Brake Discs - Next Step up from OEM?

[dh58]

If I wanted to stay OEM and upgrade the discs, what would be the next upgrade?

Would these be it?
Front: https://www.ecstuning.com/News/BMW_B...013/ES2102485/

Rear: https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E82-13...ors/ES2102515/


I couldn't find rear cross drilled and slotted ones.

[froop]

Depends what you call an upgrade. Changing to the slotted and drilled rotors doesn't exactly upgrade anything except maybe initial wet weather braking performance (possibly), pad wear and some mild weight loss.

That said, I was due in for all 4 corners pad and rotor replacement on my E88 and I went with the BMW Performance rotors. Primarily for the looks. You will however notice a rotational noise with slotted rotors whenever you're driving next to a wall or other cars etc.

Those rotors which you listed are the correct ones but there are other options. I didn't get the "genuine" BMW Performance rotors but I got the OEM ones from the manufacturer, IAP/Dura International. Part numbers are:

BR900986 for the fronts
BR900988 for the rears

They are exactly the same but vastly cheaper than the genuine ones. I got all 4 for just under AUD$600 landed in less than a week. I can't imagine you'd get much change out of AUD$2000 for the genuine ones purchased in the US due to our current exchange rate, expensive shipping and also duty, customs and GST costs when landed.

If you really do want to get genuine BMW Performance ones I would recommend getting them from Europe. Shipping is much more reasonable from there. Try Shmiedmann in Denmark maybe.

[Firsttimebimmerowner]

It does depend on what you're looking for.

I would say if you're looking for an upgrade to stopping power and fade resistance for street use you are driving way too hard lol.

If you're looking for an upgrade to stopping power and fade resistance for track use you'll need to do a lot more than upgrade the discs (I've heard that just slotted is better than slotted + cross drilled for extreme use as the cross drilled holes make the disc weaker and susceptible to cracking). Not sure of the structural impact if any for those dimpled rears.
I did not notice any performance benefit 'upgrading' to the BMW front cross drilled and slotted discs.


If you're looking for a street appeal upgrade then I personally agree that cross drilled and/or slotted look very cool!

[kb135]

Originally Posted by froop

Depends what you call an upgrade. Changing to the slotted and drilled rotors doesn't exactly upgrade anything except maybe initial wet weather braking performance (possibly), pad wear and some mild weight loss.

That said, I was due in for all 4 corners pad and rotor replacement on my E88 and I went with the BMW Performance rotors. Primarily for the looks. You will however notice a rotational noise with slotted rotors whenever you're driving next to a wall or other cars etc.

Those rotors which you listed are the correct ones but there are other options. I didn't get the "genuine" BMW Performance rotors but I got the OEM ones from the manufacturer, IAP/Dura International. Part numbers are:

BR900986 for the fronts
BR900988 for the rears

They are exactly the same but vastly cheaper than the genuine ones. I got all 4 for just under AUD$600 landed in less than a week. I can't imagine you'd get much change out of AUD$2000 for the genuine ones purchased in the US due to our current exchange rate, expensive shipping and also duty, customs and GST costs when landed.

If you really do want to get genuine BMW Performance ones I would recommend getting them from Europe. Shipping is much more reasonable from there. Try Shmiedmann in Denmark maybe.

froop could you please provide a link to the site hosting the brake rotors for sale? I google searched and the Dura site isn't letting me select my vehicle, nor is it finding the rotors by part number- errors keep popping up. And eBay vendors are charging a fair bit more. A bit more direction please mate? Thanks in advance.

[froop]

Originally Posted by kb135

froop could you please provide a link to the site hosting the brake rotors for sale? I google searched and the Dura site isn't letting me select my vehicle, nor is it finding the rotors by part number- errors keep popping up. And eBay vendors are charging a fair bit more. A bit more direction please mate? Thanks in advance.

Sorry dude completely forgot. Literally just eBay. There are tons of stores selling them but I just found the cheapest one for purchase price + shipping.

I found this store to be the cheapest. http://stores.ebay.com.au/carpartkings/

You should be able to just search the part numbers I listed above in that store.

[bimmedout22]

I replaced the oem rotors with the oem performance rotors. I really like the look plus had the dealer install.

[/URL]

[dh58]

I checked with Schmeidmann, the rotors are ok priced but the shipping is the killer part. Shipping was about $250USD alone, and the OEM rotors (not BMW Performance drilled ones), were $500USD. Based on what I read, there isn't that much value in them.

Looking at the ones that Froop linked and has got on. I am going to give them a try. I'm sure Froop hasn't been soft on them and looks like they are holding up for him.

$179USD shipped for rears
$246USD shipped for fronts
$425USD total

Froop do you have any pics?

[froop]

Originally Posted by dh58

I checked with Schmeidmann, the rotors are ok priced but the shipping is the killer part. Shipping was about $250USD alone, and the OEM rotors (not BMW Performance drilled ones), were $500USD. Based on what I read, there isn't that much value in them.

Looking at the ones that Froop linked and has got on. I am going to give them a try. I'm sure Froop hasn't been soft on them and looks like they are holding up for him.

$179USD shipped for rears
$246USD shipped for fronts
$425USD total

Froop do you have any pics?

Just took these for you. There is some rust which is normal. I'd recommend that you take some black or clear VHT paint to the rotor hat and edges of the rotor. Looks nicer that way. I haven't done it but I really should have. Regretting it now.

I haven't put many kms or taken them to a track or spirited drive yet, but definitely done some heard braking and there's nothing unusual about the way they perform.

[dh58]

Originally Posted by froop

Just took these for you. There is some rust which is normal. I'd recommend that you take some black or clear VHT paint to the rotor hat and edges of the rotor. Looks nicer that way. I haven't done it but I really should have. Regretting it now.

I haven't put many kms or taken them to a track or spirited drive yet, but definitely done some heard braking and there's nothing unusual about the way they perform.

Thanks man! Good tips on the VHT paint. Took a quick google and seems easy.

Did you purchase from carkingparts? (the ebay site u linked)

[froop]

Originally Posted by dh58

Thanks man! Good tips on the VHT paint. Took a quick google and seems easy.

Did you purchase from carkingparts? (the ebay site u linked)

Yep I purchased from carkingparts. They had the cheapest combined price+postage.

[dh58]

Originally Posted by froop

Yep I purchased from carkingparts. They had the cheapest combined price+postage.

Thanks, just purchased.

$425USD inc shipping.

[dh58]

FYI, Purchased Thursday 14th Jan,8am Sydney time. Arrived Friday 22nd.

So about 1 week delivery time. And shipping was much cheaper than anywhere else because of Ebay's global shipping program.

[dh58]

*update*

Just took a look. They sent me the wrong ones. This is going to be fun.

[froop]

Originally Posted by dh58

*update*

Just took a look. They sent me the wrong ones. This is going to be fun.

Fark that sucks... I didn't have an issue with mine at all. Bad luck dude.

[Alpha Trion]

check out 88rotors.com

[dh58]

Spoke to the guys at carpartkings and he said that these are the same as the standard brakes, just drilled.

Also he said that slotted would give the best performance.

[froop]

Originally Posted by dh58

Spoke to the guys at carpartkings and he said that these are the same as the standard brakes, just drilled.

Also he said that slotted would give the best performance.

What rotors did he send you?

BMW Performance Rotors are pretty much exactly 135i rotors except the fronts are drilled and slotted and the rears are dimpled and slotted.

In terms of performance, these days drilled rotors don't actually improve performance. They just look cool and that's what people have them or why manufacturers put them on high performance cars.

Blanks and maybe slotted rotors provide the best performance if you're going to be tracking them.

[dh58]

Originally Posted by froop

What rotors did he send you?

BMW Performance Rotors are pretty much exactly 135i rotors except the fronts are drilled and slotted and the rears are dimpled and slotted.

In terms of performance, these days drilled rotors don't actually improve performance. They just look cool and that's what people have them or why manufacturers put them on high performance cars.

Blanks and maybe slotted rotors provide the best performance if you're going to be tracking them.

Why do blanks and slotted provide the best performance? Is it because they have more surface mass?

That's interesting to know btw.

[froop]

Originally Posted by dh58

Why do blanks and slotted provide the best performance? Is it because they have more surface mass?

That's interesting to know btw.

Drilled rotors traditionally were good because they were designed to help gasses generated from the pad heating up escape so as not to create a gas layer between the pad and the disc. These days the pads are better and don't generate this gas. However, drilling the rotor compromises it's strength and repeated heat cycles can cause cracks to form between the holes. Also it reduces significantly the overall material in the rotor which reduces it's effect as a heat sink.

Slots are designed to wipe clean the pad and keep it even. It can also help with allowing water between the pad and rotor escape. It doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the rotor and also doesn't go reduce the rotor material as much as drilling does.

As long as the blank is sufficiently ventilated, it will provide the most surface area for pad to rotor contact as well as the largest heatsink for helping heat to dissapate.

[morris86]

Originally Posted by froop

Drilled rotors traditionally were good because they were designed to help gasses generated from the pad heating up escape so as not to create a gas layer between the pad and the disc. These days the pads are better and don't generate this gas. However, drilling the rotor compromises it's strength and repeated heat cycles can cause cracks to form between the holes. Also it reduces significantly the overall material in the rotor which reduces it's effect as a heat sink.

Slots are designed to wipe clean the pad and keep it even. It can also help with allowing water between the pad and rotor escape. It doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the rotor and also doesn't go reduce the rotor material as much as drilling does.

As long as the blank is sufficiently ventilated, it will provide the most surface area for pad to rotor contact as well as the largest heatsink for helping heat to dissapate.

Great post froop, had no idea about this.

[froop]

Originally Posted by morris86

Great post froop, had no idea about this.

Thanks!

Yeah I have cross drilled and slotted ECS rotors and I track heavily and they definitely have some cracking on them. Most are not too significant, but I have one crack on the right rotor which has extended from one of the outer holes to the edge of the rotor, which isn't good, but it doesn't give me any vibrations or anything and hasn't joined with any other cracks/holes so should be ok for the time being. I would have preferred slotted only rotors but they are the only affordable rotor upgrade being lighter, 2 piece floating and slightly wider.

The best option would probably be the Racing Brake upgrade which is 2 piece floating slotted only rotor. They increase the width and also the diameter of the rotor by supplying a new caliper bracket. The only problem about this though is that it's really quite expensive for what are essentially just rotors and a metal bracket, especially considering the exchange rate and shipping cost of such heavy items, and also the initial product experienced a lot of cracking in the rotors. Not sure if they fixed it. Also, apparently the metal they use is "harder" and is supposed to be used with their pads which account for this. It's likely though that racing pads would probably work fine with them though.

Personally with the right pad and rotor setup, I don't think BBKs are necessary on the 135i due to the size of our stock brakes, but there needs to be some work done in order to make it last the distance if tracking really heavily. It's all about heat management which can be improved through ducting if running wider wheels, Ti shims, larger floating rotors, better fluid, and then some upgraded pistons and dust boots when the stock ones shit themselves.

[Nugget]

If the crack goes to the edge I'd be replacing the rotor.
This is what my Stoptechs looked like after 2.5 years.
I replaced the rings as soon as I saw that crack at around 7 oclock.