E39 M5 brakes - To AP or not to AP?
Discussion
is no longer a question. The Earl of Bolton was right all along, if you are going to actually drive these cars like a PHer should! then just get on with it.
Now the first problem was actually getting hold of the AP Big Brake Kit. Two weeks ago after a number of wasted telephone calls trying to track a kit down, a tip off on another BMW forum lead to me finding a set (even in the calliper colour/discs etc I wanted) at www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk . Supply is quite an issue when even the factory does not carry stock and had no intention of producing another run of E39 M5 kits for a few months. It was good to find someone amongst all these "specialists", that does the conversions often enough to warrant carrying stock. Next surprise was realising the business was owned by PHer thorney, who I'd met a few times at PH pub meets and a VMAX.
Brake Kit secured and fitting time booked, move on two weeks to yesterday.
Having endured 3 1/2 hours stuck on the A34 yesterday morning due to some clown crashing his lorry. I arrived at Thorneys over 3 hours later than my appointment. Although annoying, I had phoned ahead from the gridlock and John had rescheduled other work and said they would work late if necessary.
I had the following fitted
Front axle: AP racing BBK 343mm by 32mm slotted and vented rotors + ferrodo 2500 pads.
Rear axle: replacement standard discs + pagid blues (same PADS as used on the E39 Ring Taxi)
Stronger brake fluid hoses all round + 5.1 brake fluid.
Well the verdict:
The level of braking is now staggering (better than my porsche), with perfect pedal feel giving linearity between brake input and slowing. I got back late last night and decided to give the car a full blown run at a series of roads a few local PHers refer to as the "Dazburgring". Having always had the M5 experiencing brake fade/rumbling etc about 1/3 of the way into the "course", I was delighted to complete the entire course with far later braking and no change in brake feel as time progressed.
This left me thinking a bit:
WHY AREN'T THESE FITTED AS STANDARD?
The car is now most definitely up to Banzai Hooning spec and I'm looking forward even more now to the TartanHoon trip to Scotland this month.
A FEW CREDITS:
The guys at Thorney Motorsport who worked late. Thanks Gents.
Honorary mention to lunchtime visitor/chauffeur GregE240
The chef at the local pub
A surprised Porsche forum PHer who was a little shocked when he walked through the door at Thorneys, to see me there.
AWARDS FOR MUPPETRY:
Clown who crashed the lorry.
Police/HATOS/Traffic wardens etc - At a time when there seems to be more people than ever employed to go around kicking motorists in the bollox, it's a great shame that some penpusher or someone else couldn't have been dispatched to the junction before the carnage. Blocking the road and telling everyone to get off the A34, as clearing the road ahead was going to take at least another 4 or 5 hours. Instead all the vacuous ignoranti moronicus who didn't tune into local radio, were still creeping past the slip road and queuing towards the lorry carnage and stopping those of us radio enlightened brighter beings, from getting off the damn road and heading cross country.
DAZ
LOSING SPEED MATTERS
Now the first problem was actually getting hold of the AP Big Brake Kit. Two weeks ago after a number of wasted telephone calls trying to track a kit down, a tip off on another BMW forum lead to me finding a set (even in the calliper colour/discs etc I wanted) at www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk . Supply is quite an issue when even the factory does not carry stock and had no intention of producing another run of E39 M5 kits for a few months. It was good to find someone amongst all these "specialists", that does the conversions often enough to warrant carrying stock. Next surprise was realising the business was owned by PHer thorney, who I'd met a few times at PH pub meets and a VMAX.
Brake Kit secured and fitting time booked, move on two weeks to yesterday.
Having endured 3 1/2 hours stuck on the A34 yesterday morning due to some clown crashing his lorry. I arrived at Thorneys over 3 hours later than my appointment. Although annoying, I had phoned ahead from the gridlock and John had rescheduled other work and said they would work late if necessary.
I had the following fitted
Front axle: AP racing BBK 343mm by 32mm slotted and vented rotors + ferrodo 2500 pads.
Rear axle: replacement standard discs + pagid blues (same PADS as used on the E39 Ring Taxi)
Stronger brake fluid hoses all round + 5.1 brake fluid.
Well the verdict:
The level of braking is now staggering (better than my porsche), with perfect pedal feel giving linearity between brake input and slowing. I got back late last night and decided to give the car a full blown run at a series of roads a few local PHers refer to as the "Dazburgring". Having always had the M5 experiencing brake fade/rumbling etc about 1/3 of the way into the "course", I was delighted to complete the entire course with far later braking and no change in brake feel as time progressed.
This left me thinking a bit:
WHY AREN'T THESE FITTED AS STANDARD? The car is now most definitely up to Banzai Hooning spec and I'm looking forward even more now to the TartanHoon trip to Scotland this month.
A FEW CREDITS:
The guys at Thorney Motorsport who worked late. Thanks Gents.
Honorary mention to lunchtime visitor/chauffeur GregE240
The chef at the local pub
A surprised Porsche forum PHer who was a little shocked when he walked through the door at Thorneys, to see me there.
AWARDS FOR MUPPETRY:
Clown who crashed the lorry.
Police/HATOS/Traffic wardens etc - At a time when there seems to be more people than ever employed to go around kicking motorists in the bollox, it's a great shame that some penpusher or someone else couldn't have been dispatched to the junction before the carnage. Blocking the road and telling everyone to get off the A34, as clearing the road ahead was going to take at least another 4 or 5 hours. Instead all the vacuous ignoranti moronicus who didn't tune into local radio, were still creeping past the slip road and queuing towards the lorry carnage and stopping those of us radio enlightened brighter beings, from getting off the damn road and heading cross country.
DAZ
LOSING SPEED MATTERS
Edited by dazren on Thursday 1st March 15:53
Belleair302 said:
Why did you not have a look at Mov'it.de for a great big brake package? Not only do they make a better kit than AP, its cheaper too and carries a warranty!
Never heard of them. I know a few people who have run AP set ups successfully on hard driven BMWs, so decided to go for them accordingly.
NAS said:
www.movit.de/
This is what BA302 is referring to. Very very good brakes and well respected on the continent.
This is what BA302 is referring to. Very very good brakes and well respected on the continent.
Thanks Niek.
After BA302 posted, I did a google search and found the site. Prior to going for the APs I also looked at StopTech and Brembos, though I went the AP route on the basis that friends and colleagues have successfully used them on their cars already. As it is I'm still happy I went with the APs which fit easily behind the standard wheels, black (ie camouflage/near invisible) calipers and slotted discs (won't crack like my porsche ones). I also went the route of getting them fitted by the supplier on the basis if there were a future problem with them it's pretty obvious to me who has to fix them! I'd have thought that this would not have been the case had I imported StopTech or Movit and had them fitted by my local independent or local BMW garage.
DAZ
adamt said:
Daz,
Glad to hear your having fun with the anthracite beast......now you have wonderous brakes i miss it even more!
very best
adam
Glad to hear your having fun with the anthracite beast......now you have wonderous brakes i miss it even more!
very best
adam
Glad to report the car is running like a bruiser, it's heading off to the Hoonlands of Scotland next week. Got replacment control arm bushes going in tomorrow morning to tighten things up a bit.
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff