BBK Fitment

[SpencerM3]

BBK Fitment

Looking to do a BBK sometime soon. I am running HRE P40’s 19x9 255/35/19 +28 Front and 19x10.5 295/30/19 +28 Rear.

What size BBK would fit best, also this is going to be for daily driving. Yeah I’ll track the car a few times during the year, but this is not a track upgrade. Also, Brembo name aside, are they really worth it over the AP or Stoptech? Thanks guys

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by SpencerM3

BBK Fitment

Looking to do a BBK sometime soon. I am running HRE P40’s 19x9 255/35/19 +28 Front and 19x10.5 295/30/19 +28 Rear.

What size BBK would fit best, also this is going to be for daily driving. Yeah I’ll track the car a few times during the year, but this is not a track upgrade. Also, Brembo name aside, are they really worth it over the AP or Stoptech? Thanks guys

Based on your wheel size, you could go up to 380 mm rotors.

The names you mentioned all provide good, proven products for the M3, though each do it in his/her own way.

Brembo is a good all-rounder, and of course the brand name, along with technology, come with a price tag. AP has a deeper grassroots racing heritage, so their kit is more track/race inspired. ST is a relatively new company (a decade now), but they offer the best bang for the buck.

If you are driving on the street, any of the kits you mentioned would be more than enough. I would really be hard pressed to pay $7k for a BBK just for the looks. But if money ain't an issue, go with what tickles your fancy. You can't go wrong with any of them.

[SpencerM3]

Thanks man. And I totally agree with you on price/practicality. I mean yes looks are one thing, but clearly the BBK offers a vast improvement over the OEM brakes. Still that being said, is it worth the extra $7K...?

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by SpencerM3

Thanks man. And I totally agree with you on price/practicality. I mean yes looks are one thing, but clearly the BBK offers a vast improvement over the OEM brakes. Still that being said, is it worth the extra $7K...?

On the street, you are not gonna feel any 'vast improvement'. Slight improvement? Maybe.

The OEM brakes are more than adequate for most people on the track, let alone the street...

Do some search. BBK has been discussed to death on this forum.

[SpencerM3]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

On the street, you are not gonna feel any 'vast improvement'. Slight improvement? Maybe.

The OEM brakes are more than adequate for most people on the track, let alone the street...

Do some search. BBK has been discussed to death on this forum.

Yeah that's what I figuered.

I know there's a bunch of BBK threads, just was more curious to know what size would fit my wheel set up.

You have/had a stoptech BBK yes?

[rzm3]

Yes. 19s will pretty much fit anything.

[vividracing]

HRE and Brembo have a great relationship together. You can give HRE the part # of the Brembo brake kit you are interested in and they will be able to tell you if they will clear within a matter of minutes. We are one of the top dealers in the country for both products, so if you would like me to handle that for you I will be glad to do so.

For the M3 there are 2 different brake kit options:

- 365mm 6-piston FRONT / 345mm 4-piston REAR
-or-
- 380mm 6-piston FRONT / 380mm 4-piston REAR

The 366/345 package was developed to fit the factory 18" wheels, and he 380/380 package was developed to take full advantage of the room within the OEM 19" wheels.
The piston diameters in either option are selected based on the requirements of the of the factory master cylinder, ABS, and traction control systems, in conjunction with the disc disc diameters they have selected for with option in order to provide optimum brake bias with a firm, responsive, and controllable pedal feel. On the street that is the first thing you will notice...the amount of improved control and modulation you have over the braking system from the second you apply the brake pedal until you activate ABS. With some aftermarket brake kits, you either have a hard time getting to the threshold of the system OR you activate ABS prematurely. One of the things that sets Brembo aside is the years of experience and ability that they have to create a system with a caliper and pedal feel that is smooth as butter and very confidence inspiring to the driver.

Both the 365x34mm and 380x34mm front discs are selected to provide maximum heat capacity based on the needs of this particular application. The goal of a properly designed brake system is temperature management, both in it's ability to absorb and handle the peak temperatures introduced to the system during aggressive use, as well as it's ability to effectively dissipate the excessive heat before the next braking cycle. What this means is fade free performance whether on the street or at the track. Do not be mislead by the fact that track use is thought to be more demanding on a vehicles brake system than street use. The temperatures that a brake kit sees are exponential to the MPH that you are braking from. Many of us drive the canyons, or push the limits of top speeds on the highway, which can introduce temperatures and abuse similar to track conditions, but without the benefits of long straightaways or cool down laps.

Just for reference, the rear 345x28mm and 380x28mm discs are specifically developed to be used at the back of the car, and are much more lightweight than the front in order to take full advantage of the diameter needed to achieve a desired brake bias, but also provide the ideal characteristics for temperature management. All of the discs are directional, utilizing curved vein designs to control the flow of fresh air through the disc at any given RPM. YES, both brake system options are very large, but both save significant unsprung and rotational weight over the OEM braking system based on the use of aluminum mounting hats and the specific design of the cast iron disc itself. Even beyond the improved braking performance of the Brembo system, an additional to the performance of the vehicle is similar to the benefit of a light weight set of wheels.

Originally Posted by SpencerM3

Brembo name aside, are they really worth it over the AP or Stoptech? Thanks guys

If you look at all of the kits available, the price difference is not as dramatic as you would originally think. When someone has the budget for Brembo, there is not a single reason that I can think of where it wouldn't be my first choice or recommendation. For starters it's the only option that is monobloc front and rear. Some would argue the benefits of a monobloc vs. 2pc. caliper, but Brembo, having the ability to provide either option, will be the first to tell you that you can achieve maximum performance in terms of strength/stiffness to weight characteristics with either design through the proper use of engineering, manufacturing and testing of the products. Brembo's monobloc calipers are the closest thing to a full motorsports caliper that has ever been available in an aftermarket brake kit, at a price point that rivals most others 2pc design. The pad shape in the 6-piston monobloc is the largest in terms of surface area and volume which leads to some of the best pad and rotor life of any kit available. The rotors used in the Brembo kits are the exact rotors used in professional racing series every weekend all over the world. Brembo is widely known to have a superior metallurgy in their discs that allows them to last 2 to 3 times as long as similarly designed discs from other manufacturers.

Brembo is the only company which requires each and every aftermarket product to go through the same rigorous homiligation process that is required for OEM development which ensures the highest level of quality for each component that meets the vehicle. An example of just one of the homiligation tests is repeated threshold braking cycles on a brake dynamometer until total failure in order to identify any potential weaknesses in the design of the product. The testing standard is in excess of 400,000 cycles which is said to be relative to over 1,000,000 road miles. You wont see any creative marketing or gimicks with the Brembo products, just real world examples of OEM development supplying the top automakers and Supercars in the world, and hundreds of World Championships in top level racing, all of which directly influence the products that are supplied to the aftermarket for the brakes kits described above.

[SpencerM3]

WOW man, thanks for all the info

[tom @ eas]

We're very big fans of the AP systems, this link will show our kit being installed on our M3 project:



Link: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...54#post5309854

[SpencerM3]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

We're very big fans of the AP systems, this link will show our kit being installed on our M3 project:



Link: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...54#post5309854

[vividracing]

Also, Brembo offers their brake kits in Red, Black, Silver and Yellow

[SpencerM3]

^^^ Dig it, I think Red would look best on SSII

[SV Concepts II]

Why no one mention StopTech?

[m3soupy]

Dumb question:
How long are BBK's designed to last?
And when replacing, does the whole kit need to be replaced or just the pads?

[Bob MG]

Originally Posted by SpencerM3

Thanks man. And I totally agree with you on price/practicality. I mean yes looks are one thing, but clearly the BBK offers a vast improvement over the OEM brakes. Still that being said, is it worth the extra $7K...?

Spence I was contemplating same as you, Brembo 380 are dynamite. You spent that on wheels with HRE when you could have gone cheaper.. Brakes will complete it for looks and performance.

if you don't hav the Akra system yet, I would do that first though before BBK Then you are set to charge next

[SpencerM3]

Originally Posted by Bob MG

Spence I was contemplating same as you, Brembo 380 are dynamite. You spent that on wheels with HRE when you could have gone cheaper.. Brakes will complete it for looks and performance.

if you don't hav the Akra system yet, I would do that first though before BBK Then you are set to charge next

I agree with you man. I do have the Akra, but just the slip on. Will probably upgrade to the Full Akra soon.

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by m3soupy

Dumb question:
How long are BBK's designed to last?
And when replacing, does the whole kit need to be replaced or just the pads?

It's the same as OE replacement. You replace pads and rotors. As for life it depends on how you drive and the brand you choose.

[rzm3]

Originally Posted by SpencerM3

I agree with you man. I do have the Akra, but just the slip on. Will probably upgrade to the Full Akra soon.

Honestly man, if you aren't doing this for on-the-track performance, get the ST kit and paint them to whatever color you want. It's a few thousand less vs. the competition for nearly, if not the same performance, so save the money for another mod.

[Bob MG]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

Honestly man, if you aren't doing this for on-the-track performance, get the ST kit and paint them to whatever color you want. It's a few thousand less vs. the competition for nearly, if not the same performance, so save the money for another mod.

You could look at it like this...
335i and M3 perform the same but one is more expensive...
Brembo are the ultimate. AP just as good, but brembo looks way cooler and the calipers look the business!!

Same reason why you choose and expensive wheel over a cheaper one, but they may weigh the same!

[SpencerM3]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

Honestly man, if you aren't doing this for on-the-track performance, get the ST kit and paint them to whatever color you want. It's a few thousand less vs. the competition for nearly, if not the same performance, so save the money for another mod.

Originally Posted by Bob MG

You could look at it like this...
335i and M3 perform the same but one is more expensive...
Brembo are the ultimate. AP just as good, but brembo looks way cooler and the calipers look the business!!

Same reason why you choose and expensive wheel over a cheaper one, but they may weigh the same!

[Bob MG]

Originally Posted by SpencerM3

Spence the force is strong with you mate, it wil come to you in your dreams... It will come to you

I will leave you with one last thought... Custom coloured brembos from IND... how else you gonna match your brakes to your ESS plenum???

[vividracing]

Originally Posted by m3soupy

Dumb question:
How long are BBK's designed to last?
And when replacing, does the whole kit need to be replaced or just the pads?

Those Brembo systems are designed to last the life of the vehicle.
You simply replace pads and rotors as necessary and that's it.

It will be less frequently with Brembo because of their pad shape

Here is an example of their pad shape in the 6-piston monobloc caliper:



This generous amount of surface area and volume, combined with a high performance pad compound that is rotor friendly means pad life that is as much as 2x times that of similar brake kits, and rotor life that is 2x - 3x the life of similarly sized discs for the identical application and usage