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      11-05-2015, 07:34 AM   #1
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DIY Front Brakes 2011 BMW x3 (35i ) chassis F25

DIY FRONT brakes for the 2011 BMW x3 (35i) chassis F25.

Parts:
Brake disc rotor
34 10 6 787 490
Pad sensor
34 35 6 790 303
Pad genuine
34 10 6 856 191

(I used green stuff EBC pads MFG # DP62105)

Price I paid: $93.00 pads+$20.00 pad sensor+ $114.00 pair rotors.= $227

If you went full on budget : $54.00 FEBI pads+$11.00 PEX Germany pad sensor+ $114.00 MEYLE pair rotors.= $179

Tools:
Breaker bar ( cheater bar)
Socket wrench 3/8” drive and ¼” drive
Torque wrench
17mm for lug nuts
Jack stands
Jack
Size 6 hex for rotor screw
Size 8 hex for caliper slides
3" or 6" extension
5/8” or 16mm (caliper bracket)
Curved pick ( remove plastic cover)
Flathead screw driver (caliper spring & plastic cap for caliper slides)
Large C-clamp/brake compression
Needle nose pliers ( pull sensor off pad)
Large pliers ( remove caliper spring)
10mm ¼” drive ( for fender liner removal)
8mm ¼” drive ( for fender liner removal)
Rubber mallet ( for hitting a stubborn old rotor)
Brake cleaner











**********PASSENGER SIDE************************************
Loosen lug bolts slightly using the 17mm socket . Jack the car up and secure using the jack stands. Remove the wheels.






Use the 6-hex to loosen the rotor screw , but you don't have to remove the screw until right before you are removing the rotor in a later step. If you are having trouble loosening this bolt, use the flat screw driver in the cooling fins of the rotor to prevent rotation of the rotor while trying to loosen the bolt.











Use the pick or a flat screw driver to remove the plastic covers off of the caliper slider guides. Use the 8mm hex and socket wrench to loosen and remove the top and bottom guides.







Use the combination of a flat screw driver or pliers to remove the caliper spring clip.


Now you can pull the caliper from the bracket. Once side of the pad will stay with the caliper and the other side will be on the rotor side. Have a box or something for the caliper to rest on . (driver side will remove sensor)





Take this time to use the old pads and the C-clamp to compress the piston back into the cylinder. Also make sure you have open the reservoir cap so you can see the fluid rise. I had bled my brakes about a month ago so the fluid is clean.











Moving on, using a 5/8” or 16mm , loosen the caliper bracket on the top and bottom locations. ( If you plan to reuse the rotors, then skip to the pad insertion)















Again, use the 6mm hex to unscrew the rotor bolt. If necessary use a mallet to knock the rotor loose. You can use a wire brush or drill with a brush insert to clean the hub at this time.



I installed the new rotor and re-inserted the rotor bolt using the 6mm hex.


I reinstalled the caliper bracket using the 5/8” or 16mm socket. (The X5 torque value for this year range is the only thing I found @77 ft lbs)


I used an orange-red brake quiet on the outer pad and mating surface where the pad hits the bracket. Push the inner pad into the caliper piston and the outer pad on the caliper bracket.



Use the caliper grease for the slider pins. Insert them and align the caliper by pushing inwards while hand tightening the top and bottom evenly. Then use the 8mm hex socket to tighten the sliders. (The X5 torque value for this year range is the only thing I found at 22ft lbs)

Finally install the spring clip by first lining up the top and bottom sprung portion, then push at an angle until the center “L” portion falls into the hole.



*************************DRIVERS SIDE**********************************

Repeat removal and install for drivers side rotor and brake pads.


This time remove the sensor from the pad, the bleeder rubber cover, the lower bracket holder, the upper bracket holder.


You will need an 8mm and 10mm to remove the inner liner to gain access to the connector plastic box for the wear sensor replacement. I pulled the liner down enough to get to the box. Disconnect the sensor and pay attention to how the old one is routed. I left the old one hanging until I routed it along the same path. I put the sensor in last after the caliper was already in, but in may be easier to do the sensor insertion before putting in the caliper sliding pins.


Reinstall the wheels. Button up the brake fluid reservoir and close the hood. Lower the vehicle.


Reset your brake life indication by:
Push start button once ( no start)
Door close and seat belt buckled
Press and hold the instrument cluster button ( large one left side)
The service menu will show up
Press each time to go to the next one unless it goes directly to the brake life service.
Press and hold until it asks you to reset.
Press and hold to confirm
You can confirm the reset in I drive menu.
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      11-05-2015, 09:02 AM   #2
Mingstar88
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you're the man, thanks for the guide
i replaced the front pads already. next time will be rotor + pad and will reference to this thread. i didnt replace the sensor last time because i didnt have the 8mm, 10mm drive for removal, it's been running ok.
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      11-05-2015, 09:35 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mingstar88
you're the man, thanks for the guide
i replaced the front pads already. next time will be rotor + pad and will reference to this thread. i didnt replace the sensor last time because i didnt have the 8mm, 10mm drive for removal, it's been running ok.
Thanks mingstar. The DIY really slows me down and I usually forget to take pictures. I just hope that it helps someone out of a jam at some point. These cars are so expensive to maintain and the dealers are rip offs when it comes to replacing maintenance items.
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      11-05-2015, 09:10 PM   #4
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wow, man, that is beautiful...thanks, from a fellow out of warranty diy'er !!

regards, dan
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      11-05-2015, 09:33 PM   #5
w5xz
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btw, is there spec for rotor thickness? or, is there zero tolerance for any wear? just curious...

personally, had great luck with ceramic pads on my 2000 ML430 MBZ...
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      11-05-2015, 09:56 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by w5xz
btw, is there spec for rotor thickness? or, is there zero tolerance for any wear? just curious...

personally, had great luck with ceramic pads on my 2000 ML430 MBZ...
Min thickness on the old rotor said 26.4mm.
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      10-30-2016, 09:12 AM   #7
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Excellent write up. Thanks.

I'm just going to do pads... does the sensor need to be replaced at the same time or can I reset the mileage counter on the computer some how?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ///Mposter View Post
DIY FRONT brakes for the 2011 BMW x3 (35i) chassis F25.

Parts:
Brake disc rotor
34 10 6 787 490
Pad sensor
34 35 6 790 303
Pad genuine
34 10 6 856 191

(I used green stuff EBC pads MFG # DP62105)

Price I paid: $93.00 pads+$20.00 pad sensor+ $114.00 pair rotors.= $227

If you went full on budget : $54.00 FEBI pads+$11.00 PEX Germany pad sensor+ $114.00 MEYLE pair rotors.= $179

Tools:
Breaker bar ( cheater bar)
Socket wrench 3/8” drive and ¼” drive
Torque wrench
17mm for lug nuts
Jack stands
Jack
Size 6 hex for rotor screw
Size 8 hex for caliper slides
3" or 6" extension
5/8” or 16mm (caliper bracket)
Curved pick ( remove plastic cover)
Flathead screw driver (caliper spring & plastic cap for caliper slides)
Large C-clamp/brake compression
Needle nose pliers ( pull sensor off pad)
Large pliers ( remove caliper spring)
10mm ¼” drive ( for fender liner removal)
8mm ¼” drive ( for fender liner removal)
Rubber mallet ( for hitting a stubborn old rotor)
Brake cleaner











**********PASSENGER SIDE************************************
Loosen lug bolts slightly using the 17mm socket . Jack the car up and secure using the jack stands. Remove the wheels.






Use the 6-hex to loosen the rotor screw , but you don't have to remove the screw until right before you are removing the rotor in a later step. If you are having trouble loosening this bolt, use the flat screw driver in the cooling fins of the rotor to prevent rotation of the rotor while trying to loosen the bolt.











Use the pick or a flat screw driver to remove the plastic covers off of the caliper slider guides. Use the 8mm hex and socket wrench to loosen and remove the top and bottom guides.







Use the combination of a flat screw driver or pliers to remove the caliper spring clip.


Now you can pull the caliper from the bracket. Once side of the pad will stay with the caliper and the other side will be on the rotor side. Have a box or something for the caliper to rest on . (driver side will remove sensor)





Take this time to use the old pads and the C-clamp to compress the piston back into the cylinder. Also make sure you have open the reservoir cap so you can see the fluid rise. I had bled my brakes about a month ago so the fluid is clean.











Moving on, using a 5/8” or 16mm , loosen the caliper bracket on the top and bottom locations. ( If you plan to reuse the rotors, then skip to the pad insertion)















Again, use the 6mm hex to unscrew the rotor bolt. If necessary use a mallet to knock the rotor loose. You can use a wire brush or drill with a brush insert to clean the hub at this time.



I installed the new rotor and re-inserted the rotor bolt using the 6mm hex.


I reinstalled the caliper bracket using the 5/8” or 16mm socket. (The X5 torque value for this year range is the only thing I found @77 ft lbs)


I used an orange-red brake quiet on the outer pad and mating surface where the pad hits the bracket. Push the inner pad into the caliper piston and the outer pad on the caliper bracket.



Use the caliper grease for the slider pins. Insert them and align the caliper by pushing inwards while hand tightening the top and bottom evenly. Then use the 8mm hex socket to tighten the sliders. (The X5 torque value for this year range is the only thing I found at 22ft lbs)

Finally install the spring clip by first lining up the top and bottom sprung portion, then push at an angle until the center “L” portion falls into the hole.



*************************DRIVERS SIDE**********************************

Repeat removal and install for drivers side rotor and brake pads.


This time remove the sensor from the pad, the bleeder rubber cover, the lower bracket holder, the upper bracket holder.


You will need an 8mm and 10mm to remove the inner liner to gain access to the connector plastic box for the wear sensor replacement. I pulled the liner down enough to get to the box. Disconnect the sensor and pay attention to how the old one is routed. I left the old one hanging until I routed it along the same path. I put the sensor in last after the caliper was already in, but in may be easier to do the sensor insertion before putting in the caliper sliding pins.


Reinstall the wheels. Button up the brake fluid reservoir and close the hood. Lower the vehicle.


Reset your brake life indication by:
Push start button once ( no start)
Door close and seat belt buckled
Press and hold the instrument cluster button ( large one left side)
The service menu will show up
Press each time to go to the next one unless it goes directly to the brake life service.
Press and hold until it asks you to reset.
Press and hold to confirm
You can confirm the reset in I drive menu.
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      10-30-2016, 09:16 AM   #8
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I think some have mentioned that they have had success for a reset by doing the sensor first, doing the reset, and then replacing the pads .
You can try either way.
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      10-30-2016, 12:33 PM   #9
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With previous generations of BMW brakes, it depended how far you had let the old pads wear down, once the wear indicator started to wear it would need to be replaced with the pads but if the old pads had sufficient thickness to protect the sensor, it could usually be unclipped from the old pads and re-used (unless it broke taking it off). Anybody able comment on whether the same applies to our F25 ?
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      06-24-2018, 07:47 PM   #10
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Thank you so much for the write up! Came in handy tremendously today!
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      09-29-2018, 07:19 PM   #11
Mingstar88
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mingstar88 View Post
you're the man, thanks for the guide
i replaced the front pads already. next time will be rotor + pad and will reference to this thread. i didnt replace the sensor last time because i didnt have the 8mm, 10mm drive for removal, it's been running ok.
Finally changed my front rotors today. car is at 91,000km.
i bought this Allen hex set. the 6mm uses 1/4 inch drive.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
buy this if u just have 1/2 ratchet
https://www.amazon.ca/TEKTON-4957-Ad...7BEG6BP2N6NA2P

i had the opportunity to change the caliper pin boot, it was such pain in the ass to insert the new old, i end up just doing 1 side only.

here are some pics



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