e92 M3 Budget-Minded Track Build

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by Visceral

Sorry if you mentioned this before, but have you done rod bearings?

I haven't had an oil analysis and haven't done rod bearings. Flying blind at the moment.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

I had ground control plates on my 2013 ZCP M3 for a couple years and there was no clatter, so I'm getting them again. I just got Cup2's installed on the ZCPs and I don't want to chord the outside edge as these tires are big bucks. So camber plates and alignment are next for me. Obviously lots of well documented benefits to front plates in addition to helping tire wear at the track. The car becomes much more razor sharp, particularly with wider front tires.

I second this

The 100k I put on my E46M were all done with GC street camber plates.

I also put them on my E92 M3 on ZCP suspension, they worked great

Now with the MCS suspension on both cars I have the GC race plates.

I'm probably going to move one of the MCS suspension cars back to the ZCP suspension as it won't be used for the track at all anymore, however, it'll go in together with the GC street plates so that if I ever want to I can still take it on the track.

[SYT_Shadow]

Longboarder are you sure you don't want a aluminum DCT pan as part of your 'low cost' track build?

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

I had ground control plates on my 2013 ZCP M3 for a couple years and there was no clatter, so I'm getting them again. I just got Cup2's installed on the ZCPs and I don't want to chord the outside edge as these tires are big bucks. So camber plates and alignment are next for me. Obviously lots of well documented benefits to front plates in addition to helping tire wear at the track. The car becomes much more razor sharp, particularly with wider front tires.

I had Vorshlag plates, which were supposed to be great. Much better turn in during autox and improved tire wear, just fearful of sound in my daily.

So is the plan to track the GT3 only at close tracks, and the M3 at further tracks? Crazy that you said the steel brakes on the GT3 aren't as good as stock M3. I'd love to get an allocation for a manual GT3.2 but way too far down on the list, and would probably be too freaked to push it hard on track. Also don't see enough room to road trip it to Road America or VIR like I can in the M3.

[Longboarder]

Originally Posted by 03BeastCharmer

I had Vorshlag plates, which were supposed to be great. Much better turn in during autox and improved tire wear, just fearful of sound in my daily.

So is the plan to track the GT3 only at close tracks, and the M3 at further tracks? Crazy that you said the steel brakes on the GT3 aren't as good as stock M3. I'd love to get an allocation for a manual GT3.2 but way too far down on the list, and would probably be too freaked to push it hard on track. Also don't see enough room to road trip it to Road America or VIR like I can in the M3.

Interesting. I didn't know that there was noise from Vorshlag. I didn't hear any with the GC.

I better check what I wrote because no way stock e92 brakes are as good as the 991 GT3 steels. I thought I said the Stop Tech 380 front and rear kit that I put on my old e92 with Stop Tech pads were better than the GT3 brakes and pads. I had a bad experience with the stock GT3 brakes at the track but since upgrading to Brembo pads and fluid they are fine but they squeak when warm. The Stop Techs on my heavy 3,700 pounds e92 were fantastic on the track and street and never made any noise.

There are a lot of tracks here in SoCal that are really harsh on the car. Some not so much, like Thermal. So I will use the GT3 on places like Thermal and will transport it to places like COTA if I get the chance to run there. Otherwise I'll use the M3 at tracks here like ACS, Willow Springs, etc. those can be brutal. Crap load of debris on the tracks, curbs, crowded run groups, etc.

[Longboarder]

Originally Posted by Visceral

2011 E90 DCT came with:
Dinan springs
Dinan rear toe arms
Dinan intake
Dinan Exhaust
Dinan Tune

Ive done (so far):
Alex@Alpine GTS DCT program
Ground control camber plates
Apex RC7 19x10 wheels (square setup)
Pilot 4S 275/30/19
Castrol SRF brake fluid
Goodrich Brake lines
fresh spark plugs
fresh cabin filters
fresh oil/filter
Alignment (-2.5f -1.5r, .25 deg rear toe)

Extra 18x10 Apex ARC-8 square setup with 275/30/18 Nitto NT01 track tires

On order:
Slonik front 6p Brembo setup (black)
Cobywheel black wheel/other stuff alcantara
Schroth Quick-Fit Pro harness

I have an April 2nd appointment for rod bearings and engine mounts.

There's a late March SCCA AutoX I'll take it to and then track days begin in April/May.

I'll figure out what other suspension mods are necessary once I've beat on it a little bit. Seems like we're following similar paths, but mine is white (like a race car) so it's way better.

I was debating the slonik brembo kit but it uses the stock rotors, and I don't think they are very good compared to the rotors used in the Essex, ST or Brembo BBK's. I think the stock rotors do not dissipate heat as well and that is a pretty big issue for me when tracking particularly on a 100 degree F day and I'm threshold braking. But good luck I hope it works out for you because it's a pretty nice savings over a BBK.

I do agree white is more "race car" but comes with the responsibility of being quick around the track which I am not lol.

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

Interesting. I didn't know that there was noise from Vorshlag. I didn't hear any with the GC.

I better check what I wrote because no way stock e92 brakes are as good as the 991 GT3 steels. I thought I said the Stop Tech 380 front and rear kit that I put on my old e92 with Stop Tech pads were better than the GT3 brakes and pads. I had a bad experience with the stock GT3 brakes at the track but since upgrading to Brembo pads and fluid they are fine but they squeak when warm. The Stop Techs on my heavy 3,700 pounds e92 were fantastic on the track and street and never made any noise.

I think I missed the upgraded M3 brakes vs GT3 part.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

I was debating the slonik brembo kit but it uses the stock rotors, and I don't think they are very good compared to the rotors used in the Essex, ST or Brembo BBK's. I think the stock rotors do not dissipate heat as well and that is a pretty big issue for me when tracking particularly on a 100 degree F day and I'm threshold braking. But good luck I hope it works out for you because it's a pretty nice savings over a BBK.

I do agree white is more "race car" but comes with the responsibility of being quick around the track which I am not lol.

With the slonik Brembo kit you could add the PFC DD rotors and be all set, however, 'Brembo' makes all kinds of things, some of which are pieces of crap. I would sooner trust a simple Stoptech bbk than Brembo's that come off american cars

[jid2]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

I do agree white is more "race car" but comes with the responsibility of being quick around the track which I am not lol.

Haha I didn't know white came with so much pressure to perform!

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by jid2

Haha I didn't know white came with so much pressure to perform!

i think black have the most pressure. lol

[VictorH]

I got nearly 90,000 miles out of a set of Ground Control camber plates before they started making an occasional clunk. I have Vorschlag plates now, with about 10,000 miles and they are absolutely noiseless.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

I was debating the slonik brembo kit but it uses the stock rotors, and I don't think they are very good compared to the rotors used in the Essex, ST or Brembo BBK's. I think the stock rotors do not dissipate heat as well and that is a pretty big issue for me when tracking particularly on a 100 degree F day and I'm threshold braking. But good luck I hope it works out for you because it's a pretty nice savings over a BBK.

I do agree white is more "race car" but comes with the responsibility of being quick around the track which I am not lol.

Its a great point, and one that I agonized over much too much. I want to check and see if the 380mm brackets (which are arriving with the 360mm kit) fit the caliper behind my 18x10 wheels. If the wheel clears the caliper with the 380mm bracket, I'll buy a set of F80 stock rotors.

If it doesnt fit, I'll buy a set of PFC "stock size" rotors. The rotors are dead on my car already. With the current setup I can run AutoX but a hard drive down a mountian road means humming and vibration from the steering wheel (not fade) after 10-20 minutes.

The F80 rotors are $600-ish shipped a pair. Rings for the PFC, Stoptech, etc, are considerably more. Thats not to say that I'd go through an equal number, but I hear the F80 rotor is a damn nice piece of stock hardware.

The track is as much about consumable as it is performance. The 991TTS performs incredibly with its PCCB, but the price tag for a set of rotors is... horrifying.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Longboarder

I was debating the slonik brembo kit but it uses the stock rotors, and I don't think they are very good compared to the rotors used in the Essex, ST or Brembo BBK's. I think the stock rotors do not dissipate heat as well and that is a pretty big issue for me when tracking particularly on a 100 degree F day and I'm threshold braking. But good luck I hope it works out for you because it's a pretty nice savings over a BBK.

I do agree white is more "race car" but comes with the responsibility of being quick around the track which I am not lol.

please don't.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

please don't.

?

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

With the slonik Brembo kit you could add the PFC DD rotors and be all set, however, 'Brembo' makes all kinds of things, some of which are pieces of crap. I would sooner trust a simple Stoptech bbk than Brembo's that come off american cars

These look identical to the Brembos that were on my C6Z06. Those calipers held up to some really poor treatment, never squeeked, and never had Ti backplates. Never faded or gave me a second guess.

Thats not to say that other Brembo stuff isn't crap, but my "american car" had a great set on it on 08.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Visceral

?

Because it's wasted money for a non-solution.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

Because it's wasted money for a non-solution.

Your confidence is entertaining.

If it doesn't work for the type of track days that Adam and I plan on, I'll let y'all know. If it does work, which I think it will, I'll let folks know that too.

I have no need what-so-ever for $4500 Essex AP BBK, given my intended purpose.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Visceral

These look identical to the Brembos that were on my C6Z06. Those calipers held up to some really poor treatment, never squeeked, and never had Ti backplates. Never faded or gave me a second guess.

Thats not to say that other Brembo stuff isn't crap, but my "american car" had a great set on it on 08.

Cheap brembos are worthless. Nowadays you can get pretty much any piece of crap with 'Brembos' and it doesn't mean anything.

I'm glad your Z06 brakes worked well.

The issue with the stock brakes is the rotor doesn't cool well enough. Moving the single piston setup to a 6 piston does nothing for that.
Stock brakes are laughed at but with a PFC DD rotor upgrade they work just fine

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by Visceral

Your confidence is entertaining.

If it doesn't work for the type of track days that Adam and I plan on, I'll let y'all know. If it does work, which I think it will, I'll let folks know that too.

I have no need what-so-ever for $4500 Essex AP BBK, given my intended purpose.

I'm on the same boat. I too will be putting the Slonik Brembo kit through a track weekend. I did swap my stock rotors for PFC though, stock size.

Longboarder, I've been following this thread with interest as I'm putting a little track project myself. So far I've done the following:

RB replacement
Bbk front/rear, ss lines, upgraded brake fluid
Coilovers (Ohlins)
Camber plates (GC)
Front adj. sway bar/links (Eibach)
Schroth 4pt harness
Replaced all suspect bushings, which were the diff ones and the front thrust arm, Did the front control arm but the street version..
Motor mounts (one was torn, went with delrin ones)

I'll be using Michelin PS 255/35 and 275/35 19 on HRE wheels and NT01s on 18 square set just to experiment.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Cheap brembos are worthless. Nowadays you can get pretty much any piece of crap with 'Brembos' and it doesn't mean anything.

I'm glad your Z06 brakes worked well.

The issue with the stock brakes is the rotor doesn't cool well enough. Moving the single piston setup to a 6 piston does nothing for that.
Stock brakes are laughed at but with a PFC DD rotor upgrade they work just fine

I'm curious what your specific issue with the Slonik Brembos is?

Like Adam, we both have a modified Porsche 991 TTS (and others). I don't need to buy myself straight to "epic". I'm building a cool car to play with on the track with my teenage son. I'm excited to make a few, inexpensive changes, then try things out, and then see how that works. I also got a Hard Motorsport brake cooling kit on order, though it doesn't seem like Hard Motorsports is trying very hard to ship it to me.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by ricardofors68

I'm on the same boat. I too will be putting the Slonik Brembo kit through a track weekend. I did swap my stock rotors for PFC though, stock size.

Longboarder, I've been following this thread with interest as I'm putting a little track project myself. So far I've done the following:

RB replacement
Bbk front/rear, ss lines, upgraded brake fluid
Coilovers (Ohlins)
Camber plates (GC)
Front adj. sway bar/links (Eibach)
Schroth 4pt harness
Replaced all suspect bushings, which were the diff ones and the front thrust arm, Did the front control arm but the street version..
Motor mounts (one was torn, went with delrin ones)

I'll be using Michelin PS 255/35 and 275/35 19 on HRE wheels and NT01s on 18 square set just to experiment.

@ricardofors68 , thoughts on rod bearings?

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by Visceral

@ricardofors68 , thoughts on rod bearings?

To be honest, did them more as peace of mind, glad I did once I saw them. Two guys local to me had them fail around my mileage (76xxx) as well. Compared to the money I've spent on trivial mods, this was a cheap no brainer for me.