[sqwinny]

Hi bimmerpost,

Have a question here for my daily which I want to slowly turn into an all around car that sees track work a couple times a year. Debating on two different brake set ups. I want to stick with OEM packages as parts are easy to come by.

Anyone track the m sport 340mm and then upgrade to 370mm brakes ? Looking for brake bias, brake fade (high speed courses), changes in weight due to increase of unsprung mass, etc. Other than "I put official M rotors on my car to fill out the wheels more bro" honestly looking for data/experiences.

Calipers are the same for both and rotors are the same for the rear. Only difference is the size for the rotor itself with my research.

Thoughts?

[brigade24]

same boat...subscribed!

[johnung]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

Hi bimmerpost,

Have a question here for my daily which I want to slowly turn into an all around car that sees track work a couple times a year. Debating on two different brake set ups. I want to stick with OEM packages as parts are easy to come by.

Anyone track the m sport 340mm and then upgrade to 370mm brakes ? Looking for brake bias, brake fade (high speed courses), changes in weight due to increase of unsprung mass, etc. Other than "I put official M rotors on my car to fill out the wheels more bro" honestly looking for data/experiences.

Calipers are the same for both and rotors are the same for the rear. Only difference is the size for the rotor itself with my research.

Thoughts?

Which car model are you talking about tracking? BMW confuses things by throwing the term "M Sport" around to mean different things on different models.

Are you comparing:

Front Brembo 4-piston calipers over 370mm x 30mm rotors and Rear Brembo 2-piston calipers over 345mm x 24mm rotors

Versus

Front Brembo 4-piston calipers over 340mm x 30mm rotors and Rear Bosch 1-piston calipers over 330mm x 20mm rotors?

Or something else?

[sqwinny]

Stock M3/M4 - brake package blue calipers:

Front Brembo 4-piston calipers over 370mm x 30mm rotors and Rear Brembo 2-piston calipers over 345mm x 24mm rotors

vs

M Sport 335i/340i brake package blue calipers:

Front Brembo 4-piston calipers over 340mm x 30mm rotors and Rear Brembo 2-piston calipers over 345mm x 24mm rotors

[haasport]

Just did my first track event with an F31 diesel and have front 340mm and rear 345mm with Hawk HPS 5.0 pads. Can't speak to moving from 340 to 370 but will say I really enjoyed how the larger 345 rears allowed the car to squat a bit more under hard braking...no nose dive at all and very controllable and predict. Even on street performance pads I saw no fade and was urged by an instructor to push them harder knowing how much the brakes could really take. Not an answer, just offering my experience.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

Stock M3/M4 - brake package blue calipers:

Front Brembo 4-piston calipers over 370mm x 30mm rotors and Rear Brembo 2-piston calipers over 345mm x 24mm rotors

vs

M Sport 335i/340i brake package blue calipers:

Front Brembo 4-piston calipers over 340mm x 30mm rotors and Rear Brembo 2-piston calipers over 345mm x 24mm rotors

The 370mm front rotors are better for tracking. Bigger rotors are bigger heat sinks. For the rotors themselves I highly recommend the StopTech series that begin with "128.". They are directional left and right side rotors with vanes angled and designed to maximize cooling. A set of four is about $625 right now.

[brigade24]

Originally Posted by haasport

Just did my first track event with an F31 diesel and have front 340mm and rear 345mm with Hawk HPS 5.0 pads. Can't speak to moving from 340 to 370 but will say I really enjoyed how the larger 345 rears allowed the car to squat a bit more under hard braking...no nose dive at all and very controllable and predict. Even on street performance pads I saw no fade and was urged by an instructor to push them harder knowing how much the brakes could really take. Not an answer, just offering my experience.

i am looking to do just the rears but i am noticing that the rear calipers if purchased individually are almost as expensive as buying the front and rear kit from bmwpart...

need to spend more time at the scrap yard perhaps...

[tuned2flyer]

Originally Posted by brigade24

i am looking to do just the rears but i am noticing that the rear calipers if purchased individually are almost as expensive as buying the front and rear kit from bmwpart...

need to spend more time at the scrap yard perhaps...

Found my rears on a M235 via car-part. $300 for the set including shipping. Well worth it.

[brigade24]

Originally Posted by tuned2flyer

Found my rears on a M235 via car-part. $300 for the set including shipping. Well worth it.

WHAT!! that's a steal!! thanks i'll check it out!

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by johnung

The 370mm front rotors are better for tracking. Bigger rotors are bigger heat sinks. For the rotors themselves I highly recommend the StopTech series that begin with "128.". They are directional left and right side rotors with vanes angled and designed to maximize cooling. A set of four is about $625 right now.

This is a given however if you aren't making 400 whp then would this be too much brake for what the car is capable of ? The other part is return on investment too. Stock m sport calipers pads and rotor set with stainless steel lines are around a $800 upgrade. M3 brakes would be around $2000. Is $1200 worth 30mm on the front rotors as everything else is the same? That's my curiosity wondering.

A set of stainless steel lines all around with track pads should do the trick from what I'm reading but was curious for personal experience and if anyone thought the upgrade was necessary.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

This is a given however if you aren't making 400 whp then would this be too much brake for what the car is capable of ? The other part is return on investment too. Stock m sport calipers pads and rotor set with stainless steel lines are around a $800 upgrade. M3 brakes would be around $2000. Is $1200 worth 30mm on the front rotors as everything else is the same? That's my curiosity wondering.

A set of stainless steel lines all around with track pads should do the trick from what I'm reading but was curious for personal experience and if anyone thought the upgrade was necessary.

Your pricing doesn't make sense. Typically a set of used 370/345 is only $100-$150 more than a used set of 340/345. Sounds like someone may be overpricing a set of 370/345 by calling them M3 calipers. They are exactly the same as 335i/435i M Sport Calipers and M Performance Calipers. I've bought a set of 370/345 as low as $700. I'd never pay more than $1,100 for an absolutely perfect set without a mark on them.

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by johnung

Your pricing doesn't make sense. Typically a set of used 370/345 is only $100-$150 more than a used set of 340/345. Sounds like someone may be overpricing a set of 370/345 by calling them M3 calipers. They are exactly the same as 335i/435i M Sport Calipers and M Performance Calipers. I've bought a set of 370/345 as low as $700. I'd never pay more than $1,100 for an absolutely perfect set without a mark on them.

If you can find a set for that price let me know as that's very uncommon. I would buy them today no hesitation. Otherwise, it's pretty common for a set of 370/345 calipers with used pads to go for around 1100-1300 minus rotors and lines shipped. Of course you'd have to buy everything new (pads, rotors, lines, install if you arent mechanically inclined) and you are up to 1800-2500 all in +/-.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

If you can find a set for that price let me know as that's very uncommon. I would buy them today no hesitation. Otherwise, it's pretty common for a set of 370/345 calipers with used pads to go for around 1100-1300 minus rotors and lines shipped. Of course you'd have to buy everything new (pads, rotors, lines, install if you arent mechanically inclined) and you are up to 1800-2500 all in +/-.

It really isn't uncommon. It just takes patience, checking and putting the word out on multiple places. I've bought several sets of calipers and so have a few of my friends. This is what one of my buddies spent three weeks ago.

$850 370/345 calipers in perfect condition
$200 Four used rotors with 90% remaining
$200 New Hawk 5.0 pads
$100 StopTech stainless lines

He's thinking about changing the color which would only cost $50 for G2USA Caliper Paint.

He also sold his 340/330 calipers, rotors and pads but I can't recall how much he got for them. It all went towards buying his new brake set. His old brakes were a nice upgrade for someone who previously had 312/300 on their car.

Guys have a lot of things sitting around that they haven't gotten around to posting for sale. Geez, if anyone local (NJ/Philly) posted that they were looking- I have 340, 345, and 330 rotors with 85%-90% remaining that I'd sell for $100/pair. A set of 330mm rear calipers. Plus two complete sets of runflat 225/45-18 tires. And a bunch of other like-new parts.

Just be patient and make sure not just to look at what's posted for sale, but remember to post what you are looking to buy.

There is one guy out there who often posts 370/345 sets for $1,300-$1,350. He just waits until he can convince one guy that that is the going rate, but it's definitely not.

[itsrichierich]

Does anyone know if F80 M3 calipers will fit onto my 13' F30 335i? IS it a direct bolt on or does it require work?

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by itsrichierich

Does anyone know if F80 M3 calipers will fit onto my 13' F30 335i? IS it a direct bolt on or does it require work?

They will. You'll have to buy 370mm rotors however as the bracket the caliper mounts to the hub is larger than the standard 4 piston 340mm accomodating caliper. Those pads cross over btw

[brigade24]

Originally Posted by tuned2flyer

Found my rears on a M235 via car-part. $300 for the set including shipping. Well worth it.

yo, i just picked up a set of m performance rear calipers for $400 Canadian...that's like 18$ US.

thanks for the advice man...

[tuned2flyer]

Originally Posted by brigade24

yo, i just picked up a set of m performance rear calipers for $400 Canadian...that's like 18$ US.

thanks for the advice man...

Nice. Rebuild kits are cheap, but if the rubber is good you most likely will not have to worry about it.

[sqwinny]

I ended up going 340/345. Rear calipers are on the way. Have rotors here. I will be sandblasting the 2 pair and painting with high temp paint(powder coat will eventually turn copper brown with multiple track days anyway). Let's see how well they hold up. I seriously think the 370/380 set would have been too much brake when my desired power level wouldn't need it. Next up is suspension and finally a wheel setup.

[5mall5nail5]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

I ended up going 340/345. Rear calipers are on the way. Have rotors here. I will be sandblasting the 2 pair and painting with high temp paint(powder coat will eventually turn copper brown with multiple track days anyway). Let's see how well they hold up. I seriously think the 370/380 set would have been too much brake when my desired power level wouldn't need it. Next up is suspension and finally a wheel setup.

That said I have a RWD 328 w/ M Performance 370/345mm kit and have NO confidence issues ever. Running Motul 660 and have really thrown the cars weight around without ever second guessing its braking capabilities. 340mm should be capable for sure, but these cars are heavy with E36 M3 performance, 370mm won't hurt at all.

[brigade24]

i was wondering if i should do the 370 fronts as well...is the weight penalty for the rotor weight difference worth it...

[sqwinny]

Originally Posted by brigade24

i was wondering if i should do the 370 fronts as well...is the weight penalty for the rotor weight difference worth it...

That was the original/question I was developing as well but then found a deal too good to pass up. M4 brake setup with power slot rotors. Car feels braking wise a little "stronger" compared to the stock M Sport brakes (330/300 single piston all around). 60-0 feels firm and confident. Currently have the standard "soft" brake pads in. Will be bedding in the stock pads before swapping to a more aggressive pad for daily use as well as track pads too.

Easy simple swap, the hardest part is bending the damn brake shields so they don't rub on the bigger rotors. That was it honestly.

[brigade24]

Originally Posted by sqwinny

That was the original/question I was developing as well but then found a deal too good to pass up. M4 brake setup with power slot rotors. Car feels braking wise a little "stronger" compared to the stock M Sport brakes (330/300 single piston all around). 60-0 feels firm and confident. Currently have the standard "soft" brake pads in. Will be bedding in the stock pads before swapping to a more aggressive pad for daily use as well as track pads too.

Easy simple swap, the hardest part is bending the damn brake shields so they don't rub on the bigger rotors. That was it honestly.

interesting...if you have more feedback as you drive on them some more, post up...im still looking for the 370 setup up front.