Brake Kit - Advice

Steve

Steve

Steve

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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Brighton - In the seat that Ro
Right follwoing my tyre thread I think we have established I cannot be trusted to find a bargin on my own :p I would appretiate any help on getting some decent anchors for the M3

I am running 18" AC Scnitzers so I am not really limited on size 14"a will fit fine

Either the AP Racing 6pot or the Brembo Grand Tourismos (they look gorgeous) have got me hard at the mo.

The sensible part of me says stick some pagid Yellow or Black pads on the OEM discs but I know I want to make a real "Investment"

Whilst pretty good the performance of the car does outstrip them and with many track days planned I feel now is the time.

SO advice links whatever you can throw at me :)

mucho grassyarse
 
If you can afford them then I would get the 6 pot APs, the 343mm AP kit is about £1500+ depending on where you get them
 
the 4 pots seem to be coming in at around 1500 and the 6 pots at 1800

I am tempted to go the whole hog and go 4pot front and rears ;)

hmmmm
 
Almost set on a 6pot AP front and 4 pot rear system now

How foxy do they look :D

subaru_brake01.jpg
 
They are very good as standard but better brakes with better control means you can use more of the performance of your car.

After the brakes the uprated and dropped/upratted M3 suspension will be changed for something a bit more full on, in preperation for the super charger ;).

All this will take a year or two as it it isn't going to come cheap.

You don't really need to do anything to a car, but we love them and want to make them are own as well as get the most out of them we can.

I love this car and although they have grown on me the e46 M3 really doesn't do it for me. I have always wanted a car I could work on and spend money on and finally I have one which is worth spending cash on.
 
Do you have any pictures of the brembo brakes:)
Red wont suit the colour of your car at all imo:(
 
Steve said:
They are very good as standard but better brakes with better control means you can use more of the performance of your car.

After the brakes the uprated and dropped/upratted M3 suspension will be changed for something a bit more full on, in preperation for the super charger ;).

All this will take a year or two as it it isn't going to come cheap.

You don't really need to do anything to a car, but we love them and want to make them are own as well as get the most out of them we can.
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Decent pads might be good enough for now, don't expect a massive difference from the standard well designed M3 brakes to APs. The main benefit will be the increased heat capacity. I would only bother upgrade if the standard brakes show signs of overheating (Brake judder from hot disks or brake fade from hot pads).

Really would not bother doing anything drastic to the rears either. More for show than anything else
 
Zip said:
Do you have any pictures of the brembo brakes:)
Red wont suit the colour of your car at all imo:(
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Red suits all cars ;) they do do black ones, not so keen on Brembos apart from The GT kit but that is 2.7k for the fronts alone.

From the advice on other forums doing the rears as well (apart from looks ;)) is to keep the correct break bias, (about 61 /39 I believe) a shift of 3% to the front can reduce overall breaking performance by 7% (lots of calculations from people who race 3 series) so I am told

I am not under any delussions of god like improvements in braking as Tyres are the limiting factor at the end of the day, less force and more control coupled with no fading etc is the aim.

I have never been one to do half measures (£4200 pc anyone) and do tend to be an exstremist.

It is a lot of cash but the sale of my Bike will cover it and apart from consumbles I will not have to upgrade that are again.
 
You sound like me steve:)
Its going to be worth the brakes imo. They are better quality then most and when its comes to the buying things you might aswell get the best:D
 
I read ages ago in Evo about how the standard M3 brakes fade so easy but not if they receive enough air, theres even some channels there allready which can be opened up?

I'd just do the fronts, will that alter the brake bias that much? Get cut slicks as spares for trackdays with the change
 
Zip said:
You sound like me steve:)
Its going to be worth the brakes imo. They are better quality then most and when its comes to the buying things you might aswell get the best:D
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Or you can be sensible about it and realise that simply choosing the most expensive thing out of the catalogue isn't always the smartest move.

Steve, you may find that a big disc kit with your standard M3 calipers serves you well when combined with good aftermarket pads.

Whilst they look sexy, four pots on the back is total overkill. The rear brakes do very little braking at all.
 
Lopéz said:
Or you can be sensible about it and realise that simply choosing the most expensive thing out of the catalogue isn't always the smartest move.

Steve, you may find that a big disc kit with your standard M3 calipers serves you well when combined with good aftermarket pads.

Whilst they look sexy, four pots on the back is total overkill. The rear brakes do very little braking at all.
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Dont get me wrong, every time i do go spend a huge sum of money i will have researched and researched about the product for hours and hours annd even days before i go and spend :)

I think he wants the 4 pots on the back to keep the brake bias at 61-39% if i read correctly above
 
Well my sensible head has come to an agreement with my heart

I am going to slap some Pagid fast road or yellow pads on her as they are meant to be the best with *** standard M3 discs.

If after this I still feel they are lacking then I will go for a Brake Kit. Realistically the improvement with the new pads should make the emprovement of a BBK even smaller and not worth while.

Watch this space ;)
 
I've always wanted a nice set of 4 pots but know that there's not really much point than to satisfy me lol.
 
I use Pagid fast road and their definetly better then standards, apparently not all makes manage that even. Not sure if they'll be good enough for track day.

Also be aware that they work best after a bit of use, they are still ok cold though.
Check your rear pads if only replacing the front ones, replace the rears too if they are low or look in poor condition. I failed to do this once and had a few bad lockups in a no abs car, not good at all :o
Test it from 50 downwards after to be safe also, I dont think the abs should be kicking in till below 30 but use your own judgement on this I guess
 
Bear said:
You sound as if you dont believe it.
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bear, iirc he is on about the fact that someone claimed that standard brakes that you stop using your fingers for pads work no worse than 60 pot ln2 cooled brakes if the contact patch isnt right... or something equally random
 
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