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View Full Version : Brake project questions!



healtoeit
04-04-2008, 09:42 AM
i'm going between two brake set ups for my car and would like some input!

The 850i in the front and 540i in the rear
(+ of this set up: Can use my snow tires/wheels, way cheaper!)
or

Going all out and buying the wilwood kit from UUC
can be found here: http://www.uucmotorwerks.com/
(+of this set up: HUGE braking power)

Now, are they really worth that much?! and will they even fit under my 17in wheels?

BigKriss
04-06-2008, 08:56 AM
how much money do you have to spend?

healtoeit
04-08-2008, 07:30 PM
how much money do you have to spend?

enough ;)

On average how much are the 850i brake w/ caliper and the 540i rear? I cant find the carrier for the caliper anywhere on the internet!

Ross
04-08-2008, 07:48 PM
What are your intentions? If tracking the car have you removed weight? Far cheaper and then also less to accelerate.
Either way is a lot of brake for a car that's not too shabby to begin with. On the street a single panic stop would be limited more by tires than brakes on a stock E34 I think. Someone correct me if that's wrong.

bubba966
04-08-2008, 08:36 PM
The UUC Wilwood setup will clear T-Stars. Rob Levinson posted a pic on the M5 board in the thread about brake kits that showed the Wilwood kit installed with T-Stars. He wasn't sure at that point if their new Alcon kit would clear T-Stars. He figures it will, but I guess fitment hasn't been checked yet.

For a street setup the tires are the bigger part of the package than the brakes. Even 525 brakes are good enough for a good street panic stop if you've got good brakes (I've tried it on a '95 525iT).

For track use the 840Ci/850CSi (not the 850) fronts, 540/M5 rears would be more than enough for a 525. That setup is good enough for a turbo'd 535.

Sure, a UUC Alcon kit would be the best. And their Wilwood kit would be quite nice as well. Just depends on your needs and budget.

Gotta say that my M-Sport (M-Sport's have factory M5 front & rear brakes) stops just fine for most every stop I've had to make. Only once did I wish I had a little more breaking power. And if I change out the ceramic pads I've got on it for even OEM pads that'd fix it.

Also really helps that I've got Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on the car as those have amazing grip.

bubba966
04-08-2008, 08:40 PM
Here's that brake thread I was talking about

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=109374

healtoeit
04-08-2008, 09:09 PM
Also really helps that I've got Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on the car as those have amazing grip.
PS2s rule! I've got them all the way around :D

My intentions are for track and autocross use

healtoeit
04-08-2008, 09:09 PM
Here's that brake thread I was talking about

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=109374


THANKYOU!

healtoeit
04-08-2008, 09:13 PM
What are your intentions? If tracking the car have you removed weight? Far cheaper and then also less to accelerate.
Either way is a lot of brake for a car that's not too shabby to begin with. On the street a single panic stop would be limited more by tires than brakes on a stock E34 I think. Someone correct me if that's wrong.

I track/auto x my car for a hobbie and a lot of fun. Taking weight out of the car with the exception of what i strip off at the event is minimal because i want to keep it a nice daily driver. I don't think you are at all wrong! However, i'm never going to get m5 power out of my engine, and to be honest I don't want too!
I have reverse thinking, bigger brakes = faster imo (in my opinion)

mancini_mark
04-08-2008, 10:59 PM
TCD has a decent budget BBK for $1250 for all fours. They are C5 corvette brakes. Super deal.

leicesterboy15
04-09-2008, 04:49 PM
I thought all e34 rear brakes were the same?

bubba966
04-09-2008, 05:12 PM
I thought all e34 rear brakes were the same?


Nope.

In the US the brakes on the M5 & 540 are the same. And the 525, 530, 535 are all the same (and also smaller).

Europe had the same brakes. Except the 3.8 M5's after mid had even bigger brakes than the ones the earlier 3.8's & the 3.6's had.

So, the US had two sizes of rear brakes, Europe had three sizes of rear brakes.

bubba966
04-09-2008, 05:17 PM
THANKYOU!

Hope that thread helps a bit. Those guys on the M5 board routinely take their cars to the Nurburgring and drive them hard there. And as they've got cars that are a little heavier, and a good deal more powerful they should know what works well for track use.

They are pretty much all rather fond of PS2's as well. Which is good as you're also running PS2's.

Sounds to me like you might want to give UUC a call about their new Alcon setup. Ask Mr. Levinson if he's had a chance to check fitment under 17" wheels.

healtoeit
04-09-2008, 07:59 PM
TCD has a decent budget BBK for $1250 for all fours. They are C5 corvette brakes. Super deal.
Where can I find them on the web? I'm not committing to them I just want more information.

healtoeit
04-09-2008, 08:17 PM
Anyone know the prices on mov'it brake kits? I can't find them!

here is their website
http://www.movit.de/rahmen/bmw.htm

!ALSO!
Will e39 540i the rotors fit on my e34? I know the carriers are not bolt on but is their any way I could fit them to my car? :p

Tiger
04-10-2008, 02:28 AM
Don't forget Bruno's kit... I don't know the price but he just made the kit about a month ago for sale... 4 pots in front

Going to E34 540i front and rear is already a major improvement. The rotor for the front is used in the 750iL vehicle too... so it is massive. I would definitely go with slotted rotors like ATE Premium One (previously Powerdisc).

Tiger
04-11-2008, 04:07 AM
Where can I find those? Do they weigh less then the brakes I have on the car right now?


http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=37109&highlight=bruno+brake


Do you know how much of an improcement? I'm going for all out proformance


I drive a 540i... I don't track them but the braking is never an issue... super quick and solid stopping power. The front rotor is massive already!

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/upgrade/brakes.htm


Already Have the EBC equivilent equipped

EBC slotted rotors?

Tiger
04-11-2008, 06:04 AM
There is a reason it is 6mm thicker... better heat dissipation and that also means better braking. You are right on the diameter... I didn't realize that.

Another issue that must be corrected when tracking the car... the brake fluid must be new and flushed regularly or you will suffer from brake fading... boiling brake fluid. Valvoline Syntec DOT4 is great fluid without the price tag of ATE fluids.

healtoeit
04-11-2008, 10:08 AM
Don't forget Bruno's kit... I don't know the price but he just made the kit about a month ago for sale... 4 pots in front


Where can I find those? Do they weigh less then the brakes I have on the car right now?



Going to E34 540i front and rear is already a major improvement. The rotor for the front is used in the 750iL vehicle too... so it is massive.


Do you know how much of an improcement? I'm going for all out proformance



I would definitely go with slotted rotors like ATE Premium One (previously Powerdisc).

Already Have the EBC equivilent equipped

BigKriss
04-11-2008, 10:22 AM
well, mate, its not massive unless there e32 750 13" rotors from the german version, otherwise they are 6mm thicker and the same diameter.


The rotor for the front is used in the 750iL vehicle too... so it is massive. I would definitely go with slotted rotors like ATE Premium One (previously Powerdisc).

healtoeit
04-11-2008, 10:01 PM
There is a reason it is 6mm thicker... better heat dissipation and that also means better braking. You are right on the diameter... I didn't realize that.


Do you know the weight of these compared to the original 525i brakes?



Another issue that must be corrected when tracking the car... the brake fluid must be new and flushed regularly or you will suffer from brake fading... boiling brake fluid. Valvoline Syntec DOT4 is great fluid without the price tag of ATE fluids.

Yea i switch it out before every track event, ill check out the valvoline fluid.
Thankx

Tiger
04-12-2008, 04:27 AM
Any way you go, the brake setup will be heavier. Bigger rotors means more weight. The wilwood brake should be lighter... ask Bruno about everything. He is a tracker too.

Lightweight three pieces wheels are the lightest and the easiest way to shave off the unsprung weight. There is like 10 or 15 pounds saving per wheel. I actually have two sets of BMW OE three piece wheels that I will sell soon.