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FCP Euro Service Kits

FCP Euro Kits

There are many priorities to the everyday driver. And among that list of priorities should be good, operational brakes.

If you've driven your brakes down considerably you may have triggered the brake pad wear sensor, in which case a red light on the dashboard will be illuminated. If this is true for you, you will need to replace the brake pad wear sensor. It usually comes with the brakes pads when you buy a set. Failure to replace pads soon after light illuminates can result in metal on metal contact with the rotor, requiring replacement of the rotor. Also there is only 1 brake pad sensor on the front, so if the side you start on doesn't have the sensor, it will be on the opposite wheel.

Parts Required:

  • New Set of Brake Pads (Front)*
  • New Set of Front Rotors*
  • New Brake pad wear sensor (if needed)

*I recommend Bosch Quietcast Rotors and Brake Pads. They are a perfect stock replacement rotor, and the brake pads come with the new wear sensor, paste packet, and produce very low dust.

Tools Required:

  • Socket and Ratchet Set
  • Torque Wrench
  • 7mm Allen Wrench
  • 5mm Allen Wrench
  • Jack and Jack Stands
  • Flat Blade Screw Driver (Medium)
  • C-Clamp (big enough to fit over caliper to suppress piston)
  • Soft Mallet
  • White lithium Grease
  • PB Blaster

Getting Started:

  • First things first, you will want to chock the back wheels and set the emergency brake.
  • Once done, begin jacking up one side of the front of the vehicle. Please refer to your owners manual for proper jacking etiquette. Just before the tire leaves the ground be sure to loosen the lug bolts then continue jacking till the tire is elevated off the ground.
  • With the tire fully elevated off the ground remove all the lug bolts and remove the tire. Set aside in a safe place.
  • Now, with all the brake components exposed. Start by un-clipping the brake wear sensor. You'll notice a wire coming out of where the brake pads sit, follow it till it gets to a small black box. This is where the ABS and brake wear sensor connectors are held. Simply flip the lid open pull out the wear sensor connector and disconnect it.

Wear sensor connector

  • Next, look to the back of the brake caliper. If its not too dirty, you will notice two plastic caps over the location of the caliper slide bolts. Remove these with the flat blade screw diver.

Caliper bolt covers

  • Next with the 7mm Allen wrench, loosen and remove the slide bolts. Set them aside with the caps in a safe place.
  • Now, you will need to remove the anti-rattle clip before you try to remove the caliper. Once removed you should be able to pull the caliper backwards off the rotor.

AntiRattleClip

  • Now, do not let the caliper just hang from its hose. I like to have an extra jack stand handy to rest the caliper onto at an appropriate height. Or you can hang the caliper with some machinists wire from the suspension coil.

 

  • With the caliper secured, take a 16mm socket and loosen and remove the brake pad carrier.

BrakePadCarrierMountingBolts

  • With the brake pad carrier removed the only brake component remaining should be the rotor. On the face of the rotor you will notice a flat head screw between two lug holes. Using the 5mm Allen wrench loosen and remove the flat head screw.
  • If you're lucky the rotor may come off the hub with a good tug. But in most cases the rotor becomes severely stuck on the hub. Using the soft mallet, try hitting the back of the rotor until in un-seats. If this does not work for you, try spraying PB-Blaster around the hub and the lug holes. Let it sit for roughly 10 minutes and try hitting the back of the rotor until it un-seats.

PB Blaster

  • With the old rotor removed, clean off the face of the hub with a rag and some PB-Blaster.
  • With your new rotor in hand, apply a thin layer of white lithium grease on the face of the hub. Install the new rotor and tighten up the flat head screw.
  • Re-Install the brake pad carrier.
  • Next, Remove the old brake pads from the caliper.
  • Taking one of the old brake pads, place it on the caliper piston (brake pad material side down). Now take the C-Clamp and place one end on the back side of the brake pad and the other on the back side of the piston housing and tighten the clamp till the piston is fully seated back in the piston housing. This will create plenty of room for the extra brake pad material on the new pads.

lube

  • Now, apply a thin amount of brake pad paste to the locations on the picture including the backside of the new pads. Be sure the brake pad sensor is attached to the inner most pad.
  • Now, slide the caliper with the new pads over the rotor. Take the slide bolts and apply a light amount lithium grease to the smooth part of the bolt. Do not apply to the threads.
  • Next, re-attach the anti-rattle clip to the caliper.
  • Re-install the slide bolt caps.
  • Re-connect the wear sensor.
  • At this point place the wheel back on and torque the lug bolts down to 85 ft/lbs.

Lower the car down and repeat the same steps on the other side. If you had a light illuminated on the dashboard, it should be gone after you're done. Go out and enjoy your new brakes.

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Written by :
Tony Robinett

Tony lives in Spokane, Washington and is a 3-D Design Engineer, machinist, and welder. When he’s not at work he is designing and fabricating parts for his M3, and other BMWs alike.


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