Performance Friction dropped a skid at our place today...

[JamesClay]

Well the kit is on the car, but there is salt on the roads, so I am going to wait a few days to drive it. Here are a bunch of pictures of the process.

First a few product pics we took - glamour shots style...




Stock brakes we are taking off. The buildup around the holes is pad material from switching the stock pads to an incompatible race pad - that race material is clinging on! This is an exxagerated view of what I have found to be a common occurance when taking the stock pads to the track - they growl like mad for a few weeks after!




With all the stuff off, we weighed the pile of parts, per axle. Weights are to the nearest pound and the scales are recently calibrated. In summary, stock is 74 front/62 rear, PFC is 56 front/68 rear - due to the machined rear rotor hat used. Also, the rear brackets on my kit are steel - production will be Al and lighten that number up a little. So we lost 18# on the front, but gained 6 back on the rear, albeit with a low moment of inertia.








Next, pics with the kit on the car. Install was smooth. No mods needed except slight trimming of the front dust shield to allow for caliper fitment.





Wheel fitment to follow...

[JamesClay]

OK - here are wheels. I tried to break up the post a little. I tested fitment on 3 wheels. All of these were a direct fit with no spacer, although, I will run spacers due to suspension fitment in the front with the wider tire/wheel options. I assume if the stock wheels fit, almost all aftermarket options will.

1 - Stock 18" - direct fit, no spacer!!!


2 - D-Force 18x9.5" - my track wheels for this car with 275/35-18 Nittos, all 4 corners






3 - BBS RE 20x9.5/10.5" - street wheels with 265/296 PS-2

[schnell325]

The stock 18's fit? Holy crap!

[Radiation Joe]

James, nice REs. You wouldn't have a connection for the RE-705s, would you? 18x10.5 forged magnesium (ex PTG). I've got a cracked one I'm trying to replace.

Anyone?

[consolidated]

thank you for bringing some logic to BBKs by making them fit ordinary 18" wheels.

[STALKER]

Got any pics of the entire car with the REs on?
Great posts BTW, thanks.

Do you guys sell the D-Force wheels, are they forged?

[BarryC]

Very nice!

BC

[JamesClay]

Originally Posted by Radiation Joe

James, nice REs. You wouldn't have a connection for the RE-705s, would you? 18x10.5 forged magnesium (ex PTG). I've got a cracked one I'm trying to replace.

Are they NLA? I can check if you want to email me. I also know about 5 places to get those spares and may be able to dig up an extra if there is no other route. Best bet - replace them all - it won't be the last one that cracks.

Originally Posted by consolidated

thank you for bringing some logic to BBKs by making them fit ordinary 18" wheels.

Right? These are bigger than stock by a little (diameter), but stock is already huge. I specifically left the 18" on when I got the car measured up and PFC does good work. Nothing would be more irritating than having to go with a larger than 18" track tire.

Originally Posted by STALKER

Got any pics of the entire car with the REs on?
Great posts BTW, thanks.

Do you guys sell the D-Force wheels, are they forged?

Here is one pic pre-brakes.
We do sell the D-Force. They are squeeze-cast - a method that increases metal density while still getting some of the cost savings of a casting. These wheels are about 18# and $300 - you don't get real forged for that.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by JamesC

With all the stuff off, we weighed the pile of parts, per axle. Weights are to the nearest pound and the scales are recently calibrated. In summary, stock is 74 front/62 rear, PFC is 56 front/68 rear - due to the machined rear rotor hat used. Also, the rear brackets on my kit are steel - production will be Al and lighten that number up a little. So we lost 18# on the front, but gained 6 back on the rear, albeit with a low moment of inertia.

Thanks for this info. Do you know how thick the rotors are?

[Radiation Joe]

Originally Posted by JamesC

Are they NLA? I can check if you want to email me. I also know about 5 places to get those spares and may be able to dig up an extra if there is no other route. Best bet - replace them all - it won't be the last one that cracks.

PM me with your e-mail address. They're NLA unless I order 5 sets.

[Gearhead999s]

I am liking this setup,even though I vowed a BBK was not in my future for the M

[JamesClay]

Off the top of my head, 32mm thick - I will post again if I am wrong.

james@bimmerworld.com - not a secret address

Think of them as a better brake kit - not just big... That might slip it under the radar.

[KINGLEH]

nice studs..... and kit on and finished.... fits the 18s.. that would be nice if i could fit my 18s on... but its ok i guess... this makes it more difficult for the people wanting stop-tech and Brembo...

guess the price will make the difference...

[JamesClay]

32mm front, 30mm rear.

[JAJ]

Originally Posted by KINGLEH

nice studs..... and kit on and finished.... fits the 18s.. that would be nice if i could fit my 18s on... but its ok i guess... this makes it more difficult for the people wanting stop-tech and Brembo...

guess the price will make the difference...

It's going to get a lot less difficult if you want to run 18's with a BBK.

Stoptech has a 355mm front kit coming out shortly to go with their 355mm rears, Brembo has a 365mm kit coming, and these 371/372 PF's are available later this year. ALL of these kits will fit 18" rims.

[EOE90]

pricing of the BBS rims on your car? I looked on your site and you also have the RS-GTs in Diamond Black, mind pming me pricing on both of these? Your car is amazing!

[lucid]

Originally Posted by JamesC

32mm front, 30mm rear.

Thanks.

[JamesClay]

Originally Posted by EOE90

pricing of the BBS rims on your car? I looked on your site and you also have the RS-GTs in Diamond Black, mind pming me pricing on both of these? Your car is amazing!

I am not a PM guy unfortunately - email james@bimmerworld.com

[JamesClay]

Here is the setup in track trim from the weekend. Unfortunately I only got to run in the dry for about 45 minutes, so I didn't get to do the back to back and data worked I had hoped to...

[lucid]

Originally Posted by JamesC

Here is the setup in track trim from the weekend. Unfortunately I only got to run in the dry for about 45 minutes, so I didn't get to do the back to back and data worked I had hoped to...

How did the brakes perform?

Also, I guess there is a conflict of interest here since your company sells BBK upgrades, but I'll ask for your opinion on the following anyway:

1. We've discussed the issue of multiple vs single piston calipers. Many have claimed that multiple pistons provide more consistent pedal feel due to more even application of braking force. Others are saying if the pads are stiff enough that should not be a problem for the single piston setup. What's your opinion/experience?

2. Do you think your average HPDE loving enthusiast would actually benefit from the higher heat capacity of the larger rotors? Can one really get the stock rotors up to temps during a 30 minute non-race session where even track pads such as RS-19s begin to fade? (Let's assume your average HPDE loving enthusiast has R-compound rubber).

[Radiation Joe]

Originally Posted by JamesC

Here is the setup in track trim from the weekend. Unfortunately I only got to run in the dry for about 45 minutes, so I didn't get to do the back to back and data worked I had hoped to...

Black. Black. Black. Nice.

[JamesClay]

Originally Posted by lucid

How did the brakes perform?

Also, I guess there is a conflict of interest here since your company sells BBK upgrades, but I'll ask for your opinion on the following anyway:

1. We've discussed the issue of multiple vs single piston calipers. Many have claimed that multiple pistons provide more consistent pedal feel due to more even application of braking force. Others are saying if the pads are stiff enough that should not be a problem for the single piston setup. What's your opinion/experience?

2. Do you think your average HPDE loving enthusiast would actually benefit from the higher heat capacity of the larger rotors? Can one really get the stock rotors up to temps during a 30 minute non-race session where even track pads such as RS-19s begin to fade? (Let's assume your average HPDE loving enthusiast has R-compound rubber).

1 - Pads don't really provide stiffness to the braking system - never heard tht one before. Cast, single pistons are sloppy, end of story. Will you see a benefit - depends on the driver. I could brake 20' later in a back to back test in the racecars going from another performance caliper to a Performance Friction, so it is real. But certainly there are diminishing returns.

2 - Yes, but with a proper pad that can handle the temps, and a good fluid, this is rarely an issue with stock brakes either.

Not only does it look cool, but the PFC kit is awesome because of rotor tolerances, caliper stiffness, 4 puck pad design, and the crafty biasing work. Does it justify the pricetag or do you have to have it? Depends on the customer.

Originally Posted by Radiation Joe

Black. Black. Black. Nice.

And one day, black calipers...