AP Racing Pro5000R Radi-CAL worth it for daily use?

Redd · 01-17-2020, 07:57 PM

I'm currently on Brembo GT (very happy with them!) and may have the opportunity to upgrade to an AP Racing Pro5000R kit with Radi-CAL calipers for a swap of my Brembos + USD500. I think the calipers are CP9660 front, CP9449 rear. The AP kit is only 10k kms old and much newer than my Brembos, but may not be an Essex kit as I'm out here in Asia.

The question is this - My car is mainly a daily car. I may do 1-2 trackdays a year, and some hill runs occasionally. Is the AP Racing worth it to upgrade? I know it's a far superior brake system to the Brembo GT, but I also read that it's very strong and may be hard to modulate for daily driving. And it also rattles, where the Brembos don't.

Looking for some advice if I should do the swap.

b4hand · 01-17-2020, 08:01 PM

Not even a little bit

Redd · 01-17-2020, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b4hand

Not even a little bit

Care to share reasons why not?

romero1990 · 01-17-2020, 08:40 PM

Your Brembo GT is probably overkill for the use already. At this point, it's just if you wanted to or not I suppose

b4hand · 01-17-2020, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redd

Care to share reasons why not?

Your car is a daily. You don't even need the Brembo GT kit you have installed. With 1-2 track days a year, you probably aren't pushing it that hard either. Unless that $500 is burning a hole in your pocket, it's not going to be of much benefit to you to upgrade.

Redd · 01-17-2020, 09:48 PM

Thanks. This is the sort of sanity I needed.

aus · 01-19-2020, 11:59 AM

BUT, for $500 more, I may want that AP kit!!
.

Redd · 01-19-2020, 06:35 PM

There's over over 100k kms on my Brembos. I figure I'll have to rebuild the calipers soon. My initial logic was spending the $500 would get me a nearly new set of brakes (notwithstanding the upgrade factor) and I won't need to spend the dough on a caliper rebuild.

roastbeef · 01-19-2020, 07:31 PM

the pro5000 has pad retainers. its probably going to be comparable to your brembo kit on the street. i have the first essex kit with the cp5060 calipers and its a little clunky after being on the car for about three years. the J-hooks create a ton of dust.
if you're getting away with the brembos for your requirements, its cool, but i understand the want to make the change.

Richbot · 01-20-2020, 09:16 AM

Why do you think you'll need to rebuild the caliprs?

THe last time I had the pads out of my stoptechs, they were absolutely perfect. That was 8,000 miles or so ago, and they have close to 70,000 miles on them without a rebuild

Overkill brakes are overkill for street cars, unless you've been driving them through bud bogs or whatever I seriously doubt they need to be touched, at all. The OEM Brembos on the millions of cars sold with them don't need a rebuild after 60,000 miles, why should yours?

Redd · 01-20-2020, 10:21 AM

Well they're not leaking or anything, but I'm the kind that likes to do preventive maintenance rather than wait for a failure. I just thought 100+k kms would be a good time for a rebuild. I'm also the kind who changes all my fluids every 20k kms. A bit overkill, yes, but I'm just like that.

steven_s · 01-20-2020, 11:50 AM

Overkill for street? Absolutely. Technical standpoint it is a far superior product.

so...

I'm in the boat that if $500 isn't going to kill you... I'd jump on that asap lol

Richbot · 01-20-2020, 12:02 PM

You might as well change out your doors too for all the good that will do you

Redd · 01-20-2020, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richbot

You might as well change out your doors too for all the good that will do you

Well they do make those nice carbon doors... 😂

Richbot · 01-21-2020, 09:45 AM

ha - touche

//steve\\ · 01-21-2020, 10:21 AM

Also just here to add that I don't think I'd do it either. Doesn't seem worthwhile.

The only other thought that might sway me towards do it is if there are some wheels you really like that don't fit the Brembos but do fit the AP setup.

wyatth · 01-21-2020, 05:21 PM

^ Agreed, wheel fitment is 100% the only reason behind the swap, IMO.

SYT_Shadow · 01-21-2020, 06:33 PM

I wouldn't do it for street use.

I have PFC and AP RadiCal bbks on two M3s.

In the case of the AP i also have the retainers to quiet them down for street use. They do not work that well.

Race bbks are for that: racing. They are not street friendly, mainly due to noise.

On the street E92 M3 I removed the bbk and am back to oem brakes. I imagine that frustrates all the hard parkers and aesthetic people but I don't care.

//steve\\ · 01-22-2020, 07:18 AM

^Maybe some of it is pad choice?

I have the Essex 9668/9449 combo on my car with Ferodo 2500 pads and I've never had any kind of noise. They just work.

Mr_Reeves · 02-17-2020, 07:14 AM

I'd only recommend the pro 5000 R kit for track use. They will work well on the road but you seem to already have the ideal BBK for a road car.

I'd say if your usage was the other way around then it's definitely worth it but I wouldn't bother if I was you.

01-17-2020, 07:57 PM	#1
Redd Brigadier General 3900 Rep 4,164 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW E92 M3 Dakar Edition Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Malaysia iTrader: (0)	AP Racing Pro5000R Radi-CAL worth it for daily use? I'm currently on Brembo GT (very happy with them!) and may have the opportunity to upgrade to an AP Racing Pro5000R kit with Radi-CAL calipers for a swap of my Brembos + USD500. I think the calipers are CP9660 front, CP9449 rear. The AP kit is only 10k kms old and much newer than my Brembos, but may not be an Essex kit as I'm out here in Asia. The question is this - My car is mainly a daily car. I may do 1-2 trackdays a year, and some hill runs occasionally. Is the AP Racing worth it to upgrade? I know it's a far superior brake system to the Brembo GT, but I also read that it's very strong and may be hard to modulate for daily driving. And it also rattles, where the Brembos don't. Looking for some advice if I should do the swap.
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01-17-2020, 08:01 PM	#2
b4hand Captain 661 Rep 966 Posts Drives: 2011 ZCP M3 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (3)	Not even a little bit
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01-17-2020, 08:40 PM	#4
romero1990 Lieutenant 176 Rep 586 Posts Drives: E92 M3, F25 X3 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0) Garage List 2017 X3 [0.00] 2009 M3 [0.00]	Your Brembo GT is probably overkill for the use already. At this point, it's just if you wanted to or not I suppose
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01-17-2020, 09:48 PM	#6
Redd Brigadier General 3900 Rep 4,164 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW E92 M3 Dakar Edition Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Malaysia iTrader: (0)	Thanks. This is the sort of sanity I needed.
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01-19-2020, 11:59 AM	#7
aus Major General 892 Rep 9,032 Posts Drives: Odysse Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seal Beach, CA iTrader: (10)	BUT, for $500 more, I may want that AP kit!! . __________________ 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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01-19-2020, 06:35 PM	#8
Redd Brigadier General 3900 Rep 4,164 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW E92 M3 Dakar Edition Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Malaysia iTrader: (0)	There's over over 100k kms on my Brembos. I figure I'll have to rebuild the calipers soon. My initial logic was spending the $500 would get me a nearly new set of brakes (notwithstanding the upgrade factor) and I won't need to spend the dough on a caliper rebuild.
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01-19-2020, 07:31 PM	#9
roastbeef Lieutenant General 11586 Rep 12,726 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (4)	the pro5000 has pad retainers. its probably going to be comparable to your brembo kit on the street. i have the first essex kit with the cp5060 calipers and its a little clunky after being on the car for about three years. the J-hooks create a ton of dust. if you're getting away with the brembos for your requirements, its cool, but i understand the want to make the change. __________________ Instagram; @roastbeefmike
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01-20-2020, 09:16 AM	#10
Richbot Major General 2760 Rep 5,483 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E90 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: STL iTrader: (5)	Why do you think you'll need to rebuild the caliprs? THe last time I had the pads out of my stoptechs, they were absolutely perfect. That was 8,000 miles or so ago, and they have close to 70,000 miles on them without a rebuild Overkill brakes are overkill for street cars, unless you've been driving them through bud bogs or whatever I seriously doubt they need to be touched, at all. The OEM Brembos on the millions of cars sold with them don't need a rebuild after 60,000 miles, why should yours? __________________
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01-20-2020, 10:21 AM	#11
Redd Brigadier General 3900 Rep 4,164 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW E92 M3 Dakar Edition Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Malaysia iTrader: (0)	Well they're not leaking or anything, but I'm the kind that likes to do preventive maintenance rather than wait for a failure. I just thought 100+k kms would be a good time for a rebuild. I'm also the kind who changes all my fluids every 20k kms. A bit overkill, yes, but I'm just like that.
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01-20-2020, 11:50 AM	#12
steven_s First Lieutenant 50 Rep 357 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Canada iTrader: (3)	Overkill for street? Absolutely. Technical standpoint it is a far superior product. so... I'm in the boat that if $500 isn't going to kill you... I'd jump on that asap lol
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01-20-2020, 12:02 PM	#13
Richbot Major General 2760 Rep 5,483 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E90 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: STL iTrader: (5)	You might as well change out your doors too for all the good that will do you __________________ Last edited by Richbot; 01-20-2020 at 12:12 PM..
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01-21-2020, 09:45 AM	#15
Richbot Major General 2760 Rep 5,483 Posts Drives: Jerez Black E90 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: STL iTrader: (5)	ha - touche __________________
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01-21-2020, 10:21 AM	#16
//steve\\ Major $//steve\\'s Avatar$ 1074 Rep 1,027 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (2)	Also just here to add that I don't think I'd do it either. Doesn't seem worthwhile. The only other thought that might sway me towards do it is if there are some wheels you really like that don't fit the Brembos but do fit the AP setup.
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01-21-2020, 05:21 PM	#17
wyatth Colonel 3549 Rep 2,824 Posts Drives: E90 ZCP Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	^ Agreed, wheel fitment is 100% the only reason behind the swap, IMO.
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01-21-2020, 06:33 PM	#18
SYT_Shadow ///M Powered for Life 11483 Rep 10,329 Posts Drives: E90M/E92M/M4GTS/M4GT4/X5M Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Greenwich, CT iTrader: (2)	I wouldn't do it for street use. I have PFC and AP RadiCal bbks on two M3s. In the case of the AP i also have the retainers to quiet them down for street use. They do not work that well. Race bbks are for that: racing. They are not street friendly, mainly due to noise. On the street E92 M3 I removed the bbk and am back to oem brakes. I imagine that frustrates all the hard parkers and aesthetic people but I don't care. __________________ DIY: S65 Rod Bearings E9X PFC Z54 BBK on F8X BK harness bar + seats: fit 6 tires in an M3 do88 Cooling Goodies GTS Twins: GTMore project
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01-22-2020, 07:18 AM	#19
//steve\\ Major $//steve\\'s Avatar$ 1074 Rep 1,027 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (2)	^Maybe some of it is pad choice? I have the Essex 9668/9449 combo on my car with Ferodo 2500 pads and I've never had any kind of noise. They just work.
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02-17-2020, 07:14 AM	#20
Mr_Reeves Enlisted Member 27 Rep 38 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Bath, UK. iTrader: (0)	I'd only recommend the pro 5000 R kit for track use. They will work well on the road but you seem to already have the ideal BBK for a road car. I'd say if your usage was the other way around then it's definitely worth it but I wouldn't bother if I was you.
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