Are e30 Brakes enough?

[Ryan Stewart]

added the only reason I would do a 5 lug would be for bigger bearings, but even then you can get some really durable customs made for our hubs if need be.

There is plenty of aftermarket for the 4-lug.

[UNHCLL]

Ryan,

just my $.02.

We had floating e36 m3 calipers on my dads car for a year or 2.
very loud, and obnoxious over bumpy roads. Lots of "clack" feedback through the steering wheel too.

This was also coupled with a floating rotor.

[bimmerphile]

man, dont waste the money on the cabrio. You cant track it.

If anything get the IE kit. Its a very user friendly kit that will fit under 15", 16", or 17" depending on what kit you get.

Im debating with a modified stop-tech kit or the IE. I kinda prefer the floating caliper for simplicity and weight, we shall see.

that's cool, because there's no track for hours, and hours, and hours :)

[Ryan Stewart]

The rotor caused the problem, the calipers on all stock BMWs are floated.

Its harmonics on the rotor. Mine wont be floating though, rigidly bolted to aluminum hats.

[UNHCLL]

The rotor caused the problem, the calipers on all stock BMWs are floated.

Its harmonics on the rotor. Mine wont be floating though, rigidly bolted to aluminum hats.

nope.
Trust me. we looked into this. It was a combination of both.

Euro E36 M3's had floating rotors/calipers.

US Spec had fixed cal/rotors.

[Addissimo]

Or the fact the e30 M3 brake system is larger, stronger and the hubs are beefier.

but wtf do I know, I'm just a ricer. :roll:

Not calling you a ricer... I just dont think that the e30 setup is big enough for the money one puts into it, therefore in my eyes, the main reason somebody would put that on their car would be for a better wheel selection. I'm suprisingly happy with bottlecaps... I dont like bling. Sorry if i offended you.

Living in Boise there are not any tracks near by. I love my car and want to make it fun to drive. I dont consider anything to the car a waste of money. If I lived near a track, I'd probably have gotten a hard top. But I have autocross instead.

Addis

[M-technik-3]

if I do a 5 lug I'll probably just do some stock m3 rims... so 17s. I'd do a 4 lug BBK, but to do all 4 wheels they are a lot more expensive than a 5 lug swap, especially when e36 m3 caliper sets can be had for $200... Make a custom mounting bracket for 318ti trailing arms and you have some 312mm rear rotors.

stock m3 rims are 15"
the e36 5 lug swap has to many issues to sort out.
if you want a 5 lug, just do e30 M... simplicity.

I was taking about BBK not factory units. Theres a differance obviously.

[Rob]

since most of the stock brakes on e30s i've driven need major work, I'd say get the stock system in top condition before you start saving your allowance.

[Addissimo]

What kind of major work are you talking about? I replaced the brake booster, and am looking into a 25mm master cylinder... What else do you recommend?

[BimmerToad]

Just make sure you have the appropriate brake master cylinder with the proper front/rear brake bias. There is no point to bolting on huge brakes if it screws up your front to rear bias. Part of the reason why the stock E36 M3 brakes work so well on an E36 M3 is because BMW has properly adjusted the bias. Unless you set up the brakes properly, bigger brakes, while more fade resistant (which you will not need in an AutoX) will actually make your braking distances longer.

The proper set of pads and fluid can go a long way.

Just my 0.02,

- Todd

[boom-monkey]

I don't know why more people don't take this route but if I were to go 5 lug I would do e30 m3 supension for simplicity then if I really needed more brakes there are many aftermaket BBK kits available. Seems to me the best route to go as with e36 suspension you have to deal with many little problems like Eric Lukas has experienced.

[M-technik-3]

Because of the cost of the "M" parts is staggering at times. Not to mention they are becoming increasinly harder to find used systems.

[E30-323ti]

if I do a 5 lug I'll probably just do some stock m3 rims... so 17s. I'd do a 4 lug BBK, but to do all 4 wheels they are a lot more expensive than a 5 lug swap, especially when e36 m3 caliper sets can be had for $200... Make a custom mounting bracket for 318ti trailing arms and you have some 312mm rear rotors.

I'd like to see how you are going to do the rear rotors!!!

The height of a 318ti rear rotor is 78mm (10x272mm dia) where as the E36 M3 rear rotors have a height of 61mm (20x312mm dia).

As you can see there is a difference of 17mm, which is about the with of the E-brake shoes, speaking of which, the 318ti E-brake drum dia is 161mm where as the E36 M3 is 185mm.

A bit more thought required there I think.

Back on topic:
The brakes were the first thing I put in the bin after the engine & gearbox.
The problem I found was not the pads, as you can get just about any type of pads you want, but the rotors, they are just too small and can not dissapate the heat generated with spirited driving.

As previously stated the E30 M3 parts are the easiest to upgrade to, but they are $$$.
Therefore the E36 5lug swap is the next best thing.

Also don't forget that E46 330i brakes bolt onto non-M spindles, 325x25mm rotors, cheaper than E36 M3 parts as you can use any E36 front spindles!!!

[Digitalwave]

You are just doing a more or less stock M50 right? I think stock brakes should be more than enough for you. I just refreshed my system with new rotors, Mintex pads, SS lines, rebuilt calipers, and ATE Superblue fluids. The difference is amazing. The brakes are extremely good now. All that only cost me about $250 also.

[Ryan Stewart]

US Spec had fixed cal/rotors.

That is funny. The stock calipers on my dads M3, 330Cic, and 325e are all floating. I think you are confused about what you are writing about. Floating calipers "float" on the pins screwed into the brackets and only have pistons on one side. So when the piston is pushed the caliper is allowed to move out to make the back push against the rotor too. FIXED calipers are just that, bolted to the brackets so they dont move at all and then they have pistons on both sides so both sides can push on the rotor. If you fixed a stock caliper it would just push on the outside face of the rotor because nothign is moving on the backside.

The problem was the combo but it was caused by the floating rotor. The rotor is allowed to move and so is the caliper. What happens is the caliper wobbles with the rotor. That is why bikes use a fixed caliper with dual pistons. IT holds the rotor from wobbling. Maybe a 7 series style front rotor would have solved this because it has an anti-rattle spring (just like our rears) that would have put force on the caliper keeping it from jumping around when the rotor moved.

I will have a floating caliper (just like stock but with dual pistons and moved out father for the larger rotor) with what is essential a fixed rotor. Its a two peice bolted to an aluminum hat but it is on there tight so it doesnt move. This is essentially what Alpina ran on thier cars but they painted it gold (I cant paint my kit gold for 1200 less)