[slof30]

So this question comes since it'll be time for rear pads soon, and I see a lot of people asking the question about the best aftermarket solution in terms of pads.

According to this: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...textar-2530701

you can get a set of OEM pads for $60. a lot of other companies (Brake Performance, r1 Concepts, etc) sell their "performance" brake pads for about the same price, some companies even more.

I've seen a ton of replies to threads saying that these companies won't compare to OEM pads, but how true is that?

**This question does not apply to actual upgrading kits, just rotors and pads themselves.

[Billfitz]

There's nothing all that special about OEM pads. As for the linked pads, what's OEM about them is that they're supposedly comparable to BMW branded pads. Note that BMW doesn't make pads, they source them from companies like Textar, so a Textar branded pad may be identical to a BMW pad. Or not. As for which is best, ask ten people and you'll get at least twelve different answers. The advantage if you do use FCP as a source is their lifetime warranty, nice if you plan on keeping the car a long time.

[Boostedphil698]

You could always order Brembo pads straight from Brembo. They will dust a lot but if you want great stopping power the dust won't be an issue. I run them on my M Performance brake kit.

[BWbimmer]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

You could always order Brembo pads straight from Brembo. They will dust a lot but if you want great stopping power the dust won't be an issue. I run them on my M Performance brake kit.

Agree, I run the same setup

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by BWbimmer

Agree, I run the same setup

Everyone is always worried about dust and sacrifice the braking power when they switch to ceramics. Unless you're running a carbon-ceramic brake package that is like 15 grand

[BWbimmer]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

Everyone is always worried about dust and sacrifice the braking power when they switch to ceramics. Unless you're running a carbon-ceramic brake package that is like 15 grand

I rather nano coat my rims than loose 1 second on the motorway which can be the equivalent of nearly 70 meters

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by BWbimmer

I rather nano coat my rims than loose 1 second on the motorway which can be the equivalent of nearly 70 meters

Agreed, plus I like detailing my car

[smrtypants44]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

There's nothing all that special about OEM pads. As for the linked pads, what's OEM about them is that they're supposedly comparable to BMW branded pads. Note that BMW doesn't make pads, they source them from companies like Textar, so a Textar branded pad may be identical to a BMW pad. Or not. As for which is best, ask ten people and you'll get at least twelve different answers. The advantage if you do use FCP as a source is their lifetime warranty, nice if you plan on keeping the car a long time.

I think the only thing "special" about them is that they may be made with tighter manufacturing tolerances than aftermarket and they are designed using specifications/engineering from BMW rather than potentially using reverse engineering.

But I don't see either of those as a deal breaker against buying a "better" performing/dusting aftermarket pad. The bonus of aftermarket is that the OEM pads are designed to an 80'th percentile type of user, whereas with aftermarket pads you can buy product that closer aligns with your preference (stopping power vs noise vs dust, etc)

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by 435i_Phil

Everyone is always worried about dust and sacrifice the braking power when they switch to ceramics. Unless you're running a carbon-ceramic brake package that is like 15 grand

Brake dust is an indicator that brakes do their job. I personally prefer OEM M Sport brake pads because of the aggressive initial bite and bias towards preserving rotor life.

[Boostedphil698]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Brake dust is an indicator that brakes do their job. I personally prefer OEM M Sport brake pads because of the aggressive initial bite and bias towards preserving rotor life.

They're good pads. OEM M3 pads are textar.

[casualDIYer]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Brake dust is an indicator that brakes do their job. I personally prefer OEM M Sport brake pads because of the aggressive initial bite and bias towards preserving rotor life.

I have the 340x30mm front rotors. Is there an M Sport brake pad option for the front calipers (the grey 2 piston)? BMW says the part number for the pads are 34106878878.There is another part number for these calipers, which are grey but in some cases are blue, but not the blue of the 4 piston M calipers.

[BWbimmer]

Originally Posted by menncars

I have the 340x30mm front rotors. Is there an M Sport brake pad option for the front calipers (the grey 2 piston)? BMW says the part number for the pads are 34106878878.There is another part number for these calipers, which are grey but in some cases are blue, but not the blue of the 4 piston M calipers.

I'm not aware that there a performance pads for the 340mm rotors.
The colored calipers are for 370mm rotors. For them there are different pads

[casualDIYer]

Originally Posted by BWbimmer

I'm not aware that there a performance pads for the 340mm rotors.
The colored calipers are for 370mm rotors. For them there are different pads

For the 340mm rotors and 370 do they use the same sized calipers but different carriers to allow for the different rotor sizes? Some people are saying this is the case with the front 2 piston calipers.

When it comes to re-using and re-pricing the same part, the automobile manufactures have no rival. Audi with VW parts, Acura with Honda parts, GM with . . . . other GM parts.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by BWbimmer

I'm not aware that there a performance pads for the 340mm rotors.
The colored calipers are for 370mm rotors. For them there are different pads

The 340 calipers and the 370/380 calipers literally take exactly the same pad, same exact part number.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by slof30

So this question comes since it'll be time for rear pads soon, and I see a lot of people asking the question about the best aftermarket solution in terms of pads.

According to this: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...textar-2530701

you can get a set of OEM pads for $60. a lot of other companies (Brake Performance, r1 Concepts, etc) sell their "performance" brake pads for about the same price, some companies even more.

I've seen a ton of replies to threads saying that these companies won't compare to OEM pads, but how true is that?

**This question does not apply to actual upgrading kits, just rotors and pads themselves.

The stock BMW brake pads have no better than average bite and they put out gobs of sticky black dust. Hawk 5.0 pads are the best street pads. Best bite, instant warm up and light dust that washes right off. Part numbers for front 340 or 370 and rear 330 or 345 are in the attached photo.

[BWbimmer]

Strange, Textar differenciates between 340mm rotors

https://textar.brakebook.com/bb/text...atasheet.xhtml

and 370mm rotors:

https://textar.brakebook.com/bb/text...atasheet.xhtml

The physical difference is only the thickness. I don't know if this is enought to make them not fit

The same is valid for Brembo pads.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by BWbimmer

Strange, Textar differenciates between 340mm rotors

https://textar.brakebook.com/bb/textar/en/2502801_402/datasheet.xhtml

and 370mm rotors:

https://textar.brakebook.com/bb/textar/en/2502805_402/datasheet.xhtml

The physical difference is only the thickness. I don't know if this is enought to make them not fit

The same is valid for Brembo pads.

The rotor sizes are:
340mm X 30mm
370mm X 30mm

So the rotors are exactly the same thickness. Any pad that fits one will fit the other.

The two Brembo calipers use the exact same four 40mm pistons. The only difference between the calipers is that the casting of the larger one is stretched out by 15mm to fit the 30mm larger diameter rotor. See photo

[Briland33]

Im running cool carbon pads. I recommend them on the zero brake dust alone plus they are have great performance.

[BWbimmer]

Originally Posted by johnung

The rotor sizes are:
340mm X 30mm
370mm X 30mm

So the rotors are exactly the same thickness. Any pad that fits one will fit the other.

The two Brembo calipers use the exact same four 40mm pistons. The only difference between the calipers is that the casting of the larger one is stretched out by 15mm to fit the 30mm larger diameter rotor. See photo

I am with you on that. This is why it is suprising to me that Brembo and Textar, both have different thinkness of the pads depending on the rotor size. Bembo's pads for the 340 rotors are even a little bit smaller which would explain to me the issues with the pad clonk in with the "standard" calipers. Ever manufacturer seems to invent their on "magic"