In the spring I upgraded my front brakes to the R56 but when I went to install my 15” winter wheels they don’t fit over the calipers. So although I tossed the R53 calipers I had to purchase new ones and installed them over the R56 rotors. The brakes feel slightly different and want to make sure it’s ok to use.

 

I believe the rotors are slightly larger, 294mm vs 276 mm so if you just put the R53 caliper on you are not using all of the rotor surface.
Also, it may not be lined up on to the shiny surface and on the edges of the pad travel area. Frankly, I didn't know you could put r53 calipers onto the R56 caliper bracket.

 

You need matching r53 rotors. R56 calipers will not fit over some 16 inch rims. 15 is a hard no. Not sure what will happen like this, but you might need new pads too

 

Here are r56 JCW calipers on factory bbs R90 17x7 with 15mm spacers

 

I have the same wheels that I’m removing for winter this the smaller wheels.

 

No I removed the whole R56 caliper and bolted the R53s back on with the correct brake line.

 

I would suggest getting the proper r53 rotors and saving the r56 rotors for when you switch back in the spring. Or get some 17" winter wheels and tires.

 

In bold above - I "think...that you may mean that the R56 caliper will not fit..."inside" of some 16" wheels. The tire fit's "over" the wheel rim !
I know that all or most all of the OEM, 16" wheels fits over the R56 caliper.

Mike

 

Actually my 15” will fit over the R56 caliper but the wheel weights hit so that’s how tight it is. Aftermarket wheel of coarse.

 

I’ll clarify a bit. Of the old r53 rims, there was only one or two that fit over the original r53 JCW brakes - which is what r56 brakes are. I have an 05 r53, and I also run dedicated snows. This is the only reason I’ve not updated to r56 front calipers.

 

Those 15mm spacers look great on your Mini but, are you running coilovers which require the need for the spacers?

 

I don't think using R53 calipers with R56 rotors is a good idea, if nothing else, it seems like it'll trash your rotors and mean you'll have to buy a new set when you go back to the R56 calipers.



Have you thought about switching to the wheel weights that crimp onto the edge of the rim instead of the stick on weights? might solve multiple problems for you.


Another solution that might work and be less work is using the R56 non S rotors and caliper bracket (carrier?) You can use the same calipers so you won't have to swap those out nor bleed the lines, but they're slightly smaller in diameter and so they might fit under your winter wheels and then you can swap back to the S brackets and rotors in the summer.

 

Hmm good ideas! Can’t use the clip on weights cause the N90 wheels have no lip but the non s calipers might work.