135i brake upgrade to an E90 328i

iv · 09-04-2023, 04:48 PM

I’ve been wanting to upgrade my brakes on my E90 to the BMW Performance gold ones for a while but they’re impossible to find, and expensive when found. Recently came across some good deals for sets of four 135i Brembo brake calipers that are identical to the BMW Performance ones besides the color. 6 piston brembos in the front and 4 piston in the rear. I’m also going to upgrade to the 135i brake master cylinder. I’ve seen conflicting information regarding the rear brakes causing the parking brake to be inoperable specially on 328i’s. Does anyone have any concrete information regarding this swap, and any other items I should upgrade/need like caliper bolts etc. Thank you.

DBShiznit · 09-06-2023, 03:31 PM

I cannot tell you about the parking brake but I know the 135 brakes are smaller than the 335 brakes. If youre going to upgrade you should go with 335 brakes as they take bigger rotors and will be a true upgrade to what you have.

iv · 09-07-2023, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBShiznit

I cannot tell you about the parking brake but I know the 135 brakes are smaller than the 335 brakes. If youre going to upgrade you should go with 335 brakes as they take bigger rotors and will be a true upgrade to what you have.

Aren’t 335i brakes 4 piston front, 2 rear? The brembos that come on the 135i are 6 and 2 I believer. The rotors are bigger dimensionally?

DBShiznit · 09-07-2023, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iv

Aren’t 335i brakes 4 piston front, 2 rear? The brembos that come on the 135i are 6 and 2 I believer. The rotors are bigger dimensionally?

335i are single piston in the front and rear. But because of the added surface area it does really well. The piston is also pretty big.

iv · 09-07-2023, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBShiznit

335i are single piston in the front and rear. But because of the added surface area it does really well. The piston is also pretty big.

Will those actually perform better than the brembos off the 135i though? Seems to be exactly the same part #s as the BMW Performance BBK.

DBShiznit · 09-07-2023, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iv

Will those actually perform better than the brembos off the 135i though? Seems to be exactly the same part #s as the BMW Performance BBK.

From previous research on the matter, yes. Look at the M3 brake calipers. They are also single piston calipers.

Hoody007 · 09-07-2023, 09:53 AM

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1781513

See post 3 for info - should answer questions regarding the 135i vs. 335i setup.

iv · 09-07-2023, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoody007

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1781513

See post 3 for info - should answer questions regarding the 135i vs. 335i setup.

That answers that then, I’ll be doing the swap to E90 335i brakes. Bummer that the 135i brembos are a downgrade in performance. Seems using the rotors from the performance bbk with those calipers would be an upgrade but I guess not. They look cool too, I’ll probably just have the 335i calipers painted grey.

Anyone have any insight on an easy solution to the rear parking brake fix with the 335i brakes then?

iv · 09-07-2023, 10:38 AM

Wait the BMW performance kit has 370x38 rotors with the same calipers as the 135i. Up from the 328x28 rotors from stock oem 135i. Am I reading that right? So wouldn’t the 135i calipers working with the larger/thicker rotors be better?

ptpending · 09-07-2023, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iv

Wait the BMW performance kit has 370x38 rotors with the same calipers as the 135i. Up from the 328x28 rotors from stock oem 135i. Am I reading that right? So wouldn’t the 135i calipers working with the larger/thicker rotors be better?

370x38 is F-series 3-er performance brakes
338x28 is E-series 3-er performance brakes

iv · 09-07-2023, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptpending

370x38 is F-series 3-er performance brakes
338x28 is E-series 3-er performance brakes

Face palming! Thank you, briefly saw those numbers while I work didn’t check to see the fitment on the kit I was looking at. It looked the same with the yellow paint! xD

iv · 09-07-2023, 03:50 PM

So now that for sure we’ve settled going to 335i E90 brake calipers; anyone have any insight on the parking brake issue? All the info I’ve seen seems hit or miss, nothing concrete. Should I paint them that BMW Performance yellow or maybe just the gray? Definitely think I want to put the “BMW” lettering stickers on them too….

09-04-2023, 04:48 PM	#1
iv New Member 11 Rep 19 Posts Drives: 3er 5er i3er Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	135i brake upgrade to an E90 328i I’ve been wanting to upgrade my brakes on my E90 to the BMW Performance gold ones for a while but they’re impossible to find, and expensive when found. Recently came across some good deals for sets of four 135i Brembo brake calipers that are identical to the BMW Performance ones besides the color. 6 piston brembos in the front and 4 piston in the rear. I’m also going to upgrade to the 135i brake master cylinder. I’ve seen conflicting information regarding the rear brakes causing the parking brake to be inoperable specially on 328i’s. Does anyone have any concrete information regarding this swap, and any other items I should upgrade/need like caliper bolts etc. Thank you.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

09-06-2023, 03:31 PM	#2
DBShiznit Private First Class 145 Rep 108 Posts Drives: BMW 135i/335xi Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Philly iTrader: (0)	I cannot tell you about the parking brake but I know the 135 brakes are smaller than the 335 brakes. If youre going to upgrade you should go with 335 brakes as they take bigger rotors and will be a true upgrade to what you have.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-07-2023, 09:53 AM	#7
Hoody007 Major 1310 Rep 1,167 Posts Drives: 335i ZMZ LCI \| 850i/6 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Dunwoody, GA & Boston, MA iTrader: (0)	https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1781513 See post 3 for info - should answer questions regarding the 135i vs. 335i setup.
	Appreciate 2 iv10.50 DBShiznit145.00 Quote

09-07-2023, 10:38 AM	#9
iv New Member 11 Rep 19 Posts Drives: 3er 5er i3er Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Wait the BMW performance kit has 370x38 rotors with the same calipers as the 135i. Up from the 328x28 rotors from stock oem 135i. Am I reading that right? So wouldn’t the 135i calipers working with the larger/thicker rotors be better?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-07-2023, 03:50 PM	#12
iv New Member 11 Rep 19 Posts Drives: 3er 5er i3er Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	So now that for sure we’ve settled going to 335i E90 brake calipers; anyone have any insight on the parking brake issue? All the info I’ve seen seems hit or miss, nothing concrete. Should I paint them that BMW Performance yellow or maybe just the gray? Definitely think I want to put the “BMW” lettering stickers on them too….
	Appreciate 0 Quote