads are low, almost (sic) to the sensor" then you should go someplace else for an evaluation cuz they is blowing smoke up your tail pipe.
The sensor is a consumable. If the warning light for brake wear has not come on, which it would not for wear ALMOST to the sensor, then there is nothing wrong with the sensor and it does not need to be changed. btw there is only one sensor per axle - front left and right rear wheels.
I realize this is an old post and info for OP is prob'ly OBE but for other readers FYI . . .
The problem is oftentimes the sensor gets broken while removing it. not every time, but often enough... you should include replacements in your estimates just in case...
Most effective and least expense brake upgrade for ANY Mini, JCW or not;
EBC Yellow pads. Super Blue Brake fluid. If you track your Mini-I recommend Stainless brake lines for incredible brake modulation. Stock brake lines on the track are like having sex with a condom....no feedback.
IN need of service....
)
. I've also considered Carbotech ceramic bobcats. Thanks in advance
'79; 02 S {02 - 09}, 07 S
