ML55 /500/ 430 345mm Brake retrofit

[Militant-Grunt]

Alright, so I decided to give this a try.
I was inspired by this post and the fact that I own a Mercedes ML55 AMG and thought about this swap before.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=142

DutchDaddy used a ML55 rotor for the 993 caliper kit. Unfortunately 993 calipers are very expensive, while ML55 / 500 / 430 calipers can be found for cheap. (Under 100 per caliper) It is a 4 piston caliper that uses a 345mm rotor.

That would be an ideal BBK combination for our cars for dirt cheap. I thought I had a decent setup with the B5 S4 HP2 swap, but I feel that I need more stopping power.

Funnily enough a B7 S4 also uses a 345mm rotor, depending on the offset on the rotor, it may be easier to use a B7 S4 rotor over a ML55 rotor.






In the next coming day I will measure the mounting bracket spacing on the ML55 (I gotta do pads, so might as well.) I would go as far as taking the entire caliper off, but I don't feel like re-bleeding the entire system afterward

I will be posting in the next few days on my findings.

Input is more than welcome, I'm sure someone on here has at least a ML430/ 500 which uses the same caliper as the 55.

[Fink_tha_Audi]

This is awesome!! Like you said a BBK for our cars that is finally affordable. Definitely keep us posted.

[seanriv]

Does this swap over directly only because u have s4 uprights and hubs?

[Lou_B5]

Are you going to try the rears?

[audimeister]

Whoa, I never would have thought of trying this. Good luck!

So, in theory, this could be a $500 BBK?

[Militant-Grunt]

Whoa, I never would have thought of trying this. Good luck!

So, in theory, this could be a $500 BBK?

Bingo. I found out yesterday that this way a widely used caliper by Mercedes,
it was found on the C32, CLK500, E500, etc.. I'm not surprised at all that its so cheap.

[Militant-Grunt]

Does this swap over directly only because u have s4 uprights and hubs?

I'm not sure yet, thats what I aim to find out, but yes I have S4 uprights which makes it easier. (I would assume at least)

[Militant-Grunt]

Are you going to try the rears?

The rears are also over 13" rotors, unfortunately they're solid, currently I have B7 S4 300mm rears which are vented.

[ENDEE666]

*ahem* IN *ahem*

[dirtybrd]

I thought Dutchdaddy used a Cayenne caliper.

[ENDEE666]

Updates on any findings or test fitting sessions??

[Militant-Grunt]

I got sick Thursday, and I didn't get to do that yet. You want to chip in ~45 bucks towards a caliper Nick? I'll just go buy one at a junkyard.

[ENDEE666]

I got sick Thursday, and I didn't get to do that yet. You want to chip in ~45 bucks towards a caliper Nick? I'll just go buy one at a junkyard.

Just take one off the truck for test fitting. Put it back when you're done. If it works, we'll buy them then...

[Militant-Grunt]

Just take one off the truck for test fitting. Put it back when you're done. If it works, we'll buy them then...

Meh, I don't feel like bleeding the system! I'm going to post up on MBWorld.org if anyone in the tristate has some calipers laying around. If not, what I'll prolly do is take one of the S4 uprights laying around at the shop, take off the caliper off the mounting points on the ML, and just match up without taking the brake line off.

[ENDEE666]

Meh, I don't feel like bleeding the system! I'm going to post up on MBWorld.org if anyone in the tristate has some calipers laying around. If not, what I'll prolly do is take one of the S4 uprights laying around at the shop, take off the caliper off the mounting points on the ML, and just match up without taking the brake line off.

Yeah, thats what I meant, just take it off to see if it will work as planned. Once you find that out, you will have to see what the offset needed will be for the rotor. I hope the B7 S4 rotors (345mm) will work, just with some spacers or adapters on the calipers to adjust for offset...

[Militant-Grunt]

So I got some news, did the pads on the 55 today and unfortunately the spacing is rather different on the calipers, without a precise bracket these calipers are not fitting. The spacing is 4.5 inches on the ML55 uprights, while 6inches on the S4 uprights. (Front center to center of the holes.

Me and Nick (Endee) are going to look into fabrication, we'll start by getting our own caliper for experimentation. In the end this may be a real 'budget' bbk.

[dirtybrd]

So, the ML caliper mounting tabs might very well fit between the S4 tabs? If this is possible only a thick plate would be needed to mount it. The plate bolts to the caliper, then they both bolt to the upright or vice versa.

[Militant-Grunt]

So, the ML caliper mounting tabs might very well fit between the S4 tabs? If this is possible only a thick plate would be needed to mount it. The plate bolts to the caliper, then they both bolt to the upright or vice versa.

Not quite, more like the centers of the 55 holes are marginally below S4 holes, I think it calls for a more complicated bracket unfortunately.

[dirtybrd]

So about 3/4" each tab? Like the top of the ML tab is center to the S4 tab?

[Militant-Grunt]

Basically, I have a friend that does CNC work at school, ill have an upright, a caliper and a rotor for him. I'll see what he can come up with.

[dirtybrd]

Cool, I have the Cayenne caliper but find this interesting. I like using parts off other cars.

[onemoremile]

Would it be a better fit on the A4 uprights?

[stevejones19]

PLEASE say yesss!!!! ^^^ lol

[Militant-Grunt]

Would it be a better fit on the A4 uprights?

Actually it may, unfortunately I cannot find the uprights off my old A4 or my current one lol.. I think we scraped them. If anyone has one and wants to measure from the center of one hole to the center of the other and contribute that would be nice. I'd laugh pretty hard if it was the same.

[onemoremile]

A4 and S4 uprights have different holes. That is why the S4 calipers won't mount to an A4. I've got an extra spindle in the garage. Lemme dig it out and measure it.

[onemoremile]

Hole spacing on the A4 spindle is 3.698".

[Militant-Grunt]

Hmm, then it would still be easier to make brackets on S4 uprights since there is more clearance.

I got the ball rolling for the CNC work, I'm just looking for someone who has a spent rotor, and also possibly a seized caliper that someone would want to get rid of.

If not me and ENDEE will buy a caliper.

[Sleeeper X]

i'll pm someguy on mbworld who's parting an ml55. I'll call you later.

[DND]

What became of this project?

[Kyle H]

x2. Missed this originally... I'd love to see some progress

[Militant-Grunt]

Well we abandoned the Ml55 calipers. Endee bought SRT8 300c front and rear calipers and will be retrofitting those, Ill post more once we have some more info on them. They were cheap though, which is the whole intent of the project.

[SpeedWorksAuto]

have you looked into the Cadillac CTS-v, it uses a 14" rotor and brembos, also the newer Acura uses large rotor and calipers..........Z06 w/six piston calipers

[Militant-Grunt]

This is an interesting post on Quattroworld by AMD.

http://forums.quattroworld.com/allro...163.phtml#9745

They used cayenne calipers along with ML55 rotors.

[quattr0]

CHEAP BBK

Not to hijack your thread, you and I talked a little while ago. I fitted S4 calipers on an A4 without replacing spindles or getting axles. Someone should ask questions around here before sheepishly following what everyone does. S4 calipers can be fitted with a simple bracket, which I did, then onemoremile the great onemoremile made me realize that if I could fit s4 calipers, I could fit Cayenne calipers, which I did.
And again, just using a bracket, stock A4 spindle, stock everything A4.

BBK for cheap. Not more than 300 bucks. (6 pistons)

Touareg 17Z calipers, just like Cayennes (6 pistons), but for the the 330 x 32 rotor version.
Buy a B7 S4 rotor 345 x 30 .
Make brackets, lower holes must be 82 mm apart ( A4 spindle) upper holes 130mm apart (Cayenne spacing). Buy grade 10.9 16mm bolts and nuts. Use your stock 12 mm bolts.
Bolt your bracket to your spindle (lower holes), bolt the calipers to the upper holes. Now the two sets of holes in my case were 4mm apart top to bottom because I used the b7 s4 rotor (345 mm) as opposed to the 330 which the rotor is intended to if you buy a 350mm rotor, then 4mm becomes 0mm. Now the cayenne 330mm caliper version is the exact same as the cayenne 350mm version. The difference is the legs are longer on the 350mm version. Also called 18Z meaning they fit on the 18 " wheel version of the touareg, and the base version of the cayenne and Q7.


Note:
-------
The cayenne 330mm version caliper costs 80 bucks tops at junk yards. The 350mm version (ECS stage 5 S4, JHM) cost 250 a piece. Mind you the only difference if the legs of the mounts which are longer to accommodate the 350mm rotor. Now I suspect the price will go up, because this mod is about to become popular. I still don't understand why people replace their uprights to fit s4 calipers. Someone shoudl have gone, hey...what about a freaking brackets. Think people, think...

[josmo]

did u make your own a4 to s4 mounting bracket? if so do you have any pictures? or did u buy it from somewhere?

[quattr0]

I made them. Drill four holes , right dimensions and you are done. Pretty simple. Much cheaper too.

[ENDEE666]

I made them. Drill four holes , right dimensions and you are done. Pretty simple. Much cheaper too.

What did you make them out of and what type of machine was used to ensure accuracy and precision?

[SpeedWorksAuto]

This type of brake swap is done all the time. I have made quite a few upgrades like this for my other projects. I didnt know you guys were trying to swap uprights and crap.

The brackets I have made are made out of .875-1" thick T6 6061 Aluminum. It is easily machined, plenty strong, and can resist corrosion pretty good. You can use a drill press if you are meticulous enough laying out your hole locations.

I am a machinist adn work for a company that make waterjets(abrasice cutting machines), so I actually have cut them out, and then write a program on one of our CNCs, and finish machine them.

[SpeedWorksAuto]

One setup I did for a buddy.

so this:


turns into this:


Now you can fit a 12" vented brake rotor combo on a car that came with 8.25" solid discs.

[SpeedWorksAuto]

hell, if someone got me some dimesions I can whip up a set no sweat.