Rear Brake Replacement , Front Bumper Replacement Questions.

[hoodsstalker]

Hello everyone , i own a 1995 (automatic) 525i bmw with about 130k miles.

the time has come for me to replace my brakepads , i've already replaced the front pads but ran across a problem when replacing the rear pads. (bare with me hear if i say it wrong) the "brake caliper" and its tiny piston will not budge. i need to make the space within the brake caliper larger so i can fit in both pads inside with enough room apart to grasp onto the actual disk. i have a "vice" the twisting tool that moves the caliper piston. but the vice, is at max pressure and it wont move the piston all the way back. do i need to remove the handbrake? or is there some special trick i dont know about?

another question.

i cracked my front bumper in the lower right hand corner , a few inches past the foglight. the crack is significant and i now i want to replace my the front low bumper. does anyone know how to remove the front bumper or do i have to take it to a mechanic? i was thinking about buying the front bumper off of ebay and then having someone color match it and paint it. i just wanted some advice if this was a good idea or there is an alternate solution etc.

Final Question

the interior front driverside door handle has no pressure and therefore it wont open , from the inside. i can still open the driverside door from the outside , so does that mean the door mechanics are partly broken? or that it can be fixed if i strip the door and reattach certain parts?

thanks guys and gals for your time

[BillionPa]

my rear calipers were in such bad shape, i decided to get rebuilt ones instead of putzing around.

[Mr Project]

For bumper removal, first disconnect and/or remove both fog lamps and the temp sensor wiring on the driver's side.

On the bumper, you need to pull the black rub strips forward...they will slide forward about half an inch if you pull with a flat screwdriver from back by the wheel well opening.

Once you've pulled them forward a little, disconnect the wiring to the sidemarker lights, then pull the whole rub strip straight off. This will expose 4 large (17mm?) nuts, remove those and the bumper is loose.

I think that's pretty much it, there might be a couple other little things to disconnect, but it's pretty much a 30 minute job the second time you do it.

[632 Regal]

door cable might be broken, take the door panel off and check it out.

the rear calipers piston wont compress all the way or the pads seem too thick?

[hoodsstalker]

door cable might be broken, take the door panel off and check it out.

the rear calipers piston wont compress all the way or the pads seem too thick?

the rear caliper pistons wont compress all the way, it seems like something needs to be released , i dont know what though. any ideas?

[John 535is (Sydney)]

Everything Mr Project said and then,

After you remove the rub strips you will see this large screw thing just in front of the wheel arch on each side. Turn 90 degrees and it should pop out a little bit. Thats all you need to do to relase the pressure.
On the front is some nuts to take off - straight forward here.
Now pull the whole bumper cover assembly foreward about 100mm.
It should clear the area under the front lights, and the two screws you released in front of the wheel arches slide into a bracket which allows it to slide forward, but not up and down.
It actuall helps to have 2 people to do it, so you don't scratch the paint

Once you remove it, its just a large priece which is a bit arkward to handle on your own.

John 535is

[Zeuk in Oz]

Hello everyone , i own a 1995 (automatic) 525i bmw with about 130k miles.

the time has come for me to replace my brakepads , i've already replaced the front pads but ran across a problem when replacing the rear pads. (bare with me hear if i say it wrong) the "brake caliper" and its tiny piston will not budge. i need to make the space within the brake caliper larger so i can fit in both pads inside with enough room apart to grasp onto the actual disk. i have a "vice" the twisting tool that moves the caliper piston. but the vice, is at max pressure and it wont move the piston all the way back. do i need to remove the handbrake? or is there some special trick i dont know about?

another question.

i cracked my front bumper in the lower right hand corner , a few inches past the foglight. the crack is significant and i now i want to replace my the front low bumper. does anyone know how to remove the front bumper or do i have to take it to a mechanic? i was thinking about buying the front bumper off of ebay and then having someone color match it and paint it. i just wanted some advice if this was a good idea or there is an alternate solution etc.

Final Question

the interior front driverside door handle has no pressure and therefore it wont open , from the inside. i can still open the driverside door from the outside , so does that mean the door mechanics are partly broken? or that it can be fixed if i strip the door and reattach certain parts?

thanks guys and gals for your time

The rear brake caliper has to be taken apart ( 2 hex nuts under black plastic covers) in order to allow the pads to be inserted.

[jbourke]

The rear brake caliper has to be taken apart ( 2 hex nuts under black plastic covers) in order to allow the pads to be inserted.

found that out already as he has done the front brakes ;)

Hoodsstalker, have you removed some brakefluid from the reservoir and left the cap unscrewed? After replacing the front pads fluid level will be maxed and will be compressing the air between the fluid and the cap when you are trying to push in the back piston(s).

BTW have replaced all brake pads yesterday and flushed the system. Please be carefull with your first drive as braking power will be non-existing untill you have bedded in the pads ...

[632 Regal]

loosen the bleeder when trying to compress the piston, if that dont help your calipers are fubared.

the rear caliper pistons wont compress all the way, it seems like something needs to be released , i dont know what though. any ideas?

[Zeuk in Oz]

found that out already as he has done the front brakes ;)
On my car this was only necessary on the rears - front pads went in without taking the caliper apart.