Quote:
Originally Posted by BimmerEnthusiast99
Hey all! Good thread. Love my wife's 128, my favorite of the three bimmers we own currently.
I do however find the stock brake setup, a tad on the weak side. Was thinking about going with the BMW Perf Brake kit, but wanted to hear some opinions.
Are these progessive enough to be feasible for normal daily driving or are they mainly for tracking your car? i.e., would they simply put you through the windshield every time you tap the brake in normal street driving scenarios? Any maintenance problems associated from using them?
My problem with the stock setup is that they start to fade a bit when driving pretty hard in fast moving, fast stopping traffic, and would like a setup that will save my bacon when the jackass in front of me slams on his breaks because he didn't see the guy in front of him at a dead stop. Have had a few too many close calls in similar situations---and barely got the 1er stopped in time.
Any pros/cons would help.
Let me know your thoughts---much appreciated!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSt|G
Long story short, they would be a waste of money.
BMW performance brake kit is not a BBK in any sense of the word. They are merely a gold window dressing. If you are having fade, I would upgrade to a more aggressive pad than the car has and take it from there. If you continue to experience fade on the street, spend the money you have saved not wasting it on the BMW PBK and get a proper Brembo or StopTech kit.
As a side note, what tires are you running?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Obioban
I'd rather have the stock 128 brakes than the stock 135 brakes-- no need to feel cracking pistons or melting dust boots.
The purpose of more pistons is to have a larger pad, which gives you longer pad life-- NOT to apply more force. The stock 128i brakes can lock the wheels (every time you engage ABS that's what's happened), so there is zero benefit to applying more force. The benefits of BBKs are:
More heat capacity
better pedal modulation
longer pad/rotor life (largely due to the increased heat capacity)
reduced unsprung/rotating mass
pad swaps without removing the caliper from the car (useful if tracking and changing multiple times per weekend).
The 135/performance kit may have increased heat capacity, but it's useless because heat cracks the pistons... so if you use it for anything serious, where you'd need the capacity, it's a terrible choice. It doesn't come with stainless lines, so you still don't have good feel/modulation. It doesn't have lighter rotors, so you're not decreasing rotating mass. And, I'm not positive, but I'm fairly certain you still have to remove the caliper to change pads, so you don't gain that.
I completely agree with Stig-- I'd stick with stock or go to a real BBK. The BMW performance kit/135 setup is worse than the stock 128 setup, imo.
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I have to disagree with the negative review on the BMW BBK installed on a 128.. for added braking performance in street use and in weekend track use ( Time Trilas HPDE's )
first:
I have been running them for almost 2 seasons of track events (summit point, Lime Rock, NJMP, Watkins Glen, Pocono north, ) ( 12 or 13 full track days at approx 4 or 5 sessions per day at approx 50 laps per event ) ( countless auto-x's also)
Lime rock 1:06.7
The Glen 2:27.7 >> there was a full track R-comp/ rollcaged / lightned track ready 135 there also best time 2:13.2 for comparassion
summit point 1:32.0
NJMP 1:22.5
Pocono North 1:07.0
times not posted to pontificate, there for comparassion and to show that i do push the car hard.
I have visually inspected my pads and rotors after every event.
Rotors not cracked,and they are the slotted / cross drilled (actually they are worn .5mm from there minimum thickness with theses pads on them now)
Pistons and seals in PERFECT condition and original
Calipers not discolored / and i suffer no uneven pad wear
The car is my Daily driver.. I dont swa pads out
i started on Stock ( 135 ) BMW pads that came with the kit, They got me thru Lime rock and NJMP and pocono no issues at all.
I love the initial bite of the stock BMW pads for daily driving, absolutly great on the street.
I then swapped to cool carbons.. I did not like theses pads.. they dusted less but pulsated at high heat / threashold points. ( i did bed them in correctly and rebedded before each event )
Now I have Ferodo 2500's WONDERFUL track pad.. can be used on the street with no issues at all ( performance wise ) , a little noisy at times, and the red dust that comes off is more annoying then the black BMW dust )
With the combo of all the upgrades in my Signature, for a 128 on the cheap you cant get any better bang for the buck.
( if you intend to go FULL RACE .. No OEM supplied stuff will work correctly as they compromise to much, but if you are in it just for the weekend warrior Time trial or HPDE...then like i said.. it cant be beat )
Also remember the 135 is almost 300+ lbs heavier then a 128 ( optioned like mine, no sunroof no nav no power seats etc ) having 135 brakes on a 128 weighing 300lbs less is a win win win win, and that is why i say they work. In addition a 135 carries about 20+ MPH down the straight into any tracks turn 1 which is usually a heavy braking zone, here also the 128 gains by actually being a bit slower, and not having to rely on the brakes alone to slow for the turn and carry speed thru the corner.
also to note The BMW BBK is made by Brembo and the Calipers are Stamped Brembo, and the have a Brembo Part number.
I do agree that you must take care of your equiptment.. My f30 backing plate Mod ( many threads about it ) has worked.. but for a 135 not so much.
There is alot about driving style that leads to taking care of ones equiptment..
so in conclusion: I highly Recommend the BMW BBK on a 128 for spiited Canyon running / driving.. I also Recommend it for moderate to heavy weeked Time Trial / HPDE's IF you take percautions like i did.
If there are any questions , feel free to ask ..