Introducing- Essex Designed AP Racing Competition Big Brake Kits for the E92 M3

[jritt@essex]

Originally Posted by Roadsterdoc

Group buy please!

We don't plan on doing any group buys on this product, primarily because we sell these kits wholesale, and we'd be undercutting our dealers. A number of our resellers actually sponsor this forum. If you're interested in finding a local reseller please get in touch with me via PM or email. Also, if you regularly work with a shop unfamiliar to us, we're open to having them call us to set up a wholesale account. Thanks!

[modkrazy]

Any chance of a group buy on these? Edit: oops saw prior post

And perhaps some color options?

[jritt@essex]

Originally Posted by modkrazy

Any chance of a group buy on these? Edit: oops saw prior post

And perhaps some color options?

No worries. We won't ever have any color options on these kits. These kits are designed for maximum performance. Painted or powder coated calipers have significant color-shift when run on the track. They get ugly, flake, chip, etc. Anodized calipers like the ones in our kit hold up much better under high heat, which is the environment for which they were designed.

[Kunman]

will these brakes clear 17inch rims? specifically apex arc8 17x10 et25?

I really appreciate the all racing no bs approach.

[jritt@essex]

Originally Posted by Kunman

will these brakes clear 17inch rims? specifically apex arc8 17x10 et25?

I really appreciate the all racing no bs approach.

Thanks! 17's are tough with a 355mm disc. Usually you need an 18". That said, the only way to know for sure would be to check our downloadable wheel fitment template. After printing, check it with a ruler to check that it printed to scale. Stick it in the wheel and you're done.

[FogCityM3]

Recently installed this kit and can't say enough about it! Highly recommended and full review here:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=998465

[mfufu]

Have been following this thread for a wee while and it is an awesome kit.. Shame you can't ship the kit internationally. However, can you ship parts internationally?.. Like discs and hats or calipers even?

Hard pressed to get a 355mm setup for the front on the M3. Is there a workaround?

Appreciate all feedback.

[jritt@essex]

Thanks for the kind words. We can ship a kit to you in Singapore. Only countries listed on this page with authorized AP Racing distributors are excluded. We can ship anywhere else in the world.

Shoot me an email and we'll chat about getting a kit on its way to you. They are on the shelf and ready to ship. Thanks!

Originally Posted by mfufu

Have been following this thread for a wee while and it is an awesome kit.. Shame you can't ship the kit internationally. However, can you ship parts internationally?.. Like discs and hats or calipers even?

Hard pressed to get a 355mm setup for the front on the M3. Is there a workaround?

Appreciate all feedback.

[ybssw]

Is ths kit ready to ship now? Both F&R. I only track about once in a month. What's the required maintaince schedule for this race kit? thanks

[gnoy26]

hi essex,

really nice product and how its main focus is on being competitive in braking performance and value i do however have some inquires please care to share.

cp5060 vs cp5060 essex
why does the piston look different?


CP5040 vs CP5040 essex
why does the piston look different?


somehow i also cant find any information on
cp5773 and cp3864 rotors

[jritt@essex]

Originally Posted by ybssw

Is ths kit ready to ship now? Both F&R. I only track about once in a month. What's the required maintaince schedule for this race kit? thanks

Yes, front and rear kits are on the shelf and ready to ship.

Maintenance will be completely need-dependent. In other words, it's near impossible to predict service intervals. Every car, driver, track, etc. is different. That said, my customers who do the occasional track day typically get a couple of seasons out of their discs before the iron portion needs replacing. Pad wear is all over the map since the pad compounds differ so greatly. Most also get several seasons out of their calipers before they need rebuilding as well. In fact, many of them sell their car and get something different before their calipers need to be rebuilt. We tend to see calipers come in for a rebuild when the customer is parting their car to prep it for sale, and they want to freshen the brakes up to sell them.

Since the components in our kit are designed specifically to handle track abuse, they require less servicing than kits geared more towards street use. The parts don't burn up as quickly or show as much wear under the same harsh conditions. The proper tools for the job work best!

[jritt@essex]

Thanks for the kind words. The components in our Essex Kits are designed specifically for Essex. That's why they don't look the same as the standard parts in AP Racing's catalogs, website, etc. That's also why you can't take a component out of our kit and bolt it up to some other AP Racing kit in a different part of the world that uses a different array of components. Our kits are designed as a complete system, with all of the components working to complement each other.

We are one of AP's largest customers globally. In addition to our engineering staff, we have a full-time AP Racing engineer in our office in Charlotte, NC. We work together to create kits to our desired specification. Sometimes that requires modifications of existing components in the AP Racing catalog, and at times it requires the creation of completely new components. Both situations are at work in this instance.

For the e92 M3, Essex requested a caliper piston upgrade to increase heat capacity and cooling. We went from the standard AP Racing aluminum or SS pistons to custom ventilated, stainless steel pistons in our version of the calipers. For our front M3 kit, we also had to order our calipers with a slightly larger overall piston area than what AP ships as standard in their CP5060. When mated to a 355mm diameter disc and the OEM M3 master cylinder, they maintain proper brake bias that is almost identical to OEM on the e92. If we used the standard piston size from the catalog, that would not be the case.

Also, both of the discs we use for the front and rear are custom designed for Essex. As mentioned, the front disc is the same as what we used on the championship-winning Daytona Prototypes a couple of years ago....72 vane Endurance Racing, fully floating J Hook. The rear is a completely new design we created for the M3 and C5/C6 Corvette. It's more or less the perfect size to reduce weight to the absolute minimum, while still retaining enough heat capacity to get the job done under heavy track abuse. Since we buy both discs in bulk, we're able to keep the price down to a reasonable level, so our track customers don't have to sell their internal organs when it comes time to replace their iron disc rings!

We are doing the above because our business revolves around professional racing. We use these same technologies in our solutions for the highest levels of motorsport, whether it's a NASCAR Sprint Cup team, an ALMS team, or IndyCar. We see what works best, and we attempt to bring those technologies to our amateur/enthusiast customer product offerings. Sometimes we have to modify those technologies slightly to keep the cost down (for example we're using SS pistons instead of Titanium), but we're still trying to implement as many as we can. Many of these features aren't available from other manufacturers at any level, let alone at the aftermarket level.

The solutions we are creating are truly customized for the applications to which we're applying them. We spend a lot of time in the planning phase, trying to target what a particular vehicle needs, and what the customers want. Since we have a ton of experience in racing, the needs part is fairly clear to us based on the vehicle curb weight, weight distribution, drivetrain layout, tire size, horsepower, etc. We know what type of demands X car will put on the brakes under Y conditions. Then we look at potential modifications our customers will perform (adding stickier tires, forced induction, weight reduction, etc.) and come up with the performance envelope at which they will operate the brakes. Then we typically throw in some padding/durability to cover the lunatic fringe, and decide upon the technical requirements for a given brake kit.

Then we assess customer wants, and try to line those expectations up with what we know are their technical needs...which is the tricky part. Typically, what our customers think they want or need, doesn't always line up perfectly with what they actually need. You've probably seen a little bit of that in this thread and in others, where people instantly scream, "I need bigger, 16 inch discs!" That's not the customer's fault, it's more a result of what has historically been on offer in the marketplace, and what they've been told by other manufacturers and countless internet 'experts.'

It's a bit of a balancing act really. We want to give our customers what they want, but we also want to give them more than that. Why wouldn't we, if we know how to do so, and we can actually do it at a palatable price? When you tell someone that you can provide a nearly 40 lbs. unsprung weight reduction from their car, while dramatically improving every aspect of their car's brake performance, it's usually a bit jarring to hear. As with anything else, it usually takes people a little while to come around on new ideas and technologies. There is some disbelief, caution, fear, etc., but that is all perfectly normal. Over the years there have been countless BS products and fly-by-night operations in the automotive aftermarket. Many of them have no actual credibility, which creates a dilemma for the end user. It's not as if the parts in the USA have to undergo any certification (unlike TUV in Germany), so there is definitely some perceived risk involved. Fortunately in this case, we're working with one of the most accomplished brake manufacturers in the world, so I'm guessing that helps considerably.

That's why I always encourage people to read the customer reviews on our blog, other forums, etc. Our customers tell the story better than we ever could, and you get to see that what we are preaching is the real deal in the real world.

Originally Posted by gnoy26

hi essex,

really nice product and how its main focus is on being competitive in braking performance and value i do however have some inquires please care to share.

cp5060 vs cp5060 essex
why does the piston look different?


CP5040 vs CP5040 essex
why does the piston look different?


somehow i also cant find any information on
cp5773 and cp3864 rotors

[jritt@essex]

Morning Gents,
I just wanted to share a forum post from one of my Corvette customers who has had one of our Competition Kits installed on his car for four years now. His comments relate to long-term durability under a variety of driving conditions. Please scroll down to post#44 here. Thanks.

[gnoy26]

thumbs up... i hope to be purchasing a set soon

[jritt@essex]

Originally Posted by gnoy26

thumbs up... i hope to be purchasing a set soon

Sweet. Just let us know when your'e ready!

Here are some pics of our e92 M3 Competition Big Brake Kit installed on the extremely tasty Yost Autosport endurance racing M3. This car also has AP Racing air jacks installed, and will be hitting the track for the first time in a few weeks.






Looks like a nice place to conduct business!

[FogCityM3]

Looks awesome!

[K-M3]

not a mechanical guy, so this may sound like a stupid question...... any possibility of offering high temp silicone compound dust boots to make this kit a lill bit more "weather friendly" as well as avoid them (the boots) burning up on track ??

thought I would ask since quite a few members here (including me) appear to be interested in this kit, but also daily drive their M3s including some exposure to snow/salt and road dirt/mud.....

Personally, I would only do a brake upgrade if I am able to use the upgraded brakes pretty much all the time, both for DD duties and track duty. I really don't have the time or really the patience to keep swapping between two dedicated brake set ups (regardless of the "off road only" labeling, which is usually more of a legal disclaimer anyways for all practical purposes)

great review though on the M3 listed here..... and pretty awesome looking car ... love the black wheels on a SG set up.... brakes sooo look at home on that one....

[jritt@essex]

Thanks for the kind words, and not a stupid idea at all...that's a good idea. We aren't working on anything like that currently. Something of that sort would require a considerable approval and testing process to achieve. We are focused purely on superior track performance.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, IMO the two-piece discs are the biggest problem. The salt wedges between the iron disc and aluminum hat, and eats the aluminum. Unfortunately, that's true of all aftermarket BBK's with two-piece discs. That's why we frequently see OEM setups that use a dual-cast iron disc instead of the lighter aluminum hat design (like the new Z51 Corvette Stingray).

Personally, I think you northern guys really need to embrace the 'beater' lifestyle! Buy a mid-nineties Honda Accord for $1500-$2,000, slap some Blizzak's on it, and drive it like a rally car until spring! When I lived in LA I worked on the fringe of Compton. I left my Z06 at home and bought a $1,200 Civic wagon for my commute which I dubbed "The Compton Crawler." With a beater you can drive it through snow banks, never worry about squeezing into traffic, thrash it off-road, eat lunch in it, leave the keys in it...who cares as long as the heater works. Finally, if you stuff it, you can hand your keys to the tow truck driver and say, "Just keep it." There's something incredibly liberating about not caring one bit about the car you're driving (particularly if you're only driving it for a few months out of the year).

Originally Posted by K-M3

not a mechanical guy, so this may sound like a stupid question...... any possibility of offering high temp silicone compound dust boots to make this kit a lill bit more "weather friendly" as well as avoid them (the boots) burning up on track ??

thought I would ask since quite a few members here (including me) appear to be interested in this kit, but also daily drive their M3s including some exposure to snow/salt and road dirt/mud.....

Personally, I would only do a brake upgrade if I am able to use the upgraded brakes pretty much all the time, both for DD duties and track duty. I really don't have the time or really the patience to keep swapping between two dedicated brake set ups (regardless of the "off road only" labeling, which is usually more of a legal disclaimer anyways for all practical purposes)

great review though on the M3 listed here..... and pretty awesome looking car ... love the black wheels on a SG set up.... brakes sooo look at home on that one....

[K-M3]

Originally Posted by jritt@essex

Thanks for the kind words, and not a stupid idea at all...that's a good idea. We aren't working on anything like that currently. Something of that sort would require a considerable approval and testing process to achieve. It's definitely something to keep in mind though.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, IMO the two-piece discs are the biggest problem. The salt wedges between the iron disc and aluminum hat, and eats the aluminum. Unfortunately, that's true of all aftermarket BBK's with two-piece discs. That's why we frequently see OEM setups that use a dual-cast iron disc instead of the lighter aluminum hat design (like the new Z51 Corvette Stingray).

We have lots of people beating up on our kits in all types of environments. You can see lots of impressions on our blog. I just posted a C7 Stingray owner's nice review of our six piston kit yesterday.

Personally, I think you northern guys really need to embrace the 'beater' lifestyle! Buy a mid-nineties Honda Accord for $1500-$2,000, slap some Blizzak's on it, and drive it like a rally car until spring! When I lived in LA I worked on the fringe of Compton. I left my Z06 at home and bought a $1,200 Civic wagon for my commute which I dubbed "The Compton Crawler." With a beater you can drive it through snow banks, never worry about squeezing into traffic, thrash it off-road, eat lunch in it, leave the keys in it...who cares as long as the heater works. Finally, if you stuff it, you can hand your keys to the tow truck driver and say, "Just keep it." There's something incredibly liberating about not caring one bit about the car you're driving (particularly if you're only driving it for a few months out of the year).

my beater's a scionxA.... tough lill cookie that... pretty much takes everything thrown at it

[s85e90]

Any chance these will clear Volk 18" re 30 club sports? 380mm brembos don't and it seems only Alcon makes ones that fit.

[jritt@essex]

my beater's a scionxA.... tough lill cookie that... pretty much takes everything thrown at it

Nice! Japanese econoboxes are tanks. All you have to do is keep oil in them, and that's about it in most cases. I've had some form of beater 3rd or 4th car now for the past decade. Moving forward, I don't think I ever want to not have one. I love having a spare car around if one breaks down, etc.

Originally Posted by s85e90

Any chance these will clear Volk 18" re 30 club sports? 380mm brembos don't and it seems only Alcon makes ones that fit.

Our kit has excellent wheel fitment that is superior to most other offerings on the market. Wheel barrel clearance won't be a problem on just about any 18", you'll just need to check wheel spoke clearance. You can use our downloadable templates to verify:

Front Wheel Fitment Template

Rear Wheel Fitment Template

[jritt@essex]

Here's another customer review of our six piston kit on a 550whp C5 Z06. This driver knocked two seconds off his personal best lap at Road America by adding our brake kit (no other changes to the car or driver).

I love getting feedback like this on our kits. Sometimes I feel like...a speed dealer.