What's with those 135i front brake ears?

larryn · 05-02-2008, 02:51 PM

I am noticing on early pictures of the car, it doesn't have those two weighty ears on the front calipers. Any ideas if they are for chattering or heat dissipation??? They appear to be removable too, by a couple screws on each ear.

Those things have to weight a half pound each.

Taking guesses as to what they are.

mistermojorizin · 05-02-2008, 03:27 PM

they are there to monitor your tuning. jk

sorry couldn't resist. anyone know? i'm curious too

Shabadoo · 05-02-2008, 04:05 PM

They're either there to dampen out a resonance or to decrease cost on casting dies - would need to see the back of the caliper to determine which.

larryn · 05-02-2008, 04:08 PM

They unbolt though. You can take out the two screws to remove each ear.

Resonance is a great guess though... I didn't come up with that. I only thought of them being a heat radiator, or to have something to do with the pads chattering/squealing.

Shabadoo · 05-02-2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryn

They unbolt though. You can take out the two screws to remove each ear.

Resonance is a great guess though... I didn't come up with that. I only thought of them being a heat radiator, or to have something to do with the pads chattering/squealing.

Brembo's MO in eliminating resonance in street cars has been to add mass - seen it in Lambos and Audis for years now. BMW suspensions have historically been very sensitive to brake/wheel resonances due to geometry and bushing material.

larryn · 05-02-2008, 04:22 PM

If they easily come off, I may drive without them for a while to see if there's a difference.

plien69 · 05-19-2008, 07:00 PM

Bump. Any one follow-up on this? Still curious...

adc · 05-20-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plien69

Bump. Any one follow-up on this? Still curious...

Bump... very curious as well...

Boosted_N54 · 05-20-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adc

Bump... very curious as well...

+1 what is it's purpose?

Terp1 · 05-21-2008, 09:49 PM

If you go to the following link, is it possible it's a sensor? Just trying to help.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9659

adc · 05-22-2008, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terp1

If you go to the following link, is it possible it's a sensor? Just trying to help.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9659

That's not it - what you see there ^ are plastic-encased sensors that go inside the wheels. The valve "threads" through the opening in the sensor.

What the OP is wondering about is made of aluminum and is attached to the calipers.

Charles1 · 05-22-2008, 03:44 PM

Mass to help prevent knock-back??? just a guess.

FreeBMW.net · 05-27-2008, 06:21 PM

anyone remove them yet??? are they painted unthere or unfinished???

jeremyc74 · 08-07-2008, 12:41 PM

I can only think of two possible reasons they're there:

A: To change the resonance and vibration characteristics
B: Heat removal

I'd be interested to hear the results of removing them for sure.

EspressoBoy · 08-07-2008, 01:15 PM

+1 I would also like to know. Nice to know these kind of details about the car.

Great way to bet the CA he can't guess the purpose, if he is right, no discount if he is wrong $5k off next car!

larryn · 08-19-2008, 08:26 AM

Final Update!!

When I was doing my UUC SwayBarbarian install (In the DIY section), I had all the tools out to be able to take these brake "ears" off. I did take them off on one side, noticed it was raw aluminum underneath (not painted), then mounted a wheel on to see how it looked.

Well, to my eye, with that unpainted surface, it stuck out like a sore thumb. I thought about leaving them that way, getting some color matched caliper paint (for about 1 second), and thought that it's just not worth it to have the expense and hassle for extremely limited or no benefit.

I did not want to drive around like that, to test out if they introduced any negative brake characteristics, as I didn't want contaminants on the untreated aluminum....

Terp1 · 08-19-2008, 09:04 AM

Thanks for taking the time to find this out for us. I guess the only way to get rid of those ugly brake ears is to go with a BBK.

adc · 08-19-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terp1

Thanks for taking the time to find this out for us. I guess the only way to get rid of those ugly brake ears is to go with a BBK.

That would be an extremely expensive solution to a very minor problem IMO.

Terp1 · 08-19-2008, 10:03 AM

Very true. I plan on changing out pads, brake lines, and fluid that's it. Not sure if I want to go with BMW performance rotors or not.

adc · 08-19-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terp1

Very true. I plan on changing out pads, brake lines, and fluid that's it. Not sure if I want to go with BMW performance rotors or not.

You can wait until you trash the OEM rotors (not hard especially if you install some track pads), then purchase the Perf rotors and let BMW install them under warranty. I've done this on my E36 M3 with Euro floating rotors...

Terp1 · 08-19-2008, 11:25 AM

Cool. Thanks for the insight.

scottn2retro · 08-21-2008, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryn

Final Update!!

When I was doing my UUC SwayBarbarian install (In the DIY section), I had all the tools out to be able to take these brake "ears" off. I did take them off on one side, noticed it was raw aluminum underneath (not painted), ....

May be 2 fold as people have speculated. Maybe initially for resonance, but if they were going to be there anyway, have a nice thermal conduction surface and use them as additional heat sinks.

05-02-2008, 02:51 PM	#1
larryn Lieutenant General 2146 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	What's with those 135i front brake ears? I am noticing on early pictures of the car, it doesn't have those two weighty ears on the front calipers. Any ideas if they are for chattering or heat dissipation??? They appear to be removable too, by a couple screws on each ear. Those things have to weight a half pound each. Taking guesses as to what they are. Attached Images
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05-02-2008, 03:27 PM	#2
mistermojorizin Lieutenant Colonel 40 Rep 1,657 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	they are there to monitor your tuning. jk sorry couldn't resist. anyone know? i'm curious too __________________ "KOPEYKA" /// Titanium Silver / Black Leather / Gray Poplar / Sport Package / Premium Package / 6MT / Feb 08 Production
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05-02-2008, 04:05 PM	#3
Shabadoo Enlisted Member 3 Rep 36 Posts Drives: Join Date: Apr 2008 iTrader: (0)	They're either there to dampen out a resonance or to decrease cost on casting dies - would need to see the back of the caliper to determine which.
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05-02-2008, 04:08 PM	#4
larryn Lieutenant General 2146 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	They unbolt though. You can take out the two screws to remove each ear. Resonance is a great guess though... I didn't come up with that. I only thought of them being a heat radiator, or to have something to do with the pads chattering/squealing.
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05-02-2008, 04:22 PM	#6
larryn Lieutenant General 2146 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	If they easily come off, I may drive without them for a while to see if there's a difference.
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05-19-2008, 07:00 PM	#7
plien69 Captain 20 Rep 841 Posts Drives: 2014 M235i Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Bump. Any one follow-up on this? Still curious...
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05-21-2008, 09:49 PM	#10
Terp1 Private First Class 23 Rep 193 Posts Drives: '01 BMW 325Ci Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dayton, OH iTrader: (0)	If you go to the following link, is it possible it's a sensor? Just trying to help. http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9659
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05-22-2008, 03:44 PM	#12
Charles1 Second Lieutenant 18 Rep 243 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Mass to help prevent knock-back??? just a guess.
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05-27-2008, 06:21 PM	#13
FreeBMW.net Second Lieutenant 27 Rep 283 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW 135i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan, USA iTrader: (1)	anyone remove them yet??? are they painted unthere or unfinished???
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08-07-2008, 12:41 PM	#14
jeremyc74 Banned 76 Rep 5,970 Posts Drives: '08 135i Montego/Terra Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Evansville, IN iTrader: (0)	I can only think of two possible reasons they're there: A: To change the resonance and vibration characteristics B: Heat removal I'd be interested to hear the results of removing them for sure.
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08-07-2008, 01:15 PM	#15
EspressoBoy 1addict, and proud 40 Rep 1,019 Posts Drives: BMW 135i 08 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	+1 I would also like to know. Nice to know these kind of details about the car. Great way to bet the CA he can't guess the purpose, if he is right, no discount if he is wrong $5k off next car!
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08-19-2008, 08:26 AM	#16
larryn Lieutenant General 2146 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	Final Update!! When I was doing my UUC SwayBarbarian install (In the DIY section), I had all the tools out to be able to take these brake "ears" off. I did take them off on one side, noticed it was raw aluminum underneath (not painted), then mounted a wheel on to see how it looked. Well, to my eye, with that unpainted surface, it stuck out like a sore thumb. I thought about leaving them that way, getting some color matched caliper paint (for about 1 second), and thought that it's just not worth it to have the expense and hassle for extremely limited or no benefit. I did not want to drive around like that, to test out if they introduced any negative brake characteristics, as I didn't want contaminants on the untreated aluminum....
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-19-2008, 09:04 AM	#17
Terp1 Private First Class 23 Rep 193 Posts Drives: '01 BMW 325Ci Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dayton, OH iTrader: (0)	Thanks for taking the time to find this out for us. I guess the only way to get rid of those ugly brake ears is to go with a BBK.
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08-19-2008, 10:03 AM	#19
Terp1 Private First Class 23 Rep 193 Posts Drives: '01 BMW 325Ci Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dayton, OH iTrader: (0)	Very true. I plan on changing out pads, brake lines, and fluid that's it. Not sure if I want to go with BMW performance rotors or not.
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08-19-2008, 11:25 AM	#21
Terp1 Private First Class 23 Rep 193 Posts Drives: '01 BMW 325Ci Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dayton, OH iTrader: (0)	Cool. Thanks for the insight.
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