Moupe Maintenance: Brakes, Suspension &....???

[bosstones]

Hey, all. I've been overworked & short on time the last couple of years and have a growing maintenance list for my Moupe. I've had new engine & trans mounts staring at me from my shelf for almost 2 years now so I've set a goal for getting those done before taking my Moupe out of winter hibernation (yay). While I'm at it, I might as well knock some other stuff out.

Brakes
I still have the originals pads/rotors from when I first got the car back in 2007. The car is in the mid-40k miles and the pads/rotors still have life but always squealed like pigs when it is cool (i.e. early spring & late fall.....50-ish deg F and below). I'm looking at Zimmerman rotors front/rear (cross drilled, floating like OE) and either Cool Carbon or Akebono pads. From forums searches and past thread rememberances, seems like those are still a favorite combo for many. Any other suggestions? FCEuro seems to have decent prices, but I've never dealt w/ them before.

Also figured I'd go SS w/ the brake lines since I have to bleed them anyways. Will be $$$ dependent based on what else I put on my maintenance plate.

I've used ATE fluid in the past so I'll probably stick w/ them. Wrt to bleeding, though, is it possible to cycle the ABS pump to get out all the old fluid? Or is that a matter of doing a bleed, driving and stopping the brakes to get ABS to kick in, then bleeding again?

I've also never done brakes before so this will be a fun learning experience. I've mostly worked electrical stuff on past cars but I am mechnaically inclined and eager to learn to work on my own cars (outside oil & tire/wheel changes).

Suspension
Seems like bushings are the primary maintenance item that I'm at/approaching mileage-wise. I have not researched suspension bits much (including bushings) but is it worth starting to tackle any of shocks, springs, mounts, etc...? Drivers side rear creaks/groans more audibly when I get in/out. Passenger side does not do this. My X1 started doing the same and is about the same mileage. None of the other cars I've had did this nor does my wife car and it's old as hell. I'm not overweight so I'd like to think it isn't me. lol Thoughts?

Coolant
Probably due for a coolant flush....recommended coolant & amount?

Other
Anything else I should consider adding to my list? I don't track the car, but DD it (mostly) from spring thru fall.

TIA

[bosstones]

Ordered Cool Carbon Sport Plus pads from BavAuto and Zimmerman rotors from FCPEuro. Also got new front clips, set screws, ATE 200, Motive Euro power bleeder, and spark plugs.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by bosstones

Hey, all. I've been overworked & short on time the last couple of years and have a growing maintenance list for my Moupe. I've had new engine & trans mounts staring at me from my shelf for almost 2 years now so I've set a goal for getting those done before taking my Moupe out of winter hibernation (yay). While I'm at it, I might as well knock some other stuff out.

Brakes
I still have the originals pads/rotors from when I first got the car back in 2007. The car is in the mid-40k miles and the pads/rotors still have life but always squealed like pigs when it is cool (i.e. early spring & late fall.....50-ish deg F and below). I'm looking at Zimmerman rotors front/rear (cross drilled, floating like OE) and either Cool Carbon or Akebono pads. From forums searches and past thread rememberances, seems like those are still a favorite combo for many. Any other suggestions? FCEuro seems to have decent prices, but I've never dealt w/ them before.

Also figured I'd go SS w/ the brake lines since I have to bleed them anyways. Will be $$$ dependent based on what else I put on my maintenance plate.

I've used ATE fluid in the past so I'll probably stick w/ them. Wrt to bleeding, though, is it possible to cycle the ABS pump to get out all the old fluid? Or is that a matter of doing a bleed, driving and stopping the brakes to get ABS to kick in, then bleeding again?

I've also never done brakes before so this will be a fun learning experience. I've mostly worked electrical stuff on past cars but I am mechnaically inclined and eager to learn to work on my own cars (outside oil & tire/wheel changes).

Suspension
Seems like bushings are the primary maintenance item that I'm at/approaching mileage-wise. I have not researched suspension bits much (including bushings) but is it worth starting to tackle any of shocks, springs, mounts, etc...? Drivers side rear creaks/groans more audibly when I get in/out. Passenger side does not do this. My X1 started doing the same and is about the same mileage. None of the other cars I've had did this nor does my wife car and it's old as hell. I'm not overweight so I'd like to think it isn't me. lol Thoughts?

Coolant
Probably due for a coolant flush....recommended coolant & amount?

Other
Anything else I should consider adding to my list? I don't track the car, but DD it (mostly) from spring thru fall.

TIA

Stock suspension as well? Shocks are toast at 40k miles, and the other issue with all the bushings is simply age. They're gone.

I just replaced front control arms, FCABs, RTABS, upper control arm, sub-frame, diff, ARB bushings, motor mount trans mount bushings, etc. These were at 40k or so miles as well and all quite gone. (I had a shop do this given time and access to lift is out atm.) I'm running Status Gruppe shocks/springs and associated hardware. It's really a matter of time and budget.

The results were dramatic and the improvement impressive. Steering response is so much better. Rattles/squeaks are gone and the handling is night and day.

Use the BMW coolant specified. At that mileage and time I'd do trans and diff fluids too.

[RGlenn]

One good thing I like about FCP Euro is their Lifetime return policy (as long as it stays in place). Once something is worn, you pay for shipping, send the items back and they will send you a replacement part. So if their pricing is good compared to other vendors they are definitely worth looking at!

[The HACK]

Check for rotor thickness. BMW rotors (especially the expensive M rotors) have very soft cast iron (low carbon count) for optimum performance but poor life/wear. At 40,000+ miles it is not unlikely that either the rotors are below thickness spec, or have a significant enough lip developed causing the pads to vibrate when braking (thus squealing when cold).

Unfortunately the M rotors are EXPENSIVE. Minimum thickness is stamped on the rotor itself.

If your brake pedal is nice and firm, I wouldn't bother with cycling the ABS. The pump itself contains little fluid, and there's really no way to fully evacuate ALL fluid during a flush unless you go through gallons of this stuff. The only real way to flush the fluid out of the ABS pump is to hook it up to a GT1 type diagnostic system that is capable of cycling the pump on and off. My experience with this has been mixed, sometimes it actually made the soft pedal worse.

Also, I'm ambivalent on stainless steel braided brake lines for this car. The factory line is already lined with braided nylon (or some sort of super tough fiber) and has little next to no flex. When I installed a set of stainless steel brake lines on this car I felt next to no improvement. On the MZ4 Coupe it's especially difficult to swap out the brake lines, since the rear brake lines are a compound piece with 2 separate "soft" lines connected by a hard line, that connects to the hard brass line on the chassis side. The upgrade wasn't worth the time and money, your mileage, may vary of course. Up to you.

The creaks and groans you hear from the rear may just be the parking brake mechanism. At 40,000 miles your dampers are well past their half life, as most factory dampers usually have a 30,000 mile half life (at 60,000 miles they're practically worthless, but you never know because it looses its effective damping rate over a long period of time). Bushings for a strictly street driven car at this mileage isn't likely to be completely shot, look for fluid and oil near the site of the bushings to determine if they're cracked (the FCAB and RTABs are fluid filled if I recall). Any signs of oil near the bushings are a sure sign that they need to be replaced, especially on the Z4 since they don't get treated with cosmoline for North America deliveries.

Just remember any time you swap out the bushings, or change the front strut, an alignment is required. So if you're going to do anything, do them all together. The only thing that does not require an alignment is the rear shocks (and FCAB if you know what you're doing).

[Boosted 1]

Ambivalent....That's my word for today

[bosstones]

Thanks for the inputs, guys! I got the FCPEuro stuff on Friday. Interestingly (to me), the spark plugs weren't really a 6-pack; just a 4-pk + x2 individual packs. Sadly, the box they shipped them in was too big and they were packed along w/ the 2 rattle clips, rotor set screws, and x2 1L containers of ATE 200. I opened the box to find one of the individual plugs out of the box and loose in the shipping box. I'm thinking of contacting them for a replacement. The plug seems visually okay, but I'd rather not take chances since I have no idea how much it was bounced around in transit.

As this is my first brake job, do I need to replace the rattle clips? They're still in good shape. I just ordered spare fronts because they were cheap.

Planning to use 3M silicone past for the caliper guide pins and 3M copper anti-seize/brake lub elsewhere.

Hack, when you say 'dampers', do you just mean the springs (wrt the e-brake)?

[onthe3rdday]

Originally Posted by bosstones

Thanks for the inputs, guys! I got the FCPEuro stuff on Friday. Interestingly (to me), the spark plugs weren't really a 6-pack; just a 4-pk + x2 individual packs. Sadly, the box they shipped them in was too big and they were packed along w/ the 2 rattle clips, rotor set screws, and x2 1L containers of ATE 200. I opened the box to find one of the individual plugs out of the box and loose in the shipping box. I'm thinking of contacting them for a replacement. The plug seems visually okay, but I'd rather not take chances since I have no idea how much it was bounced around in transit.

As this is my first brake job, do I need to replace the rattle clips? They're still in good shape. I just ordered spare fronts because they were cheap.

Planning to use 3M silicone past for the caliper guide pins and 3M copper anti-seize/brake lub elsewhere.

Hack, when you say 'dampers', do you just mean the springs (wrt the e-brake)?

Sorry to see the package showed up in that condition, we definitely could have done a better job with the packaging. I'd feel more comfortable overnighting you replacements. Feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll take care of you.

--Kyle

[dc_wright]

Originally Posted by bosstones

Thanks for the inputs, guys! I got the FCPEuro stuff on Friday. Interestingly (to me), the spark plugs weren't really a 6-pack; just a 4-pk + x2 individual packs. Sadly, the box they shipped them in was too big and they were packed along w/ the 2 rattle clips, rotor set screws, and x2 1L containers of ATE 200. I opened the box to find one of the individual plugs out of the box and loose in the shipping box. I'm thinking of contacting them for a replacement. The plug seems visually okay, but I'd rather not take chances since I have no idea how much it was bounced around in transit.

As this is my first brake job, do I need to replace the rattle clips? They're still in good shape. I just ordered spare fronts because they were cheap.

Planning to use 3M silicone past for the caliper guide pins and 3M copper anti-seize/brake lub elsewhere.

Hack, when you say 'dampers', do you just mean the springs (wrt the e-brake)?

When Hack states "dampers" he means your shock absorbers and/or your struts. And you can reuse the anti-rattle clips. Only reason to replace one is for cosmetics (they will sometimes rust after a period of use) or if you actually find a way to break one (very rare).

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by onthe3rdday

Sorry to see the package showed up in that condition, we definitely could have done a better job with the packaging. I'd feel more comfortable overnighting you replacements. Feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll take care of you.

--Kyle

Thanks, Kyle. PM sent.

Originally Posted by dc_wright

When Hack states "dampers" he means your shock absorbers and/or your struts. And you can reuse the anti-rattle clips. Only reason to replace one is for cosmetics (they will sometimes rust after a period of use) or if you actually find a way to break one (very rare).

Thanks, DC. That makes sense. The ME's at work also call springs dampers so I figured I'd check.

I am an expert at finding ways to do the impossible. Hopefully this won't be one of those times .

[kaybat]

I did cool carbons and these in front...happy with results.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ecs-part...000505ecs02kt/

[bosstones]

Thanks, Kyle! New plugs received!