DIY - CHEAP Brake Duct System

[JuniorM3]

OK, so we know the OEM brakes on the M3 suck...(You know this if you don't drive like a pussy )

There is no venting to the brakes, like on all the other performance cars.
And the fading kicks in after 2 laps of hard driving on track and sometimes even with some high speed action on the highway.

I liked the GT4 kit, with Carbon Inlets and custom Aluminium backplates. But it's !1300! EURO excluding ducting!!!

I have a trackday @ Spa-Francorchamps on the 8th next month.
Yes, i'll post cool vids of onboard laps.

I decided to fab my own brake cooling system.

It's easy!

You need these parts:
Alu brake ducts
Brake cooling ducts
Tie rips
Rivets

You need these tools:
Cutting tools like, Knife, Circular grinder (Dremel)
Riveter
Drill, same size as the rivets
Hex key 8 and 10
Some duct tape

(excuse my iphone picas)

1: Undo the front plastic inside wheel liners in the wheel arches. Hex screw Size 8 and 10.

2: Undo the front floor in one piece. Hex screws size 8 and 10.

That should look something like this.

This is how my finished product looks like BTW. And yes after I took this pic I cut the ducts to the same length.
If I remember correctly the length was 42Cm (17''). Measured from where the duct 'exits' the floor till the end.

3: Leave the pieces on the sides of the floor on.

4: I got these round Alu brake duct inlets.

I <3 my focusing to0...

I riveted them in to place. With 8 rivets.

Yes, thats heavy duty riveting. it's not going anywhere. And it looked cool (up close)...after i spray painted it flat black and installed it on the car it doesn't show...


5: To get the brake duct in to the wheel arch you need to cut some at the back of the floor.


It should look something like...

[JuniorM3]

I put the tape around the ducting so the floor and cables don't cut trough.

Install your floor back on the car.

6: Trie rip the duct to the lower control arm. I used 4 tie rips , you can only see 3. I used one to tie the 2 tie rips together to stop them sliding over the Control arm.


7: Point it at the center of the disc.

With the brake ducts attached to the front lower control arms, they are in line with the backplate air inlet.


8: From the side it should now look like this


Now you can make some custom backplates.
Or just make the ends of the brake ducts oval and lodge it in the back plate opening behind. With the length @ 42 Cm - 17'' it's just right.
Yes, i know what you are thinking. That won't work, it will be all over the place...But i tested it, 900Km hard drivin' so far and they stay in to place.....Unbelievable but true.

Now to make your Custom Backplates

9: Remove your calipers, by undoing two 18mm bolt thats hold the caliper. you can remove the caliper and use some zip ties to hang it somewhere.

I stole a few pics for Longtrans BBK install

10: Remove the brake disc. 6mm hex on the face of the rotor.


11: Mark the back of the backplate where you will create the opening and mounting points for the brake duct first before removing it.

12: Remove the back plate.


13: Work you magic, Do some riveting and attach your 'ring' to the backplate to accept the ducting hose. Make sure with a bit measuring and fitting that your 'ring' installation does not touch the hub and that you leave some space to later attach the hose and clamp.


14: The red is the metal i removed to get the extra air to the disc. The red arrow point to the 'ring' it's kinda hard to c.


15: Attach your brake ducting hose to the 'ring' you just installed on the back plate.


16: Install everything back and you just saved yourself over a 1100+ Euro/Dollars!!

It took me 3 hours, it helps allot! I drove my car hard after i installed it today and it works no more fading!! And when i park my car @ home i don't hear the brakes 'crack' or 'ping' any more.
It's like BMW left the space to install the ducting.

It's easy, Hope this post inspires you to put this cheap DIY upgrade on your M3 fast! Then you can finally drive it hard like you should!
Jr

[Subw00er]

Cool. I did this on my vette - same tubing as you. It makes a big difference on track. My fade issue went away.

[John@BMW]

Very Nice- I need to do this but figure a way to do it and keep my front lip

For some reason, This reminds me of an m3 we had where a chipmunk somehow entered the brake duct while driving and tried to use the inside of the rotor as a 'hamster wheel' LOL I had to clean out this cooked chipmonk through all the vanes in the rotor- Wasnt fun but funny mmmmm chipmunk paste

[XunXunDCT]

Originally Posted by John@BMW

Very Nice- I need to do this but figure a way to do it and keep my front lip

For some reason, This reminds me of an m3 we had where a chipmunk somehow entered the brake duct while driving and tried to use the inside of the rotor as a 'hamster wheel' LOL I had to clean out this cooked chipmonk through all the vanes in the rotor- Wasnt fun but funny mmmmm chipmunk paste

Omg that is insane.

To the OP: I have one word for you.. wow... i am very far from bring mech savy but since reading the post i've learned quite a few things, and one of the things that i've personally experienced is the brake fade the car has (i drive like crazy jerk at times when the freeway is in fact a free way)... great job doing a DIY solution.

[bigjae1976]

This solves a lot of people's problems...better hurry up and patent this!

Where did you buy the ducts?

[TonyTone]

Great idea and writeup!!! Thank you for sharing

[JuniorM3]

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html..._ID=TBR9962303

[doba_s]

nicely done ... I had the same idea for a year or so, but never got around to do that ...

where did you get round Alu brake duct inlets ?

[JuniorM3]

Originally Posted by doba_s

nicely done ... I had the same idea for a year or so, but never got around to do that ...

where did you get round Alu brake duct inlets ?

The shop of a friend of mine had them lying around... It think most racing related businesses have them. @ first i couldn't find the right ones and wanted to just bend some strips of aluminium in a 90Deg angle and drill a hole in one end. Drill the air inlet hole in the floor and rivet the bend Alu parts around the hole to attach the hose to. It's getto but it works.

[JuniorM3]

For everybody that has a front lip or splitter attached on the bumper.
I may have a solution.

Checkout the air inlet on the Ferrari.

You can mount this in the bottom of the floor to get the airflow to the brakes.

I have seen these inlets in racing shops too. i can't find a picture of them online and I don't know how they are named. Just cut a triangle out of the bottom of the floor and again rivet it in... On the ones i have seen there is always a connection for ducting on the 'back'.

Racers have them installed in plastic windows Or installed them in the rear body to get some cooling to the diff or rear brakes.

Bad picture...but the E46 M3 is overtaking the Saleen! They are about the brake for the first left hander on the Zolder race track in Belgium..

Maybe someone can find the ducts somewhere online

[Dartanium]

Here is a site that sells those inlets found on race cars but not the round ones you have used, also have hoses for sale, 12 foot of the same ducting for 10 bucks versus 2 4-foot sections.

LINK: http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/adv...ryID=BRAKEDUCT

If you have a chance please measure the diameter of the brake ducts you used, both the outer diameter including the flat flange and the inner diameter of the actual opening, it would make searching for parts much easier, thanks.

[aus]

Originally Posted by John@BMW

For some reason, This reminds me of an m3 we had where a chipmunk somehow entered the brake duct while driving and tried to use the inside of the rotor as a 'hamster wheel' LOL I had to clean out this cooked chipmonk through all the vanes in the rotor- Wasnt fun but funny mmmmm chipmunk paste

That's just NASTY!!

Originally Posted by Dartanium

Here is a site that sells those inlets found on race cars but not the round ones you have used, also have hoses for sale, 12 foot of the same ducting for 10 bucks versus 2 4-foot sections.

LINK: http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/adv...ryID=BRAKEDUCT

If you have a chance please measure the diameter of the brake ducts you used, both the outer diameter including the flat flange and the inner diameter of the actual opening, it would make searching for parts much easier, thanks.

Thanks for the link.


For the OP, nicely done and thanks for sharing.

[lucid]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how ducting will stay in place on the suspension and at the right orientation with just cable ties. Without backing plates the hose can be clamped on, there is a good chance the hose will either be lost completely or get disoriented if you drive aggressively at speed and go over curbing etc. I hope it works out for you.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by lucid

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how ducting will stay in place on the suspension and at the right orientation with just cable ties. Without backing plates the hose can be clamped on, there is a good chance the hose will either be lost completely or get disoriented if you drive aggressively at speed and go over curbing etc. I hope it works out for you.

Seems like it would be fairly easy to mod the backing plates by welding on a fitting to accept the hose.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Seems like it would be fairly easy to mod the backing plates by welding on a fitting to accept the hose.

Yeah, I've been too lazy to mess with the stock backing plates. The front stock plates should be removable, and you can take them out and create an opening and a lip of some kind for the hose. I called Turner up a few months ago, and they said they would release some backing plates soon. It would be much easier not to mess with the stock plates as long as the aftermarket part is reasonably priced.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by lucid

Yeah, I've been too lazy to mess with the stock backing plates. The front stock plates should be removable, and you can take them out and create an opening and a lip of some kind for the hose. I called Turner up a few months ago, and they said they would release some backing plates soon. It would be much easier not to mess with the stock plates as long as the aftermarket part is reasonably priced.

For winter street use I wonder what effect directing water onto the rotors has on initial braking? Probably not much, but a possible compormise.

[JuniorM3]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Seems like it would be fairly easy to mod the backing plates by welding on a fitting to accept the hose.

RIVETING!!!! will do
Keeps the DIY easy.

[aus]

Junior, any chance of making a kit for sale?
Something more reasonable than what the Motorsport kit will cost?

[Georgeair]

Know what corner workers love? Seeing another car whiz by with burning, smoking, disconnected homemade ducting trailing along from underneath the car!

j/k - this looks like an excellent plan!

[adc]

Perhaps it would be nice to find a snug plastic endcap that fits inside of the front opening. Plug it during the winter to avoid water, salt and too much cooling from reaching the rotor...

[JuniorM3]

Originally Posted by aus

Junior, any chance of making a kit for sale?
Something more reasonable than what the Motorsport kit will cost?

Sorry no.

Buy these, You'll save more then half over the BMW Motorsport brake disc cooling parts.

http://www.proracestore.com/index.ph...oducts_id=4690
Mine are arrive Friday, hope they fit my Stoptech BBK. And need to find a way to make the 5'' ducting fit...


Can't wait to bolt this stuff on my M3! OVERKILL!!!

Get Some hoses and an inlets for your front bumper.

Total of $400 MAX that's 1/3 of Motorsport charges you for the complete system

I'll post: 'DIY - Proper Brake Duct and Cooling System' next week.