I heard that its a good upgrade to swap our r53 brakes with an r56 system, but what does it include? is it everything from the calipers to the pads? From what Ive been told its a direct replacement but has anyone ever done this?

 

i am curious as well

 

Depends how you buy it....
You need the calipers, pads, brackets ( pretty sure), rotors and hoses...
Result is the same as gen1 JCW, minus the red paint....
For a long time folks bought the entire batch of parts (minus the hoses) from folks going to a bbk with a brand new, car...so everything was good reuse....

 

I did this mod on my car about 8 months ago .

I bought some gently used R56 MCS front calipers and rotors from someone here on NAM, and they're a direct bolt-on for the R53. The "S" calipers for R56's are exactly the same as the JCW brake kit from the same era as my R53. So in short, I was installing the period-correct JCW brake kit for my car.

When I got them, I had them powder coated red for only $60, and they bolted right in.

But instead of using the stock, rusty rotors, I bought some new R56 "S" model aftermarket PowerSlot rotors and EBC Redstuff pads, too. And while I was at it, I also got R56 "S" aftermarket stainless steel brake lines for the front calipers, which also bolted right up. There were no fitment issues, no fabricating anything, no bending anything, no problems, man!

The key is to be sure you get the R56 "S" model calipers, and corresponding rotors and pads. You have to keep it all straight, because the sizes are all different between R56 and R53.

Note: the rear calipers weren't worth swapping out, because they're the same for both the R53 "S" and R56 "S", so I kept what I already had back there, as far as calipers go. But since I was adding all new parts up front, I went with matching PowerSlot rear rotors, and EBC red stuff pads in the back, too. (I already had R53 stainless lines back there, btw).

So now I have a nice upgraded brake system for the street, but didn't need to spend a fortune.

 

exactly what I needed to know! How do you like it? How bigs the difference

 

One reminder....
The gen1 JCW rotor/gen2 r56 S ROTOR IS BIGGER....so to use this kit, you MUST move to the larger diameter rotors....you cannot reuse your gen1 stock rotors (aka rusty old rotors).....

 

Well, I haven't been able to autocross the car this year, (too busy, unfortunately). On the street, in the twisties, I honestly cannot tell a difference from behind the wheel, sadly, but not unexpectedly.

If I were to flog the car on a track, where I'm really punishing the brakes, I might be able to see a difference, maybe with less brake fade, for longer time. But I simply don't have the time and means to do so.

So, the only real benefit is that it adds visual cool factor to my car. It's an ego thing, (especially in going the extra step and getting them powder coated red).

All I know is that ultimately, I feel good when I look at those red calipers and bigger, slotted rotors underneath the spokes. It really does a lot to dress up the car. I'm no longer ashamed of my brakes.

(You must understand, previously, I had the stock R53 brake calipers, which, through many years of driving in winter, withstanding salted roads, slush, snow, etc., were rusty, nasty things that would be right at home on Mater from the Cars movies. And they stuck out like sore thumbs underneath my black wheel spokes. I got so fed up with looking at them, that I did this mod, and I'm very, happy with it).

So in summary, for my particular set of circumstances:
Any noticeable performance gains? No
Any regrets? Not one...

 

FWIW, depending upon your supplier and the total of the parts necessary to do so it might be nearly equally the cost, or near to it, to do a caliper kit or even a full BBK. Used parts notwithstanding of course, you can even get the ss hoses with the front kits as part of it.

 

This is a pretty easy swap. Like they said you just need a good set of used R56 S front calipers.
Then we used our WMW R56 S rotors, and some EBC Red pads which made it pretty cost effective.

 

I just did this two weekends ago, very straightforward swap. You'll need:

R56 calipers+caliper brackets
R56 rotors
R56 pads
R56 brake lines -> I paid $50 w/ shipping for 2 Stoptech stainless braided lines

 

It's the carrier bracket that is really expensive.

I thought I read somewhere that R56 calipers and R56S calipers are the same. The thing is that the "S" has larger rotors, and uses a different bracket to hold the caliper further out (in order to accommodate the larger rotor)

"IF" that's correct (experts please let me know) -then it explains why the Brackets for an R56S cost about twice as much as brackets for any other model. -This makes it a great upgrade for R56 Justa owners too... All they need is the bracket and larger rotors.

If I can find the r56s calipers "with brackets" at a junk yard, then it might work, but last time I worked it up on paper (with retail priced parts: new rotors, re-manned calipers, new caliper brackets, etc) it was like "For only a couple hundred more, I could get a BBK instead -which in my mind has a more attractive cost/benefit ratio.

 

There's a set of R56 calipers+caliper brackets for sale on ebay with 22k for $130 w/ shipping right now, item # 380716642939.

No affiliation w/ the seller, just reporting a good deal for someone to do the upgrade.

 

Crazy! I had a full set of brackets and calipers. Ran them in market place for a 3 months. no offers. I gave em away to a NAM member for the cost of shipping

 

Darn... Where was I ??

 

Maybe I missed the part where someone said it, but you need to be careful with this swap, as not all oem wheels fits with the larger brakes. Some may fits using spacers, you just need to check the list (from realoem):

- MINI Yours LA wheel Twin Blade Spoke
- MINI LA wheel 'Silver Shield'
- MINI LA wheel 'Infinite Stream Spoke'
- MINI LA wheel Twin Spoke red lining
- MINI LA wheel Flame Spoke 97
- MINI LA wheel, Crown spoke 104
- MINI LA wheel Black Star Bullet
- 17" light alloy crown spoke R104
- 17" light alloy flame spoke R97
- 17" WTW Cross Spoke R114
- 18" light alloy cross spoke R113
- 17" LAW Multi-Spoke R108
- 17" LA cross spoke challenge R112
- 17" WTW Flame Spoke R97

 

Considering that some 2nd gen S models came with 16" wheels, that list is rather incomplete. I'd think any OEM Mini 17" wheel can accomodate the R56 calipers & rotors. I've even seen 1st gen owners with the R84 16" wheels with the swap:

pics

 

I have the 07 r56 brakes on my 03, I have only ran 16 in wheels, without spacers
Konig feather , 16X7. BBS 16X7. With a 225 45 / 16s
I just search for 16 inch wheels for a 07