Upgrade to high performance: The ultimate installation guide for brake caliper adapter tuning for your BMW E39 5 Series on the front axle
Hey, glad you're here. These installation instructions will guide you through the entire installation process of our tuning adapter.
Here we not only show you step by step how to assemble everything, but also explain why every move counts and is important.
This way you not only install your new brake system yourself, but also understand what happens under the rim - perfect for anyone who not only wants to drive, but also wants to screw!
Aim of the instructions:
After this crash course, you will be able to install the brake caliper tuning adapter yourself, with a full understanding of every step.
You will learn what exactly each component does and why precision is the be-all and end-all here. This means you are ideally equipped, not only for this installation, but also for future projects. Get ready to take the brake system of your BMW 1 or 2 Series to the next level!
What do you need
- Tools: Torque spanner with suitable attachments, wheel cross, spanner, rotary brush
- Liquid threadlocker (medium strength)
- Brake cleaner
- Brake paste
- Brake fluid with brake bleeding device
- Depending on technical knowledge approx. 1-2 hours
Note: it is best to convert directly to the appropriate steel flex lines, here you can go directly to our configurator:
Advantages:
- No pressure loss when the brakes are applied, resulting in a noticeably precise pressure point
- Simple installation, the original line is simply replaced by the steel flex line
- No swelling as with rubber lines cost savings, as steel flex lines have an almost unlimited service life and do not have to be replaced every 3-5 years
- Shorter braking distance
- Marten safety
- incl. parts certificate for easy registration
- great look
!!Important!!:
Please test fit the brake system beforehand so that you can check whether your rim still fits. It must also be ensured that the brake caliper does not touch the rim spider. There must be at least 3 mm clearance from the rim spider to the brake caliper, otherwise a wheel spacer must be installed.
The following parts can also be replaced as part of the conversion:
- 1x Brake pad warning contact (BMW-part number 34352229018)
- 1x per side: Hexagon head screw M12 x 1.5 x 43mm for fastening the brake caliper adapter to the wheel carrier (BMW-part number 34116772117)
- 1x per side: Front brake hose (e.g. BMW part number 34301165249 or suitable parts from the accessories)
- 1x per side: Wheel bearing with integrated wheel hub (BMW part number 31221093427 or suitable parts from the accessories)
- If heavily rusted, you should also replace the splash guards on the left (BMW part number 34111162955) and right (BMW part number 34111162956). This also requires stone chip deflectors on the left (BMW part number 34101165225) and right (BMW part number 34101165226), as well as 6x hexagon head screws M6 x 12mm (BMW part number 07119904511) and 2x shaft screws (BMW part number 34111164022) and 2x spring washers (BMW part number 34111164008).
- 1x per side: ABS pulse generator (BMW part number 34526756375) and corresponding ISA screw M6 x 20mm (BMW part number 07129901130).
The following installation instructions cover all these repairs.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Instructions for dismantling the brake system of the BMW 5 Series E39:
When converting the brake system on the front axle of your BMW E39, first park the vehicle, apply the handbrake and secure it against rolling away. Loosen the five 17 mm wheel bolts on the front wheel, but do not unscrew them completely until the vehicle has been jacked up. Then jack up the vehicle and secure it. Then unscrew the wheel bolts completely and remove the wheel. If the wheel is stuck, hit the tyre from the inside with a plastic hammer to loosen the wheel.
Step 2: Dismantling the brake caliper of the BMW E39 5 Series:
To convert the brake system on the front axle of your BMW E39, first turn the steering wheel so that the brake caliper is facing outwards (for example, when working on the right wheel, turn the steering wheel fully to the left). Then press the cables of the brake wear warning contact and the ABS sensor out of the cable holders on the shock absorber if it is to be replaced. Open the connector box inside the wheel arch and disconnect both connectors, taking care not to damage the connector on the vehicle side.
Then remove the two plastic caps on the inside of the brake caliper, either by hand or with a small flat-blade screwdriver. Unscrew the two bolts in the plastic bushes using a 7 mm Allen key. Carefully lift off the spring clip on the front of the brake caliper with a screwdriver. You should now be able to pull the brake caliper and brake pads off the brake disc. If it is stuck, you can insert a medium-sized screwdriver between the brake caliper and brake disc and carefully lever it out. It is best to leave the brake caliper connected to the brake hose so that no brake fluid leaks out.
Important: f it is not planned to replace the brake hose, the released brake caliper must NEVER "dangle" from the brake hose on its own, but must be secured with rubber cables or similar.
Step 3: Remove the BMW E39 brake caliper carrier:
To continue the conversion of the brake system on the front axle of your BMW E39, you must loosen the two bolts on the rear of the brake disc. Use an 18mm spanner for this. Place the spanner on the bolts and turn it anti-clockwise until the bolts are completely loosened. Then remove the bolts completely so that you can remove the brake disc. Make sure that you store all parts safely so that you can easily reassemble them later.
Step 4: Removing the brake disc from the BMW E39
To continue the conversion of the brake system on the front axle of your BMW E39, you must loosen the retaining screw of the brake disc with a 6 mm hexagon socket key. Caution: This screw often rusts tight! To prevent it from turning round, you should remove dirt and rust from the screw with a wire brush before loosening it. Make sure that the hexagon spanner is fully inserted in the base of the screw and, if necessary, tap it in carefully with a hammer.
Once the screw has been loosened, you can remove the old brake disc from the hub. If the brake disc is rusted tight, you can use a hammer to carefully help loosen it
Attention:
If you do not want to replace the splash guard, the ABS sensor, the wheel bearing and the hub, you can skip directly to step 8.
Step 5: Removing the wheel hub and pointed mudguard of the BMW E39
If you want to replace the wheel bearing and/or the mudguard, it is now time to remove the old parts. The mudguard is attached to the wheel carrier with three M6 hexagon bolts and a T15 Torx screw. To gain better access to the often rusted front of the wheel bearing bolts, you should first loosen these four bolts. You can then cut through the plate at the thinnest point directly above the wheel hub with a side cutter and remove it.
The wheel bearing and the wheel hub form a single unit on the BMW E39. To remove it, you must loosen the four 16 mm hexagon bolts on the inside of the wheel carrier. To gain better access to the front and rear bolts, you can turn the steering wheel all the way to the left or right. Caution: These bolts are also often rusted tight. If you do not have a powerful impact wrench, you should first clean the front ends of these bolts that protrude from the wheel hub thoroughly with a wire brush and spray them with rust remover. If the bolts can only be loosened but not removed, it is also possible to loosen the wheel bearing from the wheel carrier and then cut through the stuck bolts with a grinder.
Once all four bolts have been loosened, the wheel bearing, which is usually stuck on the wheel carrier, can be released with a few hammer blows.
Step 6: Install new ABS pulse sensor and splash guard
The ABS sensor is attached to the inside of the wheel carrier with a screw that you need to loosen with a 5mm Allen key. Caution: These screws are often tight, so spray them well before loosening and turn them carefully back and forth to prevent the screw from turning round or tearing off. You can then press the old sensor out from front to back or knock it out with a hammer and screwdriver.
Now that all the old parts have been removed, you should thoroughly clean the now accessible areas of the wheel carrier, such as the contact surface with the wheel bearing and the recess of the ABS sensor. Then insert the head of the new ABS sensor into the wheel carrier and secure it with an M6 hexagon socket screw. If you are not using a new screw, apply some threadlocker, as new screws are factory-fitted with threadlocker.
You can then fix the new splash guard including the stone chip deflector using three hexagon head screws and a Torx screw. Here too, it is advisable to use new screws or apply threadlocker.
Step 7: Fit new wheel bearing
Now attach the new wheel bearing including the new wheel hub to the wheel carrier of the BMW E39 using four hexagon bolts. Be sure to use new bolts, which are normally supplied with the new wheel bearing. It is important that the bolts are tightened with a torque spanner to a torque of 110 Nm each. Make sure that you carry out this step carefully to ensure the proper function and safety of the new wheel bearing and wheel hub.
Step 8: Fitting new brake disc
If the wheel bearing and hub have not been replaced, you should first thoroughly remove any rust and dirt from the wheel hub, for example with a wire brush. Then apply a thin, even layer of brake paste to the inner lip of the wheel hub, but not to the surface of the wheel hub. In the picture (red arrow) you can see the whitish brake paste on the inner edge of the brake disc.
Then place the new brake disc on the hub and secure it with the corresponding hexagon socket screw. Attention: The brake discs of the E46 M3 are side-specific and should not be interchanged! Make sure that the correct side ("L" for left or "R" for right) is stamped on the edge of the brake disc.
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Step 9: Prepare the brake caliper for mounting with the Epytec adapters
Now we turn our attention to the brake caliper. First, attach the Epytec brake caliper adapter to the inside of the brake caliper using two hexagon socket screws. Make sure that the engraving on the adapter points inwards, i.e. later towards the centre of the vehicle. Initially, only loosely attach the upper, longer hexagon socket screw so that you can make adjustments later.
BMW E39 5 series adapter Brembo E38 caliper with E46 M3 325x28 brake discs
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Item number: 626
The lower, shorter screw of the Epytec brake caliper adapter is tightened to 110 Nm using a torque spanner. If necessary, this can also be done on the car first to ensure that everything is correctly aligned and the installation is completed correctly.
Step 10: Fitting the brake caliper on the BMW E39:
The brake caliper can now be bolted to the wheel carrier. The upper, long hexagon socket screw is screwed into the brake caliper through the hole provided in the brake caliper adapter and tightened to 110 Nm. The lower screw is also tightened to 110 Nm.
Once the brake caliper is firmly screwed in place, you should rotate the brake disc and check for free movement. If there is any rubbing, loosen the brake caliper again and realign it if necessary to ensure that everything is seated correctly and runs freely.
Step 11: Check brake disc for free movement and steering angle
As soon as the brake caliper has been mounted on the new brake disc, you can check the brake disc for free movement and steering angle and whether nothing is rubbing at full steering angle. The best way to do this is to turn it completely to the left and right to check whether anything is in the way, e.g. suspension joint, control arm, etc.
Step 12: Fit new brake pads
Now you can insert the brake pads into the brake caliper. Apply a thin layer of brake paste to the backs and guide lugs of the brake pads. Caution: Do not allow any brake paste to get directly onto the brake pad surface or the brake disc!
Then insert the retaining spring and secure it with the locking pins. To ensure that the locking pins are seated correctly, tap them lightly from behind with a plastic hammer.
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Step 13: Connecting the brake line
Now it's time to connect the brake hose. First screw the new brake hose to the brake caliper. There is no specific torque specification here, just the motto "after tight comes loose". As the brake caliper is made of aluminium, you should not overtighten it.
Now unscrew the old hose, including the old caliper, from the steel brake hose on the inside of the wheel housing. Carefully loosen the 11 mm nut on the brake hose, preferably using a special brake hose spanner, while holding the hose side with a 14 mm spanner. Caution: The nuts on the brake lines tend to rust very easily! If you turn them round, the brake line in the vehicle will inevitably have to be replaced, so particular care is required here.
Then tighten the brake hose to the brake hose on the car side using an 11 mm brake hose spanner. Use a 14 mm spanner again on the hose side and do not overtighten to avoid damage.
Braided steel brake line BMW E39 Mercedes C-Class AMG 6 piston 4 piston Brembo 4-6 piston brake calipers Brake system conversion
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Item number: SF121
Step 14: Bleeding the new brake system
Once the steel flex lines and the brake system have been refitted to your BMW, the new brake system must be bled.
It is best to work in pairs and proceed as follows:
Check brake fluid
- Make sure there is enough brake fluid in the expansion tank
Bleeding the new brake system
Open the sealing cap
- Attach a hose (preferably transparent, so you can see it better) to the bleeder valve and immerse the end in a container of brake fluid.
- Then open the bleeder valve slightly, now the brake pedal must be pressed slowly to the floor and held there.
- Close the bleed valve again
- Brake pedal can now be released
This process must be repeated until no more air bubbles can be seen in the hose and the brake fluid runs evenly.
!!Important!!
Make sure that you keep checking the expansion tank to ensure that there is still enough brake fluid in it so that no new air is drawn in and gets back into the system.
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Step 15: Cleaning the brake disc and brake caliper
After bleeding, it is important that the brake disc and brake calipers are cleaned of any brake fluid residue, as the brake fluid is corrosive and could corrode the brake calipers and brake discs.
Step 16: Fitting the track plates
You can now insert the brake wear warning contact on the inner brake pad. The cables of the warning contact and the ABS sensor should be pressed back into the holders provided on the shock absorber. Make sure that the plug connections with the vehicle-side cables are restored.
The brake system must then be bled professionally. The new brake caliper has two bleed nipples. Start with the outer nipple and then bleed the inner nipple.
If necessary, track plates can be fitted as the penultimate step.
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Step 17: Mounting the rim
Finally, refit the wheel and tighten the bolts to 110 Nm each. Check the clearance of the wheel again. If the rim drags on the brake caliper, a wider track plate is required.
Work on the wheel on the other side of the vehicle follows the same pattern.
DONE, have fun screwing!
Step 18: How to check the clearance of the rim and the F20 M4 4-piston brake caliper on your BMW 1 Series 4 Series
!!Important!!
Ensure that there is sufficient space between the rim spider and the brake system. A minimum clearance of 3 mm must be guaranteed. If you realise that there is not enough space, it is necessary to install a wheel spacer. This ensures that there is no risk of contact between the rim and the brake system.
By carefully checking and, if necessary, adjusting the clearance, you can ensure that your BMW not only looks great, but is also safe on the road.
Attention General sources of error
Fault 1: Using the wrong components:
->The use of incompatible or inferior parts can lead to serious safety risks. It is important that all components, such as brake calipers, brake discs and brake pads, are specifically suitable for the Epytec Tuning Adapter
Fault 2: Insufficient cleaning:
-> Before installing new brake components, the area must be thoroughly cleaned. Residues such as rust, dirt and old brake fluid can impair the new installation and lead to premature wear.
Fault 3: Incorrect assembly:
-> Incorrectly tightened screws and bolts can loosen and cause the brakes to work ineffectively or unevenly. It is essential to tighten all connections to the correct torque and to check them after the first few rides.
Fault 4: Neglecting the brake fluid:
->The brake fluid should be changed regularly and topped up to the correct level. Old or contaminated brake fluid can reduce the effectiveness of the brakes and cause corrosion in the brake lines.
Fault 5: Overlooking the ventilation:
-> After every intervention on the brake system, the system must be properly bled to remove air bubbles. Air in the system can cause the brakes to feel spongy and not respond correctly.
Fault 6: Disregarding the running direction of brake discs:
-> Some brake discs have a specific running direction that must be observed to ensure optimum performance and wear patterns. Incorrect fitting can lead to increased wear and poor braking performance.
Fault 7: Failure to observe the running-in phase:
-> New brake components have a running-in phase during which they should be handled carefully in order to grind in the surfaces correctly. Aggressive braking immediately after a conversion can lead to damage and ineffective braking.
Fault 8: Insufficient inspection of the brake lines and hoses:
-> Brake lines and hoses should be checked for cracks, leaks or wear. Damaged lines can fail suddenly and lead to brake failure.
By observing these points, you can avoid the most common mistakes when converting brakes and ensure that your vehicle remains safe and reliable.
Safety first!
Tip 1: Use high-quality parts:
-> Invest in high-quality components from reputable manufacturers. Good brake discs, calipers and pads can make a big difference in terms of performance and durability.
Tip 2: Choose improved brake discs and pads:
-> Consider using slotted or perforated brake discs, which offer better cooling and faster removal of brake dust and gases. Use high-quality brake pads that are matched to the increased performance.
Tip 3: Adjust the brake fluid level:
-> Use a high-quality brake fluid that is suitable for high temperatures, especially if you plan to use the vehicle in racing conditions. Check and replace the brake fluid regularly.
Tip 4: Adjust the brake balance:
-> For more extensive brake upgrades, especially if the brake force distribution between the front and rear axle is changed, the brake balance should be adjusted. This may require additional components such as a brake force distributor to be installed.
Tip 5: Professional installation:
-> If you are not experienced in the installation of brake components, consider hiring a specialist to carry out the installation. Professional installation is crucial for the safety and performance of the vehicle.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your brake tuning not only improves performance, but is also safe and durable.
Disclaimer
Please note that this installation is carried out at your own risk. Epytec accepts no liability for any damage or injury resulting from following these instructions. Make sure that you understand all the steps and take the necessary safety measures.
And ready! That's it!
We hope that you have now successfully installed everything and are happy with your work. If you have any questions or anything is unclear, please do not hesitate to contact us at.
You can find the matching products for the installation instructions here
BMW E39 5 series adapter Brembo E38 caliper with E46 M3 325x28 brake discs
- ✓ 325x28 34112282801 34112282802 BMW E46 M3 brake discs
- ✓ 4-piston 34111163757 / 34111163758 BMW E38 brake caliper
- ✓ front axle
€151.30*
Item number: 626
Braided steel brake line BMW E39 Mercedes C-Class AMG 6 piston 4 piston Brembo 4-6 piston brake calipers Brake system conversion
- ✓ Length: 42cm
- ✓ M10x1 straight outside
- ✓ M10x1 straight inside
€96.41*
Item number: SF121
AboutEpytec
Epytec is a leading specialist in the manufacture of tuning adapters, with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. Our products, which are manufactured entirely in Germany, stand for quality and innovation. Tuning adapters are essential connectors between car parts that make it possible to combine components from different vehicles. Our adapters make it possible, for example, to adapt a high-performance Porsche brake to a Golf GTI or to install a powerful Audi engine in a VW Transporter. This flexibility enables individual adaptations and optimisations that would otherwise not be possible.
Our commitment to the highest quality standards and the satisfaction of our customers is also reflected in our service. We guarantee trouble-free registration with the TÜV, which gives our customers security and confidence in the legality of their conversions. This combination of first-class products and excellent customer service has made Epytec a market leader that inspires hobby tuners as well as professional mechanics and vehicle builders. With Epytec, you are opting for proven technology "Made in Germany" that not only makes your vehicle more powerful, but also more individual.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about brake tuning
Can I also use other discs as specified in the required components?
-> No, unfortunately this is not possible, the reason is simply that all brake calipers have different heights and depths. If a different brake disc is installed, the brake caliper would either not fit on the adapter at all or would not run centrally to the brake disc. However, if you want to install a different brake caliper, we also have an option for you. You can have a custom-made version produced, take a look at the following link where you can find more Information
Can I use other brake calipers as specified in the required components?
-> No, unfortunately this is not possible, the reason is simply that all brake calipers have different heights and depths. If a different brake disc is installed, the brake caliper would either not fit on the adapter at all or would not run centrally to the brake disc. However, if you want to install a different brake caliper, we also have an option for you. You can have a custom-made version produced, take a look at the following link where you can find more Information