Vented rear disk on an e36 compact?

[e36 323ti]

The Titanium is handed over to my friend for machining the carriers.
Brake pads, Performance Friction 01 to match the front track day pads arrived today.
For the street Ferodo DS2500 pads is going to be used.

[e36 323ti]

The Titanium bolt has started its journey towards carriers. 2800g is on its way to become 2x350g

[e36 323ti]

There were some issues finding the right tool for the machining of the Titanum bolt. However, the right tool (milling cutters) has now been found, and the preparation could continue...

Preparation of Titanium requires different knowledge than making it in Aluminium or steel. Done wrong, the Titanium metal shaving could burn.

[e36 323ti]

The preparation continues:





The two Titanium carriers together with the Aluminium prototype (to the right).

[diamondnik]

I made an accidental discovery today. I bought what I thought were e36 m3 rear calipers to be used with adapters from 300mm.de. However, what I got were e46 m3 calipers 328/20 with 42mm piston (even though the piston measures 41mm). I noticed today that these carriers bolt on to the Ti axle (exact bolt spacing). Also, the sliding pins have the same spacing as Ti units. This means that e46 m3 rear calipers bolt onto Ti rear axle, and potentially you can install those calipers with Ti sliders, or any combination thereof. The only thing I've been unable to check so far is how far out these go, because they might not work, even with a 294 rotor diameter.

[e36 323ti]

Originally Posted by diamondnik

I made an accidental discovery today. I bought what I thought were e36 m3 rear calipers to be used with adapters from 300mm.de. However, what I got were e46 m3 calipers 328/20 with 42mm piston (even though the piston measures 41mm). I noticed today that these carriers bolt on to the Ti axle (exact bolt spacing). Also, the sliding pins have the same spacing as Ti units. This means that e46 m3 rear calipers bolt onto Ti rear axle, and potentially you can install those calipers with Ti sliders, or any combination thereof. The only thing I've been unable to check so far is how far out these go, because they might not work, even with a 294 rotor diameter.

Interesting findings! If I do remember it right the bell on the e46 m3 disc has the same depth as e.g. the e36's. I.e. there is going to be a struggle for finding discs, or one has to make an adapter. Please let us know when you have checked how far out they go. The bias is another issue which has to be checked as well.

However, if there is a disc which can be used with the carrier, probably there will be other calipers that fit the e46 carrier.

[diamondnik]

I need to rephrase my finding: the sliders that fit e46 m3 are e34 leftovers from 38mm calipers I put on my back. The sliders on the e34 and 318ti have same spacing, so the 318ti and e46 m3 have same spacing as well (in other words the e36 m3 caliper will slide on to the 318ti sliders), but I didn't have a chance to verify if bolt pattern is same. Winter is upon us, and I won't be touching the brakes till spring when I reinstall big brakes up front.

This is interesting about m3 caliper sliders because they are different from other e46 caliper slider spacing

The idea here would be to pair up these calipers with 300/20 mm rotors if possible, or Z4 .

[pdxmotorhead]

YOu could always use wilwood modular rotors, order the dia and the tophat to get correct clearances...?

Hmm

Dave

[chrisbec]

Originally Posted by diamondnik

I need to rephrase my finding: the sliders that fit e46 m3 are e34 leftovers from 38mm calipers I put on my back. The sliders on the e34 and 318ti have same spacing, so the 318ti and e46 m3 have same spacing as well (in other words the e36 m3 caliper will slide on to the 318ti sliders), but I didn't have a chance to verify if bolt pattern is same. Winter is upon us, and I won't be touching the brakes till spring when I reinstall big brakes up front.

This is interesting about m3 caliper sliders because they are different from other e46 caliper slider spacing

The idea here would be to pair up these calipers with 300/20 mm rotors if possible, or Z4 .

Just to be clear on what is being said here... The 2 pins that the caliper slide on are part of the caliper carrier. The caliper carrier is what bolts to the trailing arm.
So having said that, the calipers from the M46 M3 will fit on the ti caliper carriers (slider pin spacing is the same). However it is uncertain if the e46 M3 caliper carrier will bolt to the ti trailing arms. Right???

[diamondnik]

Right Chrisbec.

[e36 323ti]

One step closer:



Some more work done on the carriers. What remains now is some shaving and making the threads for the bolts.
Titanium is a challenging material when it comes to machining. A challenge know is to see whether or not the thread
tool will be jammed and brake. If it brakes, all the work will be for nothing

[e36 323ti]

The threads for the bolts are made.
Just some shaving left, and the brakes can be mounted
I am really looking forward to finalize this project and test the brakes...

[chrisbec]

Originally Posted by diamondnik

I need to rephrase my finding: the sliders that fit e46 m3 are e34 leftovers from 38mm calipers I put on my back. The sliders on the e34 and 318ti have same spacing, so the 318ti and e46 m3 have same spacing as well (in other words the e36 m3 caliper will slide on to the 318ti sliders), but I didn't have a chance to verify if bolt pattern is same. Winter is upon us, and I won't be touching the brakes till spring when I reinstall big brakes up front.

This is interesting about m3 caliper sliders because they are different from other e46 caliper slider spacing

The idea here would be to pair up these calipers with 300/20 mm rotors if possible, or Z4 .

The bolt spacing on the e46 M3 caliper carrier is wider than the e36/5&7 (see attached photo). But the guide pin spacing is the same...

[diamondnik]

So this would suggest that 318ti sliding pins are dimensionally same as e34 (since I have e34 calipers on Ti sliders), the e34 sliding pins are same as e46, which are same as e36. This means that any of these calipers will slide on all of these sliding pins/sliders. Therefore, could install any of these calipers on the 318ti sliders (even though the e46m3 caliper is too wide for Ti rotor).

318Ti - 34mm piston
e36 - 36mm piston
e34 - 38mm piston

All of these would work with standard Ti rotor thickness.

[diamondnik]

Chrisbc, what is that silver brake combo? Same as mine: e34 38mm caliper on Ti slider?