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[Mountain135]

I belive OEM wheels are about 26lb front and 28lb rear. I just pulled my winters off and put my summer setup on since we're having a warm spell. Man, do these 264's seem heavy! I can save 8 to 9 lbs per corner by going with light wheels like Apex. Is it worth the $1200 plus to you guys who've done it. Not just for the look or ability to run wider tires, but the handling.

Thanks.

[Kgolf31]

The biggest difference you'll notice is acceleration.

Reduced unsprung weight is huge, and you'll notice it fairly quickly.

[TheSt|G]

It impacts every aspect of performance and is hugely noticeable. Unsprung weight savings are always a big deal. The key is making sure you get a well made wheel like APEX.

[Nitrous Garage]

Originally Posted by Mountain135

I belive OEM wheels are about 26lb front and 28lb rear. I just pulled my winters off and put my summer setup on since we're having a warm spell. Man, do these 264's seem heavy! I can save 8 to 9 lobs per corner by going with light wheels like Apex. Is it worth the $1200 plus to you guys who've done it. Not just for the look or ability to run wider tires, but the handling.

Thanks.

Definitely worth the money! When I changed from OEM wheels to the APEX ARC-8 wheels on my 135i it was a big difference. The car feels lighter and handles and corners a lot quicker. Very night and day difference.

If you have anymore questions or would like a quote on wheels shoot me a PM

[Mountain135]

Good stuff. Thanks guys

[Pyrat 2]

If you're really serious about going on a diet you can swap the wheels and the brake rotors. You should be able to get 6 to 8 lbs from the wheel swap and an additional 4 to 5 from brake rotor swap. ECS tuning and rbbrakes both have 2 piece rotors that are 4.7# lighter than stock.

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E82-135...ing/ES2550968/
http://www.racingbrake.com/135i-E82-...-11-p/2166.htm

There are separate threads that have reviewed these that you should look at before making the call. Nevertheless there are options are out there for sure.

A total loss of 9 to 10# or more of rotating unsprung weight is huge and you will likely feel a difference. Right now I'm half way there with the lightweight wheels. I'm partial to the rbbrake rotors as I don't want cross drill but $s are making me think twice.

[Kgolf31]

If you really want to shed weight, go to 128i calipers and rotors.

[Mountain135]

Are the 128 calipers and rotors lighter duty and less efficient?

[Pyrat 2]

They have a smaller diameter. Not sure what you mean by less efficient.

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by Mountain135

Are the 128 calipers and rotors lighter duty and less efficient?

Put the same tires (size and brand) on a 128 and 135 with OEM pads each, they will brake at the same rate and distance.

[Mountain135]

Interesting! So our big 6-piston calipers work no better than smaller units on 128. Why do you suppose BMW puts them on?

[Pyrat 2]

That's the right question. Don't expect the same results from repeated stops at high speeds. Also not clear what the results would be with very grippy tires vs the non grippy oem rflts.

I wouldn't recommend reducing the rotor size to save unsprung weight. However, you can change the rotor to a 2 piece and get a benefit while retaining the overall braking effectiveness.

[Suhb]

Originally Posted by Mountain135

Interesting! So our big 6-piston calipers work no better than smaller units on 128. Why do you suppose BMW puts them on?

Larger diameter = more surface are for cooling = less brake fade

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by Mountain135

Interesting! So our big 6-piston calipers work no better than smaller units on 128. Why do you suppose BMW puts them on?

Theoretically, given the rather substantial weight difference between the two, on identical tires the 128 would have a shorter stopping distance. The 135 would be able to duplicate its stopping distance more often in a short period, but it is not something you would see on the street.

On the track, both fall seriously short. The 135 has critical component failure when the brakes overheat and the 128i chucks itself into limp mode when the brakes get hot.