Performance Brake Pads and Rotors ?

I have a new 2012 BMW 335i. I'm looking for better braking performance. Can i replace my stock rotors with after market slotted ones and replacement performance pads or will that break something ? like regenerative braking, or something else?

Drilled rotors will be lighter but absorb less heat. Slotted rotors won't be 100% necessary - they're supposed to let gasses escape when the pads are extremely hot, like over 1000 degrees. Make sure you are running the stickiest tires if you want the best stopping distance. Potenza RE-11 and Dunlop Direzza are the best. If you want to go with a race pad the Peformance Friction 06, 08 and other new models are amazing. But these will make lots of noise on the street. I would NOT recommend a "street performance" pad (ahem, Hawk HPS) because they wear fast and can't take much heat.

Unfortunately, at this time nobody has a pad or rotor out for the F30. Everyone I've talked to has said that it's currently under development and will probably be another 2-3 months.

As mentioned by westwest888... one of the best improvement right now is to get a stickier tire. I'm not sure which tire you had mounted at the factory, but the OEM Pirelli P7 that came with my car were pretty horrible in terms of grip level. As fun as it is to rotate the car due to the low grip level, it's not the best for "performance" especially for braking. Any true performance tire would improve braking exponentially and added bonus... handling also.

The brembo application is available for the F30, I'm sure. For stock calipers, the pad shape is probably the same as the e90.

EBC says their Ultimax slotted rotors and red stuff pads will work. Can anyone confirm this one way or the other?

Originally Posted by 2012-335i

EBC says their Ultimax slotted rotors and red stuff pads will work. Can anyone confirm this one way or the other?

I don't know about the rotors but I have the Red Stuff pads on my Jag. I wouldn't recommend them. They appear to be a harder pad (more for racing) and it takes more pedal effort to stop. They also really suck in the cold as the first couple of stops are like stopping a bus. On the track, they are great and that seems to be what they were designed for. I would recommend the Green Stuff pads as I had them on my e46 (with cross drilled rotors) and thought they were great.

Originally Posted by 2012-335i

I have a new 2012 BMW 335i. I'm looking for better braking performance. Can i replace my stock rotors with after market slotted ones and replacement performance pads or will that break something ? like regenerative braking, or something else?

Unless ur doing heavy tracking on the car just keep the current set up. Slotted/ drilled will not make a noticeable difference. If heavy tracking will be done and u have the extra $ buy a brembo big brake kit

Follow-Up: I tried to upgrade to the EBC Ultimax Slotted Rotors.
EBC Part numbers: USR1512 Front, USR1361 Rear.

It was a FAIL. They slotted rotors do not fit a 2012 BMW 335i Sport. They are too big by several mm. Enough that the second caliper bolt doesn't fit. Had to return them. Doesn't look like anyone has upgrade parts for the newest of 335i's out yet I guess.

Just got some new pads in today. Pagid Yellow RS29 for the fronts, and RS19 for the rears. I have a big brake kit in front not because I enjoyed parting with $4000 of my hard earned money, but because cars with this much horsepower and weight destroy factory rotors. That includes the 335i, boys. 328i should be fine.

If not for the BBK, the front pad would be the same size as the rear, pictured top next to a credit card size ID.

BMW Performance offers a BBK for the car http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/acc...lications.html

Costly no doubt but it will get the job done.

Also try contacting CarboTech for pads. I haven't spoken with them about this application but have their pads on my Evo (both street and track pads) and am thrilled with them. If you send them a set of OEM pads they will replace the friction material with their friction material. According to RealOEM the part number for the stock 335i pads is the same as for the 328i (part No 34116859066). Unfortunately it doesn't look like that pad is used on any other BMW application.

In the interim consider removing the backing plates/dust shields from behind the rotor (wrapping any exposed electrical or rubber bits in gold heat reflective tape to prevent heat damage) and swapping out the brake fluid for something like Motul 660 or Castrol SRF. The combination of these two changes will give your car a little more heat tolerance and will be an ok band-aid until you install a real track brake solution.

Please note that installing better tires will exacerbate any brake over-heating issues on the track. While it is a good suggestion, and one which I enthusiastically support, just be aware that the better tires will place more load on the brakes, causing them to fade sooner.

Originally Posted by White05X3

BMW Performance offers a BBK for the car http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/acc...lications.html

Costly no doubt but it will get the job done.

Also try contacting CarboTech for pads. I haven't spoken with them about this application but have their pads on my Evo (both street and track pads) and am thrilled with them. If you send them a set of OEM pads they will replace the friction material with their friction material. According to RealOEM the part number for the stock 335i pads is the same as for the 328i (part No 34116859066). Unfortunately it doesn't look like that pad is used on any other BMW application.

In the interim consider removing the backing plates/dust shields from behind the rotor (wrapping any exposed electrical or rubber bits in gold heat reflective tape to prevent heat damage) and swapping out the brake fluid for something like Motul 660 or Castrol SRF. The combination of these two changes will give your car a little more heat tolerance and will be an ok band-aid until you install a real track brake solution.

Please note that installing better tires will exacerbate any brake over-heating issues on the track. While it is a good suggestion, and one which I enthusiastically support, just be aware that the better tires will place more load on the brakes, causing them to fade sooner.

I was going to say stickier tires first - get rid of the runflat and the low rolling resistance. On my 325i sport package I went with 225 width all around; it fits on the rear rim just fine. Unless you are braking traction you don't need a 255 in back. A 328i shouldn't overpower its brakes with just sticky street tires. It'll mostly be driver skill pushing it to that point. See below.

Then Motul RBF600 fluid. Some people also wear by stainless steel lines. If I were doing this I'd just do the fronts in SS lines. You should really do pads with fluid; if you're not needing pads then you're not getting the brakes hot enough to need new fluid.

I wouldn't change the pads unless you are going to a full race pad. The Pagid Yellows I just put on my S4 are awesome. A performance street pad will wear out in 5000 miles but theoretically performs better. It's a bad idea overall; stick with OEM.

I don't think there's a lot to be gained by removing the dust shield. For the most part it just prevents a rock from getting kicked up into your caliper. Almost all racecars that also see street duty leave them on.