what are the best brakes to upgrade to?

[mattCSLnut]

Originally Posted by Foamy

Thanks for that, but you have admitted that it's 90% which is exactly what I was saying. It's not as good as a properly designed bbk. What it is, is a good budget option. Nothing wrong with that, but each to their own.

This thread seems the same as most bbk discussions where it starts out discussing the best brake kits, only to end in 'what's the cheapest brake kits'. Two different questions.

If we are talking about cheap brake kits, what about D2, K-Sport, Hi Spec etc? They are all under £1k but I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole, but some will have a different opinion. Again, each to their own.

It seems to me that the best way to reply to the question is to ask how much money do you want to spend? Then make a recommendation based on budget.

Lets not forget, a quality bbk can always be sold on for good money when the car gets sold on.

Not an admission, I'm a realist that's why I rate my BREMBO conversion @ 90% in comparison to AP stuff as I have driven/beem in AP Racing BBK equiped CSLs, on Road & Track and know how good they are ( that's not to say they are without their own little niggles considering the initial and IMHO astronomical outlay) plus the further expense of replacement consumables
My BBK solution is by no means the cheapest out there as I'm using Porsche derived BREMBO callipers but I feel they are up there with the BIG boys, at the fraction of the AP Racing/Alcon costs yet they're at least twice as good as all the other sub £1K BBK kits out there (which as it happens I didn't want to touch with an extended barge pole either) as I've trusted BREMBO brakes in previous years being an Ex Porker owner and this is why I developed my own BBK solution that utilises the excellent CSL discs in conjunction with modern Porsche Cayman S BREMBO callipers
As for the BEST BBK out there for the CSL " Money no object " I guess AP Racing, ALCON or BREMBO's own E46 specific BBK kit which is even more money then AP Racing kit

[Foamy]

Originally Posted by mattCSLnut

Not an admission, I'm a realist that's why I rate my BREMBO conversion @ 90% in comparison to AP stuff as I have driven/beem in AP Racing BBK equiped CSLs, on Road & Track and know how good they are ( that's not to say they are without their own little niggles considering the initial and IMHO astronomical outlay) plus the further expense of replacement consumables
My BBK solution is by no means the cheapest out there as I'm using Porsche derived BREMBO callipers but I feel they are up there with the BIG boys, at the fraction of the AP Racing/Alcon costs yet they're at least twice as good as all the other sub £1K BBK kits out there (which as it happens I didn't want to touch with an extended barge pole either) as I've trusted BREMBO brakes in previous years being an Ex Porker owner and this is why I developed my own BBK solution that utilises the excellent CSL discs in conjunction with modern Porsche Cayman S BREMBO callipers

Yes, I quite agree with you. If I were in the market for a sub £1k bbk, I would also look into the Porsche caliper/Csl disc route rather than those other three that I mentioned. Do you have the piston sizes for the calipers that you use? It's a very important factor.

[s.mac]

Matt do the pads wear evenly as they protrude the calippers somewhat, covering more of the disk? it may have been asked before

[mattCSLnut]

Originally Posted by Foamy

Yes, I quite agree with you. If I were in the market for a sub £1k bbk, I would also look into the Porsche caliper/Csl disc route rather than those other three that I mentioned. Do you have the piston sizes for the calipers that you use? It's a very important factor.

I did measure them at the time of the upgrade but I don't have the figures to hand, probably better to ask that question to one of the Pork boys My fronts (and soon to arrive rears) are off a 2008 CAYMAN S, Porsche part numbers 996.351.425 and 426 for the fronts, if that helps.
Where is CURLY when U need him

[mattCSLnut]

Originally Posted by s.mac

Matt do the pads wear evenly as they protrude the calippers somewhat, covering more of the disk? it may have been asked before

Steve, it depends which pads you use. The PAGIDS stuck out by about 1-2 mm beyond the outside edge of the disc but the EBC "Reds" don't. Either way it makes no difference and they do wear evenly and they seem to last longer then they did with the O.E. "wrongness"
I have absolutely no complaints after 10 000 miles and quite a few of these on Track

[Yanto]

Well I saw M5 Powered Alcons on Saturday and the colour of the calipers matches the SG exterior brilliantly, so that gets my vote

(Thats my contribution to the tech section, I'm off)

[glendog74]

Originally Posted by s.mac

Rob, all I was saying is they are not bullet proof

I know mate, i know...

[toofastforyou]

Originally Posted by glendog74

I know mate, i know...

[s.mac]

[funtime]

Originally Posted by Foamy

Yes, that's a budget option, but no one can claim it's going to be as good as a properly designed big brake kit from one of the big manufacturers.

Originally Posted by M5 Powered

+1

I wouldn't put a Big Brake kit on a car that it hadn't been designed for. Too many variables - the master cylinder for starters.

As already stated on this thread though - are the Alcon calipers not exactly the same as used on loads of different car's - evo's, jag's etc?

So how are they 'a properly designed BBK' designed specificly for the M3?

Or are the master cylinders, weights and brake bias' of all the car's the Alcon calipers are found on exactly the same?

For this reason alone, how are they any better than using the Brembo's from a Porsche with mounting brackets and disc's to match?

Fair enough if someone can give a proper technical explanation as to how they are 'designed' specifically for the M3 or CSL, but so far these 'proper BBK's' are just another big calliper and a means of bolting it to the M3 hub?

James