Anybody using brake ducting?

[CRollins]

I'm looking for some ideas and pictures of brake ducting set ups. I've got a 325is with vents in the bumper "valence" and would like to run ducts from the vents to the center of the rotor or to the front of the caliper. Thanks.

[jasonsnoddy]

never been done

[CRollins]

very helpful, thanks

[jasonsnoddy]

maybe im missing something, but both my e30's have this stock.

[e30shmobberr]

installed in on my boss's e30 m3.

heres the link.

http://gruvenparts.com/website/cart/cart.php?target=product&product_id=261&category_id=61

i suggest making it your self if you are worried about costs.

[e30shmobberr]

maybe im missing something, but both my e30's have this stock.

yes they have to front brake ducts, but they dont come with the proper brake duct hoses and the backing plate to shoot air at the center of the rotor.

[jasonsnoddy]

i seeeeeeeeeee

[JGood]

There is an extensive thread on bf.c in the track section about brake ducts, with some ideas and materials sources. I assume this is for a track car?

[619E30]

http://www.bmpdesign.com/product-exec/product_id/1485/category_id/63/search_year/1990/search_model/34

[CRollins]

There is an extensive thread on bf.c in the track section about brake ducts, with some ideas and materials sources. I assume this is for a track car?

It's a track car in progress and from experience with my subaru i'm pretty hard on brakes. I read that the e30's are lacking in the brake department as well, any truth to this? Power wise the car is stock but it has h&r race springs w/ bilsteins, sways, ate blue fluid, steel lines and hawk hp+ pads. Kumho xs's are going on this week.

I'm guessing Bf.c is bimmerforums.com? I'll have to poke around over there then. I was hoping for something e30 specific.

I did notice the bumper ducts but i'd like to take it a step further and channel the air right into the rotor. Those pieces above look very nice and they don't look too hard to duplicate.

I wonder if i could use the current dust shields, cut a 2" hole in them and weld a short piece of 2" pipe to them? Anybody done this?

Thanks for the replies.

[jlevie]

We routinely add brake ducts to Spec E30, KP, and ITS cars. The solution for the intake varies according to the production date of the car and what front spoiler/valence it has. Adapters replace the front backing plates and ducting is used to connect the adapters to the intakes.

The brakes on an E30 are more than sufficient until you get up to or above S50/52 power levels. Even then they may be adaquate, depending on the tracks run.

[619E30]

Power wise the car is stock but it has h&r race springs w/ bilsteins, sways, ate blue fluid, steel lines and hawk hp+ pads. Kumho xs's are going on this week.

The car sounds fine the way it is, maybe some cross-drilled rotors and your set :up:

[SkinnyVT]

first step is to get rid of the HP+'s and get some real track pads, while ducts might still be needed the pads should be the first item

[jlevie]

The car sounds fine the way it is, maybe some cross-drilled rotors and your set :up:

Plain rotors are as good as it gets w/respect to brake performance. Slotted are okay, but plain rotors will very slightly out perform them. Cross-drilled rotors are a net loss, partly because of the reduction in swept are, partly because of the reduction in mass, and partly because they are more prone to cracking.

[JGood]

hawk hp+ pads..

That's your problem. HP+ are compromise pads. You compromise performance for less noise, less wear, and a lower temp range. If it's a track car, no need for that.

Run some Brembo or other OEM blank rotors with either Hawk HT10, PFC 01 or 06, etc... They are more then adequate for a stock powered e30 as jlevie said. If you still fade, it's probably your technique... dragging into corners, etc... the spece30 guys run about as hard as you can run an e30, and I don't believe they have any major fading issues.


I have an identical car setup to you, except I run r-comps and HT-10's, and I have no fade issues.