914 brake upgrade questions Options

[YoungCC]

Looking to upgrade my front brakes on the '74 2.0l teener and I have found a '81 320 in a local JY or do the calipers only come on the 320i? How do I identify the calipers to ensure I am getting the ones needed for the swap? I am being told to get the ATE brand. Will other brands work? TIA

[Michael N]

I did the BMW caliper swap years ago on my wife's 74. They stopped great but heated up too fast since they are larger pads with no cooling. It is scary when you think you have brakes diving in to a corner and they don't work. I would stay away from this "upgrade". I switched to the aluminum Brembo calipers and billet hubs to add cooling to the brakes. Yes, it cost more but the end result is fantastic and you will only do it once. My wife says her brakes are cool (pardon the pun).

[eyecolor]

Sorry to ask such a basic question, but does the Brembo upgrade mentioned require the 5 lug config?

thanks

[srb7f]

Per PelicanParts tech article: "Some of these calipers have "BMW" cast on the outside... Also make sure you get the Ate units—some cars had Girling calipers."
If you call an auto-parts store, they can provide the appropriate numbers. As I recall, mine did not have "BMW" but did have the Ate logo cast in them somewhere.

I did the 320i upgrade, and am very happy with the results. No cooling problems that Michael N had...did you have a bigger/heavy motor or something in the car? The 320i of that vintage had solid rotors too, without drastic differences in cooling from the stock 914 so I wouldn't think you'd have cooling issues.

My car is fairly humble on this board with a stock 2.0. My brake setup is as follows:

195/60/15 tires
19mm master cyllinder
Stock rotors, stock rubber brake lines
320i calipers in the front (mintex pads)
stock 914 rear calipers(mintex pads)
Proportioning valve has been replaced with a "T"

All in all, much better than the bone stock brake setup with a 19mm MC that I had which was in tip top shape. Certainly, the best thing I did was removing the dreaded proportioning valve, but I was only able to do so after going larger in the front with the 320i calipers. Front brakes lock readily if I want them to, and never had the rears lock before them on extensive testing (parking lot fun) after I did all this work.

I had SS braided lines on the car with this setup for a short time (which had the best brake pedal feel ever), but took them off since the car is mainly driven on the street where a catastophic SS failure that many describe would be big trouble.

Just be prepared to buy a tuna can oil sump if you're going to do this upgrade...my oil light would come on under hard braking just from all of the oil sloshing forward.

Goodluck!

[914Sixer]

Unless you are increasing horsepower or want to do 5 lug conversion, the stock brakes will do the job. Rebuild your entire system and puts some good pads. There are lots of urban legands about removing the proportioning valve. I believe there is even a classic thread.