Brake Upgrades

For the M Powered Z4 derivatives
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Brake Upgrades

Post by motco »

Has anyone with a ///M Z4 tried this firm for brake upgrades? http://www.west-tuning.com/brake-kits.php

A family member has the need for better braking for track days on his Z4M Coupé and doesn't want to get a mortgage to pay for it. :|

Thanks... 8-)
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by motco »

Bump... :)
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by Del »

Has your family member found a solution? – I suspect it’s a bit of a specialist question. Most of the forum activity I’ve seen is where owners are using their Zs for an occasional track days and so they are content with modifications limited to metal braided hoses, DOT 5 brake fluid and hybrid road/occasional track day brake pads such as EBC Yellowstuff.

From my limited experience I would guess that serious uprating from Z4M discs/callipers would be very expensive and possibly involve alterations to the back-plates and a wheel change.
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by motco »

Del, No he hasn't but he's currently on a year long work assignment in Sydney and the car is in my garage. There's a lot to be learned from the Z4 forum about big brake kits (BBKs) but it all involves large sums of money. :( He has tried Yellowstuff with poor results and has moved to Bluestuff as an interim to proper upgrades. A set of pads will last a trackday, the journey to and from the circuit, and a short while either side, and at the price they are it's worth looking at an investment in a better, less self consuming system. My question arises because I met an M3 owner from whom I bought a rear top mount kit for the Z4, and he (the M3 owner) told me of this firm at Thruxton circuit who do brake upgrades at better prices. However, on the 'buy cheaply, buy twice' principle, I am looking for testimonials for the company before recommending them for the Z4. By the way, if you do a trackday it is advisable to switch off the DSC or any other dynamic stability system because it will cook the brakes while trying to stop you doing what you went to the trackday to do in the first place! :squeeze:
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Brian H
Joined: Tue 16 Dec, 2008 19:55
Posts: 2505

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by Brian H »

Have you thought about brake cooling? I went through a set of yellow stuff pads at Donington park this year and put this down to too much heat in the brakes. I have read so many threads on BBKs and as you say to do it properly is big money.
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by motco »

Yes Brian, heat dissipation will certainly help. His idea is to use the existing apertures where low level foglights would be and to fashion a duct to direct ram-air over the brakes via that route. There's a pair of ARBs and some coilover suspension kits awaiting his return, and he's saving his 'ill-gotten' gains from the Sydney job to pay towards a supercharger. Obviously he's keen on increasing power so a some form of brake upgrade is needed.

For what it's worth, I took my Z3 to Keevil airfield in December 2011 (my Westfield was impractical at 0 degrees C but the track was booked). The brakes worked well enough, but they couldn't stay the course and after about three laps they were very long of pedal and poor on effect. Once cooled they worked better but the long pedal took hours to recover despite new fluid only a week or so earlier.
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Brian H
Joined: Tue 16 Dec, 2008 19:55
Posts: 2505

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by Brian H »

motco wrote:Yes Brian, heat dissipation will certainly help. His idea is to use the existing apertures where low level foglights would be and to fashion a duct to direct ram-air over the brakes via that route. There's a pair of ARBs and some coilover suspension kits awaiting his return, and he's saving his 'ill-gotten' gains from the Sydney job to pay towards a supercharger. Obviously he's keen on increasing power so a some form of brake upgrade is needed.
A BBK makes spence if a supercharger is on the cards.
motco wrote:For what it's worth, I took my Z3 to Keevil airfield in December 2011 (my Westfield was impractical at 0 degrees C but the track was booked). The brakes worked well enough, but they couldn't stay the course and after about three laps they were very long of pedal and poor on effect. Once cooled they worked better but the long pedal took hours to recover despite new fluid only a week or so earlier.
Not suffered too bad with my zed on track, to date I have not suffered from the dreaded long pedal although I upgraded the brake fluid to try and help with this. I suspect excessive heat is now my enemy!
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motco
Joined: Tue 18 Aug, 2009 18:12
Posts: 728

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Brake Upgrades

Post by motco »

Brian, that is the answer to a long pedal I'm sure - the upgraded fluid. The Z4M Coupé had a racing blue fluid in (cannot recall the brand) and despite very hot brakes, maintained its hydraulic integrity at all times.
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