brake upgrade questions

BimmerRob08 · 02-19-2010, 05:40 PM

I'm looking to upgrade my brakes sometime soon. My objective is to not spend 4 digits doing it and have a set up that will be good & safe for daily street driving. Not street racing as that's stupid but I do want brakes that will work as stock or better when I'm on the street driving. I do some light tracking, maybe 4 or 6 times a year so a set up that will accomadate both.

What I'm looking at is steel braded lines from stopteck, cool carbon or stopteck pads but stay with stock rotors, stock calapers, everything else stock. Just pads & brake lines. Brake fluid if need be.

What do you guys suggest? I'm reading up on alot of this stuff but not sure which way to go with just pads for what i'm looking for. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Rob

SV Concepts II · 02-19-2010, 06:41 PM

Sounds like a good upgrade. SS brake lines with upgraded pads and some top notch synthetic brake fluid.

RENN Spec · 02-19-2010, 07:17 PM

Stoptech lines, Performance Friction Z compound are great choices. Bimmerworld can set you up with these products!

rzm3 · 02-19-2010, 09:57 PM

To be honest, for the street, the stock M3 set up will be more than enough.

For the occasional track day, just switch to proper pads and racing fluids, and bleed your brakes. That's more than enough for most people.

BimmerRob08 · 02-20-2010, 12:50 PM

thanks fella's,

Can anyone suggest specific pads to go with the stock rotors? There is like a dozen different types and compounds. Just want something for street & track. I'm not going for pads that I have to switch out everytime. Just something that street driving is as good as stock but a little more confidence in hard braking on the track. Just did a track day at Snetterton Race Way near Norwitch, UK. Good fun, but I could feel the breaks starting to mush up a bit and I wasn't all that confident on their ability to break harder so I just stayed within their ability. Still good but that's what I'm looking for. Any specific's would be great. Thanks,

rzm3 · 02-20-2010, 01:05 PM

In essense, the design criteria (operating temp, wear on rotors, quietness, friction coefficient, etc) for street and track pads are quite different (though not completely mutually exclusive), so there isn't a perfect 'hybrid' pad, if you will, that's capable of all out tracking and be usable/civilized on the streets.

There are, of course, pads that try to mix both worlds, but understand that they are all designed with compromises. The one I can think of is StopTech's Street Performance pads (not sure if they make it for stock calipers). According to racing driver Keen Leh it works for him on the street and track. http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...2&postcount=44

Take a look at this article.

http://www.essexparts.com/learning-c...ose-brake-pads

BimmerRob08 · 02-20-2010, 06:02 PM

Sweet! Thanks for the help.

BimmerRob08 · 02-20-2010, 06:39 PM

http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2782

What do you guys think about these pads? Good for a street/track combo or a bit too far fetched advertising?

david @ eas · 02-24-2010, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2782

What do you guys think about these pads? Good for a street/track combo or a bit too far fetched advertising?

Not too far fetched at all in my opinion. Here's a review on the Cool Carbon pads by Mr. 5, a moderator on e90 post:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258143

I hope that helps, and as always, feel free to ask any questions.

BimmerRob08 · 02-28-2010, 01:43 AM

Interesting, I'll keep CoolCarbon pads on my list. Regardless of what pads I swop to, do I have to re-surface my rotors? Or can I just slap the new ones on and re-run-in the pads on the rotors as they are?

aus · 02-28-2010, 01:49 AM

In general, you don't resurface BMW rotors. They're made to be soft and change with the pads most of the time. You would want to do proper bedding of any new pads.

BimmerRob08 · 02-28-2010, 03:17 PM

sounds good. one less step to do. Thanks,

garek · 02-28-2010, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2782

What do you guys think about these pads? Good for a street/track combo or a bit too far fetched advertising?

I actually use these pads. I'm pretty happy with them. I've done 4 track days with them, and their performance on the track is very good. Good bite, and not much fade at all.

They're pretty good on the street as well. They don't squeak much, perhaps a little less than the OEM pads. Just one note of caution, when they're completely cold, the stopping power is perhaps 20% worse than OEMs.

BimmerRob08 · 02-28-2010, 06:06 PM

Good to know, thanks. I think I'm gonna go with the CoolCarbon pads, Steel lines & fluid. Maybe new rotors when the time comes to get new ones down the road. Mine only have 13,500 miles so far so pretty new with only two track days on them.

02-19-2010, 05:40 PM	#1
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	brake upgrade questions I'm looking to upgrade my brakes sometime soon. My objective is to not spend 4 digits doing it and have a set up that will be good & safe for daily street driving. Not street racing as that's stupid but I do want brakes that will work as stock or better when I'm on the street driving. I do some light tracking, maybe 4 or 6 times a year so a set up that will accomadate both. What I'm looking at is steel braded lines from stopteck, cool carbon or stopteck pads but stay with stock rotors, stock calapers, everything else stock. Just pads & brake lines. Brake fluid if need be. What do you guys suggest? I'm reading up on alot of this stuff but not sure which way to go with just pads for what i'm looking for. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, thanks! Rob
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02-19-2010, 06:41 PM	#2
SV Concepts II 269 Rep 6,093 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: 1460 White Oaks Rd. Suite F Campbell, CA 95008 iTrader: (7)	Sounds like a good upgrade. SS brake lines with upgraded pads and some top notch synthetic brake fluid.
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02-19-2010, 07:17 PM	#3
RENN Spec Major 141 Rep 1,314 Posts Drives: 488 Pista, M2CS, Tundra Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Arcadia, CA iTrader: (3)	Stoptech lines, Performance Friction Z compound are great choices. Bimmerworld can set you up with these products!
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02-19-2010, 09:57 PM	#4
rzm3 Moderator 673 Rep 4,737 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (18)	To be honest, for the street, the stock M3 set up will be more than enough. For the occasional track day, just switch to proper pads and racing fluids, and bleed your brakes. That's more than enough for most people.
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02-20-2010, 12:50 PM	#5
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	thanks fella's, Can anyone suggest specific pads to go with the stock rotors? There is like a dozen different types and compounds. Just want something for street & track. I'm not going for pads that I have to switch out everytime. Just something that street driving is as good as stock but a little more confidence in hard braking on the track. Just did a track day at Snetterton Race Way near Norwitch, UK. Good fun, but I could feel the breaks starting to mush up a bit and I wasn't all that confident on their ability to break harder so I just stayed within their ability. Still good but that's what I'm looking for. Any specific's would be great. Thanks,
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-20-2010, 01:05 PM	#6
rzm3 Moderator 673 Rep 4,737 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (18)	In essense, the design criteria (operating temp, wear on rotors, quietness, friction coefficient, etc) for street and track pads are quite different (though not completely mutually exclusive), so there isn't a perfect 'hybrid' pad, if you will, that's capable of all out tracking and be usable/civilized on the streets. There are, of course, pads that try to mix both worlds, but understand that they are all designed with compromises. The one I can think of is StopTech's Street Performance pads (not sure if they make it for stock calipers). According to racing driver Keen Leh it works for him on the street and track. http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...2&postcount=44 Take a look at this article. http://www.essexparts.com/learning-c...ose-brake-pads Last edited by rzm3; 02-20-2010 at 01:12 PM..
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02-20-2010, 06:02 PM	#7
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	Sweet! Thanks for the help.
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02-20-2010, 06:39 PM	#8
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2782 What do you guys think about these pads? Good for a street/track combo or a bit too far fetched advertising?
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02-28-2010, 01:43 AM	#10
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	Interesting, I'll keep CoolCarbon pads on my list. Regardless of what pads I swop to, do I have to re-surface my rotors? Or can I just slap the new ones on and re-run-in the pads on the rotors as they are?
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02-28-2010, 01:49 AM	#11
aus Major General 892 Rep 9,032 Posts Drives: Odysse Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seal Beach, CA iTrader: (10)	In general, you don't resurface BMW rotors. They're made to be soft and change with the pads most of the time. You would want to do proper bedding of any new pads. __________________ Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."
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02-28-2010, 03:17 PM	#12
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	sounds good. one less step to do. Thanks,
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02-28-2010, 06:06 PM	#14
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	Good to know, thanks. I think I'm gonna go with the CoolCarbon pads, Steel lines & fluid. Maybe new rotors when the time comes to get new ones down the road. Mine only have 13,500 miles so far so pretty new with only two track days on them.
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