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The JCW calipers are fine for street and light to moderate track work as long as you're running good rotors and pads. (And good, fresh fluid as well.)
Larger calipers often require different, larger diameter wheels. My preference would be Stoptech over Wilwood. But both can be pricey.
For the money, get JCW calipers, get the larger (necessary) rotors from Centric/Stoptech (Powerslot rotors - no holes), and you'll likely need new lines. Make the SS while you're at it.
I think you'll be very happy with the JCW stuff for most uses.
The JCW calipers are fine for street and light to moderate track work as long as you're running good rotors and pads. (And good, fresh fluid as well.)
Larger calipers often require different, larger diameter wheels. My preference would be Stoptech over Wilwood. But both can be pricey.
For the money, get JCW calipers, get the larger (necessary) rotors from Centric/Stoptech (Powerslot rotors - no holes), and you'll likely need new lines. Make the SS while you're at it.
I think you'll be very happy with the JCW stuff for most uses.
Also, what ss lines do i need? For r53 or r56? I might be able to get a jcw calipers for about 120 dollars
Update. I got the r53 jcw calipers for almost 60 dollars.
Do i have to buy something like a rebuild kit for this or grease or whatever? It doesnt have any pads yet:(
Great thread! I can't believe it only took an hour to read all 178 posts.
I test drove an r56 about a month ago. Then I test drove and bought an r53 a few weeks later.
When I first drove the r56, the excellent feel of the brakes was a noticeable first impression it made -felt like effortless stopping power. Then driving the r53, it was more fun to me in every way, except the brakes not quite as good...... I'll be on the look out for some r56 front calipers. Seems the perfect solution for me.
Are the rear calipers also compatible to install off of a r56 to a r53? is there any difference besides a better caliper design?
Originally Posted by iceckid
The R53, and R56 rear brakes are the same as I recall.
They are the same rotor size, different calipers and pads (because of the different rotor design). However, if you have a R53, there is no reason to upgrade to an R56 rear brake, even if you upgrade the front brakes to the R56 S model.
I'm not sure that I'm interested in this anymore. I agree with what another guy said about the r56 brakes, "It's the strong initial bite that's impressive"
Well I read somewhere else that r56 master cylinder is different too. I have no doubt that it would work okay without changing the MC, but I also understand that the relationship between master cylinder bore size, caliper piston size, volume of fluid needed to actuate the brakes, the length of the pedal, and the assist from the vacuume are all carefully calculated to give the driver a certain amount of clamping power on the brake disk for x amount of pressure exerted on the brake pedal. This is the effortless feeling I noticed, it's all about leverage (or psi since its hydraulic)
Anyway, I noticed that my r53 brakes are actually pretty awesome as is. Ive been getting in to them a little more as i get used to my new r53. The pedal is hard and i think i like that feedback and comtroll better now than the initial bite i felt in the r56. R53 brakes have no problem hauling the car down from speed quickly.
Dude they are horrid.
I used to set mine on fire all the time.
Just means your not trying very hard or you have a very stock car.
When i was around 220 hp i found them hugely awful. I am at 270 now...
The R56S rear brakes are a bit bigger and have twice the pad area.
You will need to slightly notch the rear trailing arm to get the fluid line into the caliper.
Dude they are horrid.
I used to set mine on fire all the time.
Just means your not trying very hard or you have a very stock car.
When i was around 220 hp i found them hugely awful. I am at 270 now...
The R56S rear brakes are a bit bigger and have twice the pad area.
You will need to slightly notch the rear trailing arm to get the fluid line into the caliper.
Yea I got mine to fade very quickly even when I was stock, stock breaks suck on a mini, at least compared to the way other cars from BMW usually hold up.
Dude they are horrid.
I used to set mine on fire all the time.
Just means your not trying very hard or you have a very stock car.
When i was around 220 hp i found them hugely awful. I am at 270 now...
The R56S rear brakes are a bit bigger and have twice the pad area.
You will need to slightly notch the rear trailing arm to get the fluid line into the caliper.
What was catching on fire? I have heard of this happening when people used the wrong pad at the track. I have also seen the R53 brakes used on the track in 208 WHP MINI with no problems.
Originally Posted by tremperj
If I didnt get a great deal on R56 rotors/calipers/pads combo, I would go with a better brake setup like StopTech or Wilwood.
Deleted...Sorry misread your post...Ya, you want to get a good deal on them.
Last edited by Eddie07S; Apr 22, 2013 at 05:27 PM.
Reason: error in post.
Can the R56 or F56 JCW BBK fit on a R53. I have been looking to upgrade my brakes. Was looking to after market calipers, but as far as i know i would be stuck getting there pads only, So i figure if i get JCW BBKs then i wouldn't have that problem. I currently own a R56 CS (My DD) and just got a R53 CS for track. I got the car with goodies already installed but no brake updates.
Can the R56 or F56 JCW BBK fit on a R53. I have been looking to upgrade my brakes. Was looking to after market calipers, but as far as i know i would be stuck getting there pads only, So i figure if i get JCW BBKs then i wouldn't have that problem. I currently own a R56 CS (My DD) and just got a R53 CS for track. I got the car with goodies already installed but no brake updates.
Look at the post directly above yours.
Yes you can use the R56 Brembo fronts on your R53. But they aren't as good as say a Stoptech or AP Racing BBK. Many aftermarket BBKs use common pad shapes so there will be plenty of pads available (sometimes cheaper than OEM fitment).
Shoot me a pm and i can help you with what i did on my R52. I would also get at least new stock size pads and rotors for the back, when you put the 4 pots on the front new on older rotor pads in the back it tends to nose dive a hair, when i did my rears a week later , it balance out a bit.
We also have stoptech BBK and brembo BBK options here:
I'm upgrading my R53 to (used, $300) R56 MCS brakes - as in, TODAY, RIGHT NOW I am doing it - along with SS brake lines, adjustable camber plates, and a Bilstein PSS10 suspension while I'm in there for mixed street/track use. I intend to use stock pads for street and switch to Carbotech XP10 pads for track days.
It's all going together really nicely even the R53 pad wear sensor fits the R56 MCS pads. I can say that without fear of karmic korrection because I paid karma forward on the disassembly (sheared off the head of one of the lower strut mount pinch bolts - you can do the math if you're familiar with the project).
Generally speaking all the JCW stuff become much of the base brakes in future generations with 'new' JCW stuff taking the lead (ie. up charge) roll. Thus back dating onto older platforms has been popular for 10+ years.
Functionally the larger parts are always better than what was on there. Still until you get to the more 'hard core' designs (four pots, big rotors) most still come up short for extended hard use or open track days. If that's not your thing...no problemo. The new parts will treat you well.
On the flip side (used ebay finds aside) the cost of doing some of this combined with new parts and ss flex hoses can often put the buyer only a couple bucks short of the full four pot 12.2" Wilwood kit. Inherently superior performance out of the box and all 100% new parts. True....not everyone want to fork out the extra costs but the value can outweigh the money to an extent also.
