BBK for e30 318/325s, e30 M3s and e36 M3s

[Massive Lee]

To those of you who enquired how the front e30 M3 kit actually fit on a strut, here are a few pictures: You can notice that the fit is perfect and that no shim is required to center or align the caliper with the rotor. Here are a few more shots of the front e30 M3 kit on a Grp N strut (cartridge removed for a rebuild). You can see the 2nd generation radial mount (simpler to machine than 1st generation, and not as costly).

[Van Westervelt]

Any word on the e30 m3 street rears allowing the e brake?

[Massive Lee]

Hi Curt. The rear extension for the ebrake will be ready in January. It is a real emergency brake made from a high grade steel extension that will allow continuous use under "emergency" situations. Not just a parking brake which allows the brake shoes to bite in raw aluminum only during static situations, just when the car is stopped.

Interestingly, I thought that companies such as StopTech would use a steel insert in the rear aluminum hat as a friction surface. In reality, they allow the brakeshoes to use aluminum as a friction surface. Therefore, it should only be used when car is parked. It might be an economical procedure, but I do not believe it is safe.

From a BBK manufacturer forum:

Question: Why don't your kits include an emergency brake?
Answer: Modern car's have never been equipped with an emergency brake.....they have a parking brake.
Question: Same thing aren't they?
Answer: No not at all, An emergency brake means that if you're going 65 MPH down the road up to a red light and you have complete failure of the front brakes and also complete failure of the rear brakes you can pull the emergency brake and stop in time before the intersection. If you believe the hand brake will stop you in that situation then ..........tooth fairy, Brooklyn bridge, check's in the mail (pick one).
There were emergency brakes on cars in the 1920's (edit: the techie forgot that today's BMWs have a real emergency brake system)
Question: How about a parking brake then?
Answer: I have a hydraulic line-lock to serve the parking brake function.
Question: But I live in San Francisco and have to park at the top of a steep hill and go
out of town for a month at a time.
Answer: Get a brick.


From StopTech installation manual:

The emergency/parking brake can not be used as an active braking
device such as hand brake turns or drifting competition. The
aluminum hat portion that acts as the brake drum will hold the car
in any parking situation and work for a single emergency stop, but
will not stand up to use as a supplement to regular braking.

[ja burna]

Hey Lee,
I have a set of 16" Borbet A's 16x7.5 front and 16x9 in the back, running 215x40, on an e30 89 cabriolet. Will your BBK work with these wheels? Im stationed over in europe and drive normally a top speed of 100 mph's. My stock brakes are wat Im using and its hard to slow down.. Im looking at upgrading my whole braking system front and rears..

thanx

[Massive Lee]

Hello ja_burna. The e30 318-325 front kit has 11.75" x 1.25" rotors. Therefore they work on 15" race wheels, but let's be honest, 16 inch street wheels are an easier fit for most of us. But because the kit uses thick race calipers, they portrude way beyond the hub's face. To ensure the kit will work on your wheels, I should send you a .pdf file of the profile that you can print on 11" x 17" paper and test against your wheel. It is the only acurate/bulletproof to make sure it works.

The front kit works either with race Superlite Forged calipers, or with the NDL ones, which may not be just as stiff, but offer more clearance and therefore are an easier fit as they are 1/4" narrower on each side, and offer a bit more clearance on the radius. To get a profile for the Superlite kit, please email me.

Forged Superlite


Billet NDL

[ja burna]

lee

pm sent

[Massive Lee]

Hi ja_burna, I didn't get the PM. Please email me at massivebrakes@gmail.com