IIIPRO E4 4-Piston Hydraulic MTB Brakes - Are they to be trusted?

[Fat Larry]

New versions of these have appeared. New caliper and a new lever

Like the look of these https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007089652266.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.9.6cb316c3awcGpA&algo_pvid=bfe926a9-ed9a-4351-b39c-8ac52f973c7a&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007466867235.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.45.6cb316c3awcGpA&algo_pvid=bfe926a9-ed9a-4351-b39c-8ac52f973c7a&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

Also spotted these Tankes that look interesting.

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005006994294134.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.25.6cb316c3awcGpA&algo_pvid=bfe926a9-ed9a-4351-b39c-8ac52f973c7a&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

Anyone tried the newer versions yet?

[miguel0w]

I bought these brakes in 2023, but now I have oil leaks on the brake levers, right at the base of the lever reach adjustment screw.

Does anyone know how to perform service on this, or has anyone had a similar problem?

[bangacan]

I bought a similar pair made by clarks. They’re CRS 4. They have have been great. I bought the Ipro 4 piston brakes on AliExpress and the front immediately started leaking from one of the pistons. I ruined a couple sets of pads before realizing it. I needed the bike operational so I bought the Bucklis brand at great cost on Amazon. Those have been great.

Bottom line is that I think there is some risk to buying things from AliExpress. The seller ghosted me when I complained about the leak

[Fat Larry]

Are they all made in the same factory? They're sold under Clarks, Bucklos, IIIPro, ZTTO and probably more at around the same price. Why the differences in seal longevity?

[ZacItaly15]

I suppose all the brakes are milled in the same factory considering the number of sales.

I'm very happy with my 4 piston IIIPRO flatmount installed in the gravel bike and paired with Grx600 shifters

[eltel666]

i bought the zrace flavoured version for my two mtbs

after being disappointed with the difference in feel and lever travel between all four brakes i looked to bleed & degas them

carefully removing the bleed screws from the levers i found that not one of the o-rings was intact (split or in one case only 3/4 of an o-ring)

am working on the basis it is down to poor machining of the threads as it did the same to the o-rings on my bleed kit

time to stock up with loads of spare o-rings

still think they should have proper caliper bleed nipples not just bleed screws and it is a shame that bleed nipples from hope tech or shimano simply don't fit, different sizes & threads!

[Tijoe]

I am back from my month long travels.   Lets go back in time 5 weeks ago...

After my failures to get any of my 3, IIIPro calipers to work on the back of the bike, (Several of the same calipers could be bled on the bench and were working), I took a super careful look at the ferrules on the rear, internally routed, brake line.  I could see scrape marks on the ferrules from all the swapping of calipers and lever assemblies.  Just for grins, I cut off the existing ferrules , removing the bare minimum of housing, and installed new ferrules and nuts. 
OMG, I was able to actually bleed the rear brake and started getting decent caliper pressure.   I took the bike out for a spin.  Yuck!  no stopping power.  Brought the bike back in, sanded off the rotor braking surfaces, took the bike outside again - better, but not excellent stopping power.
I was running out of time to get this bike working before my trip.

For shits and giggles, I installed the caliper that I had rebuilt and installed new seals.  See previous posts  I bled the rear brake assemblies again, moving all the parts in multiple positions, tapping the lines, to try to get every last bubble out.    Then...

WOW!  the brake lever feel and caliper movement was fantastic!!!   Took the bike out for a spin and the rear brake stopping power felt fantastic!

I decided to take a risk and use the bike on my planned 500+ mile bike camping/packing ride.    Guess what!   Brakes worked perfectly for the complete ride.  Riding through, rain, mud, dust, across creeks, bogs, wet tall grass....   No problems.

Maybe they can be trusted....

[jonathanf2]

I think they sell the 4 piston ceramic upgrade (with new o-rings) for the 4-piston IIIPRO brake calipers. I wonder if they'd perform better? They certainly help the 2 piston version, which I've confirmed on some knarly mountain down hills.

[Tijoe]

I think they sell the 4 piston ceramic upgrade (with new o-rings) for the 4-piston IIIPRO brake calipers. I wonder if they'd perform better? They certainly help the 2 piston version, which I've confirmed on some knarly mountain down hills.

I have written/contacted Bucklos 2 times regarding rebuild kits for these calipers.   They have never responded to my requests.  [Support@Bucklos.com]

When I had my caliper pistons removed, they didn't appear to have any wear on them. (Looked brand new.)  The seals were leaking.   

I am sure you are aware that that advantage of ceramic pistons is for heat isolation to help reduce heat transfer from the pads to the brake fluid.

When you wrote "they", who is they? Bucklos or an Aliexpress store, or other.

When I was researching seals, The ones I purchased have the same dimensions as the originals.   When I originally installed my replacement seals, they leaked right off the bat, so I figured I had a different problem, perhaps the caliper bore or piston machining.   (It appears that after the rebuilt caliper sat  for several weeks, with mineral oil inside, the seals must have swollen a bit and became sealed.)


 

 

[AzureEssence]

I'm still running a set on my Krampus. They're not bad by any means, and aesthetically they look excellent in silver/gray.

That being said, I wouldn't choose to run them over good old Shimano M6120's which only cost slightly more.

[fhold]

I have written/contacted Bucklos 2 times regarding rebuild kits for these calipers.   They have never responded to my requests.  [Support@Bucklos.com]

When I had my caliper pistons removed, they didn't appear to have any wear on them. (Looked brand new.)  The seals were leaking.   

I am sure you are aware that that advantage of ceramic pistons is for heat isolation to help reduce heat transfer from the pads to the brake fluid.

When you wrote "they", who is they? Bucklos or an Aliexpress store, or other.

When I was researching seals, The ones I purchased have the same dimensions as the originals.   When I originally installed my replacement seals, they leaked right off the bat, so I figured I had a different problem, perhaps the caliper bore or piston machining.   (It appears that after the rebuilt caliper sat  for several weeks, with mineral oil inside, the seals must have swollen a bit and became sealed.)

I suppose Jonathan is reffering to heppe as he talked about them in another thread
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005007010044999.html?pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000039049935843%22%7D&sourceType=1&spm=a2g0o.wish-manage-home.0.0&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

[Tijoe]

I searched the official Heppe store, and do not find a ceramic piston set with 4, 16mm pistons and seals.   
I participated in a Heppe store online chat, and the agent could not find this product.  They told me to write directly.   I wrote directly and will have to wait until they answer.

-  I ran an online search, for many variations of 16mm ceramic pistons.   (No results for 16mm Ceramic pistons.)
- Hope brand 16mm OEM pistons show up along with 16mm o-rings.

FYI, I did a similar search last October, when I purchased my replacement 16mm o-rings, and no new hits have turned up.

[jonathanf2]

I guess they don't make ceramic pistons for the IIIPRO 4 piston calipers. They only have 21.9mm, 17mm and 15mm sized ceramic pistons. It looks like RISK is selling a titanium/polymer hybrid piston as well, but only in 22mm.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807502837779.html

[Camel]

I’m on nearly 8000km using these brakes. I’ve done a 14 day backpacking trip and use them on my gravel bike, so far they’re brilliant! I recently put them on my road bike, hooked them up into my grx hydraulic drop bar shifters. Happy days!

[Confused]

New IIIPro brakes R2X4 - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256809230222580.html
It looks like the levers have several changes, including an olive free fitting. I can't tell if there were any caliper end changes.