Best retrofit for M3 brakes?

[Camnyc]

Originally Posted by Captain Caveman

The Alfa ones have the Brembo logo/symbol embossed on the underside of the caliper and they ARE made by Brembo. See here:



Part numbers here:

Thanks, the search begins.

[Captain Caveman]

Originally Posted by Makaveli7

Here you go bro - F10 m5 CCB calipers and disks fitted on the Z4m 5 years ago, still running strong

Excuse the bad quality stickers

Wow - that's some serious machining work - top marks!! You should offer those out as a product - there are lots of used M5 calipers available to buy for cheap - I think people would be quite keen on those reprofiled ones. The M5 ones are so heavy - how much weight did you manage to remove?

[pbonsalb]

But no one wants to buy new CF rotors. That is why calipers are for sale. You can buy a big name 6 piston BBK for less than 2 front CF rotors.

[Captain Caveman]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

But no one wants to buy new CF rotors. That is why calipers are for sale. You can buy a big name 6 piston BBK for less than 2 front CF rotors.

You don't need to use ceramic rotors with the M5 caliper. You can use the caliper with steel discs no problem. 😉

[pbonsalb]

I though CF rotors were thicker? 38mm vs 30mm. And they are also larger diameter to add surface area compared to a typical steel counterpart. So you will end up with a really heavy rotor when you convert CF brakes to steel.

[Cbozz]

Originally Posted by SilverSlug

I’m hoping to upgrade my brakes (front/rear)... Wondering what is the consensus on the best retrofit?

I’ve seen some people instal Porsche Brembo calipers onto stock rear rotors... but, where to get the brackets? Which year/model Porsche calipers?

Also, I understand M4 rotors bolt right up to stock e92 M3 hub, but where to get bracket for M4 calipers?

What have people done otherwise??

if you're interested i'll be selling my StopTech BBK soon - 6 front and 4 rear

[Captain Caveman]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I though CF rotors were thicker? 38mm vs 30mm. And they are also larger diameter to add surface area compared to a typical steel counterpart. So you will end up with a really heavy rotor when you convert CF brakes to steel.

Calipers have a disc thickness range that they will work within, normally around 4mm. So the M5 caliper will work with 34mm steel discs no problem.

The height of the discs is down to the fabricator, so you can of course have a narrower friction area and wider bell if necessary - this is completely adjustable. For a particular pad width, there are normally a range of pad heights available to work with a particular caliper.

[pbonsalb]

So you would use custom brackets to fit maybe 380mm steel rotors instead of 400mm, and custom hats to center the narrower rotor in the caliper? (I don’t see any need for the weight of 400mm steel rotors on these cars)

[Captain Caveman]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

So you would use custom brackets to fit maybe 380mm steel rotors instead of 400mm, and custom hats to center the narrower rotor in the caliper? (I don’t see any need for the weight of 400mm steel rotors on these cars)

I'm guessing you'd need custom brackets to fit M5 calipers to an M3, but either way, you'd just need to machine the bracket down closer to the hub centre depending on the disc diameter you choose. With a 19" ZCP wheel, you can fit up to a 395mm disc no problem (As proven by Makaveli7 in page 2 of this thread).

[Epoustouflant]

We're looking at retrofit kits with the GT350 OE Brembo 6 pots front calipers.

They are 499 MSRP per pair, and are Brembo branded. No need for refinishing.

[UnicornM]

Originally Posted by Epoustouflant

We're looking at retrofit kits with the GT350 OE Brembo 6 pots front calipers.

They are 499 MSRP per pair, and are Brembo branded. No need for refinishing.

Sounds good. That to work on 360mm or 380mm discs? how about brackets?

[Epoustouflant]

Originally Posted by UnicornM

Sounds good. That to work on 360mm or 380mm discs? how about brackets?

Yep, brackets are will be custom made. Would fit 400MM (M2C) and 380MM (F8X) discs AFAIK. Talking to Winston to engineer the brackets right now. I'll test this over the winter most likely. Combining this with FCP euro rotors and you'd have the ultimate value track BBK.

Link: https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...jny4f_fQwOG2WY

[tdott]

Originally Posted by Epoustouflant

Yep, brackets are will be custom made. Would fit 400MM (M2C) and 380MM (F8X) discs AFAIK. Talking to Winston to engineer the brackets right now. I'll test this over the winter most likely. Combining this with FCP euro rotors and you'd have the ultimate value track BBK.

Link: https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...jny4f_fQwOG2WY

Good option if someone wanted to go CCB also. But then you'd have to figure how the brake booster situation since CCB cars have a different boost I believe.

I need to keep 18s for track so I'll be sticking to my peasant 380mm rotors.

[Captain Caveman]

Originally Posted by Epoustouflant

We're looking at retrofit kits with the GT350 OE Brembo 6 pots front calipers.

They are 499 MSRP per pair, and are Brembo branded. No need for refinishing.

Hey, I can see the logic behind this setup, as the Ford Brembos are cheap and plentiful, however it's important to note the piston area of these calipers is over 8% larger than stock, which combined with a larger diameter disc will give you both more pedal travel, and increase the front brake torque, which will affect the front/rear bias.

Just swapping the front disc to a 380mm diameter will increase brake torque by 5.5%, add the GT350 Brembo caliper in the mix with a 8% greater piston area, and you will end up with front bias greater than stock.

All aftermarket brake suppliers who make a dedicated setup for the E92 (Brembo, Stoptech & AP/Essex Racing) ALWAYS down size the piston area on the front, to allow for the additional brake torque provided by a larger diameter disc, and ensure that pedal bevaiour isn't worsened.

As I've posted previously, if you want to maintain front/rear bias and maintain pedal feel and travel similar to stock, you ideally want calipers with equal or smaller piston area that stock, depending on the disc size you will use.

The GT350 rear caliper isn't a bad option though, as it has 30/32mm pistons which combined with an M4 370mm rear disc is about perfect for the rear. You have to, however, get around the lug mounts of the GT350 rear caliper, by machining them down to radius mount - I don't think you can get an adapter to fit.

[UnicornM]

Originally Posted by Captain Caveman

Hey, I can see the logic behind this setup, as the Ford Brembos are cheap and plentiful, however it's important to note the piston area of these calipers is over 8% larger than stock, which combined with a larger diameter disc will give you both more pedal travel, and increase the front brake torque, which will affect the front/rear bias.

Just swapping the front disc to a 380mm diameter will increase brake torque by 5.5%, add the GT350 Brembo caliper in the mix with a 8% greater piston area, and you will end up with front bias greater than stock.

All aftermarket brake suppliers who make a dedicated setup for the E92 (Brembo, Stoptech & AP/Essex Racing) ALWAYS down size the piston area on the front, to allow for the additional brake torque provided by a larger diameter disc, and ensure that pedal bevaiour isn't worsened.

As I've posted previously, if you want to maintain front/rear bias and maintain pedal feel and travel similar to stock, you ideally want calipers with equal or smaller piston area that stock, depending on the disc size you will use.

The GT350 rear caliper isn't a bad option though, as it has 30/32mm pistons which combined with an M4 370mm rear disc is about perfect for the rear. You have to, however, get around the lug mounts of the GT350 rear caliper, by machining them down to radius mount - I don't think you can get an adapter to fit.

Kinda making me want to go the Alfa 6 pot Brembo route again lol

[pbonsalb]

Refurbished a pair of well used ST60 calipers with paint, pistons and seals. Bought new hats and assembled with new rotors. Installed on my 08 E90M3. This is just for fun; I don’t track the car and don’t expect to stop any faster for the one hard stop I occasionally do. Using Stoptech Sport pads.

May add white Stoptech decals. If I could do it over again, I would have powder coated for a more even paint finish, but the G2 brush on paint I used is supposed to be durable. It looks fine from 5 feet, which is as close as I see my brakes unless I am working on the car

[SAMM3Y]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Refurbished a pair of well used ST60 calipers with paint, pistons and seals. Bought new hats and assembled with new rotors. Installed on my 08 E90M3. This is just for fun; I don't track the car and don't expect to stop any faster for the one hard stop I occasionally do. Using Stoptech Sport pads.

May add white Stoptech decals. If I could do it over again, I would have powder coated for a more even paint finish, but the G2 brush on paint I used is supposed to be durable. It looks fine from 5 feet, which is as close as I see my brakes unless I am working on the car

I think powder coating brake calipers can be done well enough but I don't think it's worth the hassle...I'm too concerned about them soda blasting threads or coating areas they shouldn't and potentially causing piston binding etc. I think painting is the way to go and you can get always touch them up.

[Vedubin01]

Originally Posted by SAMM3Y

I think powder coating brake calipers can be done well enough but I don't think it's worth the hassle...I'm too concerned about them soda blasting threads or coating areas they shouldn't and potentially causing piston binding etc. I think painting is the way to go and you can get always touch them up.

You just need to find a good powder coater that knows what he/she is doing. I did mine and not one issue. Plus they wear much better than paint and look so much better!

[pbonsalb]

I would do it myself. My father in law has an Eastwood gun, heat lamp and if necessary, oven. I have silicon stoppers and covers to plug holes and cover threads. I just did not have any high temp powder coat on hand and did not want to wait. Years ago I disassembled a set of Style 5 wheels, stripped and sanded and buffed them, and powder coated them and they turned out great but it was a lot of work. Again, were I doing the calipers over again, I would powdercoat, but I am not going to strip them now.

[UnicornM]

Alfa 6 pot Brembo's seem pretty difficult to source. Anyone have a hook up?

[Captain Caveman]

Originally Posted by UnicornM

Alfa 6 pot Brembo's seem pretty difficult to source. Anyone have a hook up?

Ebay always...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOP-ORIG-...wAAOSw-1te26pA

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2018-Alfa...AAAOSwlyVePoCP

[Grip Addict]

Why hasn't anyone figured out a way to get the 4 pot Megane Brembos on the rear yet?

I would totally jump on a retrofit BBK, but my OCD cannot have the fronts having a BBK and the back stock.