andymax

I did not do any temp-related testing, only the drag on a spinning wheel. Sometimes the right front would drag, sometimes it wouldnt. It was very strange and frustrating. Hydraulics, by their very nature are difficult to diagnose without complex pressure sensors, etc. However, bearings, hubs, bushings, etc are easier as there is generally a physically/visually noticeable indicator. Because I had no other apparent issue I deduced that it had to be an intermittently bad caliper. I replaced both calipers, along with new Zimmerman rotors, OEM pads/sensor, and SS lines from BavAuto...and could not be more pleased with the results. Before caliper replacement I had your same deal...new rotors, or resurfaced rotors, new pad, etc...no matter what combination....within a month I had the shuddering stop return.

Obviously I'm not sure what your specific issue is, but our situations and symptoms sound very similar so I'm lobbing my two cents in. Here's another indicator that these calipers go bad...the core charge at the parts store is VERY high...like over $100 each. That tells you there is high demand from the caliper rebuilders for old calipers.

Good luck... I hope you find what ever it is quickly.

Hyper_545i

I am having the same issue again. The proble went away when I had the already new rotors replaced a second time. The shaking of the steering wheel while braking went away for a few months but is back now. I checked the front wheels while off the grouns and found no movement side to side or top to bottom. Upper, lower controls arms as well as sway bar end links were replaced prior. The inner and outer tie rods look to be in good shape as well. I did notice a drag on the front left wheel and a scraping sound. This is not present on the passneger side front. I suspect caliper guide pins to be the culprit. When I replaced the rotors the second time, I removed the guide pins, cleaned them and reinstalled. No lube was applied per BMW. I suspect the guide pin(s) are gummed up. If they are dirty again and only in a 5 month timeframe, I am going to replace the bushing and install new guide pins. If the caliper was bad, the issue would have persisted when the rotors were replaced. Bad Calipers don't fix themselves. I hope this fixes it.

OP, keep us updated and good luck!

andymax

I hope the guide pins solve your problem, however that is not the only possibility for a sticking caliper. My Guide pins looked perfect, and I was meticulous in cleaning them the first time I replaced the rotors. I'm confident they were not my problem. I'm equally confident that I must have had a bad cylinder seal, resulting in some corrosion inside the caliper, ultimately resulting in limited movement of the cylinder which caused the drag. No, I'm not 100% certain, but my problem is fixed.

I wish you well in solving your problem quickly and inexpensively!

rubberban

I guess nobody wants to replace hubs/bearings to fix this issue

twh

Andymax, you probably just had a caliper where the piston has some corrosion. Did you disassemble the caliper and see it? Not sure if I remember what the BMW caliper piston is made of. I've had cars with chrome plated calipers that had rust on them and leaked because they damaged the seal. Also had a car with plastic piston that had some stuff on it that made it rough and needed to replace that one also. Calipers aren't very complicated and you can often get a rebuild kit for a decent price if you have the time and inclination to take them apart and replace the seal and piston(s) and dust boot.

When I do a brake job, in addition to pads and sensor and rotors (if needed), I also replace:
- guide pins
- guide pin bushing (the thing the guide pin slides in)
- anti-rattle clip

Each of those line items is about $25 per axle. So about an additional $75 per axle. It saves you some degreaser also, since you just toss the old ones.

quanger

+1... I had a similar problem, went thru 2 set of rotors and brake pads with no result. Finally I decided to get a set of rebuilt calipers from Napa. Work well ever since. My suspect was the bent sliding guide pins, but I have wasted so much time on them so I replaced the whole caliper assemblies. Prior to that, whenever I brake, it felt like bent rotors. Good luck.

Hyper_545i

Not sure how to tackle this issue without throwing a lot of money and time in front of it. I raised the front wheels off the ground. I spun both wheels. The passenger side spins freely with no drag or sound. The driver's side spins with some drag and has a sound of the the brake pads touching the rotor? I thought it had to be a caliper / guide pin / brake hose issue. Now I am starting to think it is a wheel bearing.

When I had the front end up suspended, I grabbed the wheel and tested for play. No noticeable play side to side or up and down. I know what a bad bearing sounds like, I can't tell if I have the proble or not. Between the exhaust and the cupped rear tires, it is hard to decipher. I have heard of E60 owners who did not hear the tell tale sign of howling or groaning or play in the bearing and still found the bearing to be bad.

Not sure what to do. Any suggestions? Torn between brakes and bearings. I may replace the bearings as preventative maintenace. While I am there, I will replace the struts. I know they are due.

twh

Sticking caliper often has uneven pad wear. Cock the back wheels. Put the front end up on jack stands. Take the front wheels off. Check the pad wear on both sides. Both inner and outer pads. Driver side pads often wear a touch more since there is generally more weight on the driver side. I'd turn the car on to get the brake booster working. Apply the brakes and then let off. Check each side by trying to rotate the rotor and looking for a stuck caliper.

andymax

I agree...I think it was corrosion inside of the caliper. I am one that did not have the time nor the inclination to rebuild myself. Plus, when you buy the reman parts they come with a warranty so I felt it was worth it in my case. You bring up a good point about the uneven pad wear...I honestly don't recall looking at mine closely...I was too focused on the replacement job in front of me.

Regarding possible bad bearing...that would manifest in at least SOME symptoms occurring independent of the brakes being applied...whether that was noise, judder, feel in the steering wheel, etc. Not only that, but bad bearings tend to get exponentially worse over time...they don't go slightly bad and then stay constant...they get worse. Since the OP (Hyper) has seemingly had this issue for months now, I have to very seriously doubt its a bearing problem.

rubberban

The issue can be in the hub flange, not so much the bearing. On e60, it is an integrated unit.