finally did it.... AP racing brakes.
Discussion
so i finally bit the bullet.... ive purchased a front and rear 6 pot AP racing brake kit with fr 370x32mm discs and r 320x20mm discs.... honestly i took these out the packaging and WOW they are Massive........ pads are pagid blues ... the size of the pad its self is huge...... i really cant wait to get these on.... im going to be doing the install myself, im slightly daunted by the task but i really want to have a go...
anyone else using AP racing and got a review on them??
anyone else using AP racing and got a review on them??
You've bought some phenominal kit for your car, and I can't praise them high enough.
I fitted mine myself, and they are not beyond a weekend home mechanic's capability. I admit that I did them on a ramp, and that they would be a bit more tricky scrabbling around on the floor, but perfectly possible .... Rear brake sensors are on stupidly long wires, and there are a few covers to come off. The back plates on the front of the car need to be trimmed too. No problem with a cutting disc on a grinder. No problems with changing the lot, and then bleeding the brakes either - There are no silly valve systems like on some Audis.
I put some pictures of mine "before" and "after" on my Readers Cars thread many many months ago.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... E46 BMW M3 SMG&mid=65677
I fitted mine myself, and they are not beyond a weekend home mechanic's capability. I admit that I did them on a ramp, and that they would be a bit more tricky scrabbling around on the floor, but perfectly possible .... Rear brake sensors are on stupidly long wires, and there are a few covers to come off. The back plates on the front of the car need to be trimmed too. No problem with a cutting disc on a grinder. No problems with changing the lot, and then bleeding the brakes either - There are no silly valve systems like on some Audis.
I put some pictures of mine "before" and "after" on my Readers Cars thread many many months ago.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... E46 BMW M3 SMG&mid=65677
mat205125 said:
You've bought some phenominal kit for your car, and I can't praise them high enough.
I fitted mine myself, and they are not beyond a weekend home mechanic's capability. I admit that I did them on a ramp, and that they would be a bit more tricky scrabbling around on the floor, but perfectly possible .... Rear brake sensors are on stupidly long wires, and there are a few covers to come off. The back plates on the front of the car need to be trimmed too. No problem with a cutting disc on a grinder. No problems with changing the lot, and then bleeding the brakes either - There are no silly valve systems like on some Audis.
I put some pictures of mine "before" and "after" on my Readers Cars thread many many months ago.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... E46 BMW M3 SMG&mid=65677
mat those do look awesome!! out of interest how hard have you pushed these brakes??? i have to say the pedal feel and bite of the stock z4m is pretty awesome...... if this betters it then i can wait...... unfortunatly with 460bhp the stock items were great on a small sprint track but whne i got into the 3-4laps they would suffer.... but this time round i plan to hit the track and heat these brakes up ;-)I fitted mine myself, and they are not beyond a weekend home mechanic's capability. I admit that I did them on a ramp, and that they would be a bit more tricky scrabbling around on the floor, but perfectly possible .... Rear brake sensors are on stupidly long wires, and there are a few covers to come off. The back plates on the front of the car need to be trimmed too. No problem with a cutting disc on a grinder. No problems with changing the lot, and then bleeding the brakes either - There are no silly valve systems like on some Audis.
I put some pictures of mine "before" and "after" on my Readers Cars thread many many months ago.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... E46 BMW M3 SMG&mid=65677
I think the standard brakes on an E36 M3 are "decent" - more than powerful enough for spirited road use, and whack on some decent z-rated pads and they're fine for a normal track day.
That said, I agree with you - it's not like BMW made/make a fortune selling their own aftermarket brake upgrades, and it's not like they didn't have good 4-pots knocking around that would've been up to the job (4-pot (brembos?) from the 8-series). Have BMW ever justified their approach?
That said, I agree with you - it's not like BMW made/make a fortune selling their own aftermarket brake upgrades, and it's not like they didn't have good 4-pots knocking around that would've been up to the job (4-pot (brembos?) from the 8-series). Have BMW ever justified their approach?
Beedub said:
mat205125 said:
You've bought some phenominal kit for your car, and I can't praise them high enough.
I fitted mine myself, and they are not beyond a weekend home mechanic's capability. I admit that I did them on a ramp, and that they would be a bit more tricky scrabbling around on the floor, but perfectly possible .... Rear brake sensors are on stupidly long wires, and there are a few covers to come off. The back plates on the front of the car need to be trimmed too. No problem with a cutting disc on a grinder. No problems with changing the lot, and then bleeding the brakes either - There are no silly valve systems like on some Audis.
I put some pictures of mine "before" and "after" on my Readers Cars thread many many months ago.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... E46 BMW M3 SMG&mid=65677
mat those do look awesome!! out of interest how hard have you pushed these brakes??? i have to say the pedal feel and bite of the stock z4m is pretty awesome...... if this betters it then i can wait...... unfortunatly with 460bhp the stock items were great on a small sprint track but whne i got into the 3-4laps they would suffer.... but this time round i plan to hit the track and heat these brakes up ;-)I fitted mine myself, and they are not beyond a weekend home mechanic's capability. I admit that I did them on a ramp, and that they would be a bit more tricky scrabbling around on the floor, but perfectly possible .... Rear brake sensors are on stupidly long wires, and there are a few covers to come off. The back plates on the front of the car need to be trimmed too. No problem with a cutting disc on a grinder. No problems with changing the lot, and then bleeding the brakes either - There are no silly valve systems like on some Audis.
I put some pictures of mine "before" and "after" on my Readers Cars thread many many months ago.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... E46 BMW M3 SMG&mid=65677
The brakes cannot be faulted, however I am very religious about removing the wheels and the pads to keep them clean. I've bought all manner of aftermarket improvements for cars over the years, and nothing has been as good an investment as these brakes. They really allow you to enjoy the car to the full, and should have had something of this standard from the factory.
Your standard kit will get good money on ebay when you fit them, by the way!!
mat205125 said:
Should be do-able in a day with a bit of care, and taking your time.
Get out there are drown everything in WD40 before starting, especially the hoses.
Take lots of pictures for us to see before, during, and after too
yeah im planning 2hr per corner, luckily my car is only @10k dry miles all done by me so underneath looks pretty nifty no im hoping everything will be pretty free....Get out there are drown everything in WD40 before starting, especially the hoses.
Take lots of pictures for us to see before, during, and after too
ill take pics at every step of the process ;-)
Beedub said:
yeah im planning 2hr per corner,
Shouldn't take you more than an hour per side by the time you mess around jacking he car up etc, less if you have access to ramps. Remove Wheel
Remove little bolt hold disc on.
Remove Brake Hose
Undo the two bolts holding on the caiper braket. Knock caliper off. Remove disc
Refit in reverse.
Bleed Brakes.
Easy!
Best start with the calipers furthest from the brake reservoir (probably rear n/s), as this is recommended method for bleeding, you don't want to be removing the wheels twice.
scz4 said:
Shouldn't take you more than an hour per side by the time you mess around jacking he car up etc, less if you have access to ramps.
Remove Wheel
Remove little bolt hold disc on.
Remove Brake Hose
Undo the two bolts holding on the caiper braket. Knock caliper off. Remove disc
Refit in reverse.
Bleed Brakes.
Easy!
Best start with the calipers furthest from the brake reservoir (probably rear n/s), as this is recommended method for bleeding, you don't want to be removing the wheels twice.
yeah it should be pretty easy but i like to take my time and go extra slow.. i want every single nut torqued to spec, while im their im going to do some cleaning also ;-)Remove Wheel
Remove little bolt hold disc on.
Remove Brake Hose
Undo the two bolts holding on the caiper braket. Knock caliper off. Remove disc
Refit in reverse.
Bleed Brakes.
Easy!
Best start with the calipers furthest from the brake reservoir (probably rear n/s), as this is recommended method for bleeding, you don't want to be removing the wheels twice.
plus ive got to install my stud and nut conversion, im going to be going extra slow!!
also ill lifting the car complete off the ground so that may take a while to get it on 4 axle stands.
im looking forward to it BUt...... with the way the weather is at the mo it may be a while before i get these on... my garage is way too small to attempt this in house so i need my driveway.... man i wish i had a double garage!!
click for full resoultion images
composite open ended wheel nuts, unbelieavvble strong and light... with Arp wheel studs, my wheels will break before these studs will ;-)
mat i did admittely spent quite alot on this lot BUT.... i wanted proper open ened lightweight nuts and they are gorgeous to behold!! on the z4m a spacer is required when the APs are fitted, these 75mm studs allow upto 12.5mm spacers to be fitted, those kics r26 nuts and the turner studs were all imported from overseas, but life will be easy peasy once this little lot will be installed, plus after i stretched a stock bolt torquing to 120nm i decided to deal with this once and for all.
composite open ended wheel nuts, unbelieavvble strong and light... with Arp wheel studs, my wheels will break before these studs will ;-)
mat i did admittely spent quite alot on this lot BUT.... i wanted proper open ened lightweight nuts and they are gorgeous to behold!! on the z4m a spacer is required when the APs are fitted, these 75mm studs allow upto 12.5mm spacers to be fitted, those kics r26 nuts and the turner studs were all imported from overseas, but life will be easy peasy once this little lot will be installed, plus after i stretched a stock bolt torquing to 120nm i decided to deal with this once and for all.
scz4 said:
Hope the studs are extended, that's assuming you'll need to fit 10 or 15mm spacers like with most AP kits on BMWs.
these studs allow upto 12.5mm spacer fitment ;-)The brakes require 12mm spacer on the front.... AP now do a slimline caliper that uses alot slimmer pads BUT.... i feel this isnt an idea situation, i want proper meat pads.
the size of the AP calipers is eye opening.
I fitted the AP six pots to my M5, top quality parts and sevice. I downloaded the pdf to check the clearence clarence and it just touched the rim. I was assured by AP that the pdf was on the pessimistic side and it would all be fine.
After fitting the brakes I re-fitted the front wheel I span the wheel just out of habit and was a bit shocked when it stopped dead after half a turn. It turned out the clearence was tight enough that the caliper was catching on a wheel weight.
After fitting the brakes I re-fitted the front wheel I span the wheel just out of habit and was a bit shocked when it stopped dead after half a turn. It turned out the clearence was tight enough that the caliper was catching on a wheel weight.
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