Brake caliper upgrade
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
Dynocomped C43K, 08 X5
Ok Guys,
For all who is thinking of a brake upgrade.
I am in the middle of doing such a task. I am installing the SLK55 6 and 4 pistons no messing around with the car it is a task I decided to take on but the right way. So here it goes, Lets start with the rear 330 mm oem cross drilled and the 4 piston all had to be done here is the backing plate had to be cut to fir the larger calipers and slightly bend them in so that it does not hit the wider and larger rotor other than that it is plug and play.
Now for the nightmare. I figured that if BREMBO the largest company makes a 6 piston upgrade for our cars it had to be possible and it should be able to be done and DONE RIGHT so, I offered up the calipers and saw that to clear the front sway bar the caliper had to be pushed up and back, long and short I called Brembo but they will not sell the bracket even thou AMG calipers are made by BREMBO so, I ordered a 360mm oem rotor form the wreckers I got the rotor from the car the calipers came off lucky me, I offered up everything and had a machinist make two brackets I figured that was easy all I need was the rotors
HOLY sh%%%!t 1035.00 for 1 oem rotor and it weighs more than my factory rotor ? this makes no sense
next beat thing called BREMBO ordered 2 355mm 2 piece rotors 1600.00 and again I figured it was all done
But NOOOOO DAMMMM!!!! GRRRRR. Back to the machine shop no luck I have to look for 360mm rotors, I also bought 2 Evosport rotors but they were too wide 36mm I need 32mm.
The 355 mm rotors pad surface is approx 4 mm less than the 360mm only because BREMBO saves weight by making a larger hat than the oem so the weight difference is 6 lbs I pretty much made all the calculations and I am off again to the machine shop to remove the 5mm off the bracket. I will do the install this week.
Now for the wheels.
For the calipers to clear top and side I have to use wheels with an off set no less than 34 et rim and it must have a flat inside not step meaning there are some wheel that collect water in the middle that is one example of a step lip. I got the wheels got the everything I just need 2mm off the bracket and it will be done.
For all who wants to do this and do not care about oem then look at Brembo I originally bought a complete bbk from Brembo
but it was 4 piston the only reason I went through all this was I can go to any Mb dealer and order parts and even my brake pad sensors are used but if I had a 99 or a 98 I would have just use the 32 or clk 4 piston . I drive this car 3000 km a year and it does not see rain. Just need to know who to post pics.
For all who is thinking of a brake upgrade.
I am in the middle of doing such a task. I am installing the SLK55 6 and 4 pistons no messing around with the car it is a task I decided to take on but the right way. So here it goes, Lets start with the rear 330 mm oem cross drilled and the 4 piston all had to be done here is the backing plate had to be cut to fir the larger calipers and slightly bend them in so that it does not hit the wider and larger rotor other than that it is plug and play.
Now for the nightmare. I figured that if BREMBO the largest company makes a 6 piston upgrade for our cars it had to be possible and it should be able to be done and DONE RIGHT so, I offered up the calipers and saw that to clear the front sway bar the caliper had to be pushed up and back, long and short I called Brembo but they will not sell the bracket even thou AMG calipers are made by BREMBO so, I ordered a 360mm oem rotor form the wreckers I got the rotor from the car the calipers came off lucky me, I offered up everything and had a machinist make two brackets I figured that was easy all I need was the rotors
HOLY sh%%%!t 1035.00 for 1 oem rotor and it weighs more than my factory rotor ? this makes no sense
next beat thing called BREMBO ordered 2 355mm 2 piece rotors 1600.00 and again I figured it was all done
But NOOOOO DAMMMM!!!! GRRRRR. Back to the machine shop no luck I have to look for 360mm rotors, I also bought 2 Evosport rotors but they were too wide 36mm I need 32mm.
The 355 mm rotors pad surface is approx 4 mm less than the 360mm only because BREMBO saves weight by making a larger hat than the oem so the weight difference is 6 lbs I pretty much made all the calculations and I am off again to the machine shop to remove the 5mm off the bracket. I will do the install this week.
Now for the wheels.
For the calipers to clear top and side I have to use wheels with an off set no less than 34 et rim and it must have a flat inside not step meaning there are some wheel that collect water in the middle that is one example of a step lip. I got the wheels got the everything I just need 2mm off the bracket and it will be done.
For all who wants to do this and do not care about oem then look at Brembo I originally bought a complete bbk from Brembo
but it was 4 piston the only reason I went through all this was I can go to any Mb dealer and order parts and even my brake pad sensors are used but if I had a 99 or a 98 I would have just use the 32 or clk 4 piston . I drive this car 3000 km a year and it does not see rain. Just need to know who to post pics.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 252
Likes: 4
From: Toronto
2006 C55 RENNtech
PICS OF BRAKE UPGRADE
Last edited by winks911; Jan 25, 2011 at 01:40 AM. Reason: CANNOT SEE PICTURES
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,171
Likes: 16
300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
SLK55
more HP a few hundred pounds lighter and with those brakes I don't think it was rated to out do the eye socket pulling 112 ft 60-0 stopping power of the stock C43.
Going to look awesome though. Even if it does take longer to stop.
When we can see your pictures
Going to look awesome though. Even if it does take longer to stop.
When we can see your pictures
Last edited by ohlord; Jan 25, 2011 at 02:59 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,889
Likes: 323
From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 252
Likes: 4
From: Toronto
2006 C55 RENNtech
I uploaded the pictures to the gallery and then copied the link but it did not work,but it in the gallery.
I will take pictures of the front install and hopefully be able to post .
I will take pictures of the front install and hopefully be able to post .
Last edited by winks911; Jan 30, 2012 at 03:27 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,889
Likes: 323
From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
Very nice 4 piston calipers. I like the rotors but I would personally choose the slotted ones, but that's my choice though. Have seen the other pics in the gallery 
Last edited by DRBC43AMG; Jan 25, 2011 at 08:28 AM.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,437
Likes: 43
From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 252
Likes: 4
From: Toronto
2006 C55 RENNtech
The Brembo picture is the 7005 Grang Turismo which I was going to install. I gave it to my buddy who bought my 99 c43
My current setup is 6-4 AMG from slk 55 2005 with 030 360mm rotor.
Here is the thing, I had BREMBO xdrilled on all my past cars and they were all Porsches and a 99 c43 . I recently did two events 1 was Targa NewFoundland and that was a 2 week rally 2500km Sept 2010.
Car was stock right out of the show room Porsche Cayman S NOT A SINGLE ISSUE in two weeks
2nd was an entire day at MOSPORT RACE TRACK with the same car after the rally and nothing was done to the car so, for all the ones that heard this and that about rotors, All I can say is rotors are designed for specific reasons and
Brembo only does brakes everything else is being compared to it. WHY?
Here is the thing I am simply doing a brake upgrade,I completed the rears back in August and what a difference if the rears feel this good I could just imagine when the fronts are done.
I could have done the Brembo 6 piston bbk but I just want to keep the car all AMG which is actually made by Brembo I do agree that some xdrilled rotors crack I can explain all this but to put it mildly AMG two piece rotors seem to be of low quality very heavy.
Just like some who are reading what others say and did. This is exactly why I am in this position.
Had I done some more research I would have ordered Brembo 2 piece rotors for the rear as well which I will do next winter.
Just got everything from the shop today and it all worked out just fine I will install the 6 piston AMG calipers this weekend it is the middle of winter car is in storage but I can't wait.
O' BTW Here are the weight difference
OEM 334 X 32 C43 ROTOR APPROX 24 LBS BREMBO 355 X 32 ROTOR 22 LBS approx
OEM CALIPER LOADED APPROX 21 LBS AMG 6 PISTON LOADED 13 LBS approx
before I do the install I will use a digital scale.
My current setup is 6-4 AMG from slk 55 2005 with 030 360mm rotor.
Here is the thing, I had BREMBO xdrilled on all my past cars and they were all Porsches and a 99 c43 . I recently did two events 1 was Targa NewFoundland and that was a 2 week rally 2500km Sept 2010.
Car was stock right out of the show room Porsche Cayman S NOT A SINGLE ISSUE in two weeks
2nd was an entire day at MOSPORT RACE TRACK with the same car after the rally and nothing was done to the car so, for all the ones that heard this and that about rotors, All I can say is rotors are designed for specific reasons and
Brembo only does brakes everything else is being compared to it. WHY?
Here is the thing I am simply doing a brake upgrade,I completed the rears back in August and what a difference if the rears feel this good I could just imagine when the fronts are done.
I could have done the Brembo 6 piston bbk but I just want to keep the car all AMG which is actually made by Brembo I do agree that some xdrilled rotors crack I can explain all this but to put it mildly AMG two piece rotors seem to be of low quality very heavy.
Just like some who are reading what others say and did. This is exactly why I am in this position.
Had I done some more research I would have ordered Brembo 2 piece rotors for the rear as well which I will do next winter.
Just got everything from the shop today and it all worked out just fine I will install the 6 piston AMG calipers this weekend it is the middle of winter car is in storage but I can't wait.
O' BTW Here are the weight difference
OEM 334 X 32 C43 ROTOR APPROX 24 LBS BREMBO 355 X 32 ROTOR 22 LBS approx
OEM CALIPER LOADED APPROX 21 LBS AMG 6 PISTON LOADED 13 LBS approx
before I do the install I will use a digital scale.
