Hi Gang, I'm getting my 2004 R53 that I just bought inspected for roadworthy and it has both front and rear disc problems. What aftermarket upgraded disc rotors and pads can I get to get it fixed up so it's roadworthy?

I was going to go with BREMBO front and rear discs and pads. What other options are there? EBC? DBA?

Are the grooved and drilled discs a good upgrade? School me on brakes!

 

There is a lot to learn...

First, I have nothing negative to say about the 2004 MCS, just because it might need brakes wouldn't make for a bad car.

Second, do you want to simply put the car on the road safe and reliable? Then OEM brakes (BMW/MINI) or OEM replacement parts (found at Auto Zone, etc.) would be just fine and these tend to be the least expensive.

If your heart is set on a complete brake upgrade several considerations have to be taken in. Like... Start with budget, how much do you want to spend... the Brembo 6 piston kit with Stainless Steel lines and drilled and/or slotted rotors can be a bit pricey. Additionally these are BIG and require a larger wheel to be used (in most cases a 17 or 18 inch). Brembo also makes a 4 piston kit, slightly smaller both in size and cost, but wheel considerations must also be accorded. Then you can look at options by Wilwood, StopTech, and so on. And if push comes to shove with a little luck there is the used brake option... finding the JCW brakes from a parts recycle center (junk yard) these could be the standard JCW from the early MINIs or you could go with the newer version and retro fit them. Again wheel consideration must be made.

Bottom line it comes to YOUR personal preference and the depth of your pockets.

That being said... Brake Rotors... Solid/Cross Drilled/Slotted and combinations of them... each has identifiable characteristics and are suited for a range of applications... many crossed drilled and slotted rotors are done so for air flow ventilation to aid in the cooling of the surface of the rotor and to help dissipate the heat resulted in braking, but can cause reliability issues in cases of extreme applications in cases such as these racing for example dedicated air ducts and in some application fans provide a constant flow of air to the brakes to help cool them to help prevent the brakes from operating above optimal temperatures. (We are talking about metal fatigue in the rotors brake pad disintegration and some cases heat that can cause bearing grease to melt, ignite, and burn). The heat generated can also be so intense it causes brake fluid to boil, this is a reason for the constant research and updates to braking technologies.

Now for basic passenger car brakes, are OEM brake systems adequate? Yes they are for normal driving. for a car that will be tracked or raced OEM brakes may be inadequate for sessions of more than 20 minutes. (normal usage at extreme ranges will have noticeable brake fade (efficiency diminishes as the brakes reach temperatures above the normal operating range).

Upgraded Brakes - these normally consist of larger brake rotors (more surface area to create friction for stopping power, more surface area for quicker dissipation of heat). Lager Rotors allow for larger Calipers allowing for larger Brake Pads which allow for more friction surface and that is what causes braking. Stainless Steel Braked Hoses are used to replace the OEM reinforced rubber flexible lines, again as the brakes heat the fluid becomes hot the thermal reaction will cause the expansion of hoses increasing the ID (Inside Diameter) reducing the the available pressure the fluid can exert on the pistons casing reduced braking power (a contributing element of brake fade).
Brake Pad Materials, the physical composition of the combined materials used in the pad (the friction surface) these materials range for many applications from super quite and dustless to squealing and dust doesn't matter and you could write a book on these different compounds... bottom line here is application how are you going to use them. then matching the your brake pads to that use.

So what would I do to my 2004 MCSs for brakes if money was not an issue...

I would more than likely go with the JCW Brembo Big Brake Kit it is a 4 piston front, single piston rear. The kit comes with just about everything for $2000.00 and I would add the Stainless Steel Brake lines and drain and refill with MOTUL RBF 600 Racing Brake Fluid, and if you are tracking your car most Tech requirements include complete brake fluid flush every 3 months.

Anyway... I hope this helps.

Motor on!

 

Great info, JA! The use is just for street use, everyday driving. I'm an American in Australia so I'm totally familiar with Autozone! Here, we have REPCO and other smaller suppliers.

I'm going to chase up a JCW brake set from some wreckers but in the event that I have to get a set of Rotors and Pads (the roadworthy report is that the front and rear rotors are undersized) will the set of rotors and pads still work for a JCW set?

I do have 17" wheels.

 

I can only assume the "undersized" is referring to the thickness of the rotor ... that they are worn past the usable thickness.

So standard Pads and Rotors just to get the car on the road...Just as an example...

http://minisport.com.au/mini-front-b...-s-sold-single

http://minisport.com.au/mini-front-b...52a53-cooper-s

As for the JCW set... if you get the 2004 style JCW brake kit, then yes the OEM style will work, if you get the NEWER JCW Big Brake Kit then the proper rotors come with the kit.



Motor on!

 

I do not follow this. If the car was sold new in austrailia, the brakes were not undersized then. So what happened? How can they be now. Talk to a dealer. It sounds like an inspector has a hard on for minis. Why would you now need oversized brakes? Something aint right. Motor on.

 

The certificate of roadworthiness inspection report says:

Front disc rotor undersized
Rear disc rotor undersized
Engine oil leak
Powersteering fluid leak

But the pads were within spec....I took the car to a Euro car (Mini, BMW, Land Rover) specialist for the roadworthy.

 

I'm going to upgrade the rotors and pads to Brembo but I'm going to try and find used JCW calipers from a breaker. I don't want to redo anything until I have to have the clutch replaced and then I'll upgrade the exhaust, pulley and ignition coils at the same time.

 

Sounds like you have a good plan, get all the parts and pieces on hand and tackle it all at once.

The breakers is a great place to find a treasure trove of wonderful parts, also check your motor mounts and lower control arm bushings. If you are wondering I have 245K and 150K miles on my two 2004 R53s.

Motor on!

 

My suggestion...
Drilled rotors tend to crack...so avoid them...
Rotors with groves or slots...mostly for looks...but can shorten the life of some pads...and "whirr" when you apply the brakes....
So I might suggest stock/stock equivalent rotors for the calipers you go with, and new pads....
I have mixed feeling about brembo rotors.....only set I had that ever warped in 230,000 miles was brembo on the wife's highlander, and was the most $$.

 

Yea I'd skip the fancy drilled/slotted rotors unless you really want the looks for double the price. I've used them and found the solid face dissipate heat better, I like the Meyles from bavauto or the zimmermans from ecs. Pads are typically slotted anyways so you don't need slotted rotors, I like the Akebono ceramic pads.

 

End result is, I got Brembo Rotors (front and rear) and Akebono pads all around. $600AUD with sensors.

Oh man, the Mini I bought sight unseen is a bit of a basket case. I'll start a new thread.