[uberschnell]

My goal was to upgrade my 335 front brakes for combined track/street use. As I have 17” track wheels a BBK would not work.

I replaced the stock rotors with DBA slotted 4000 series rotors. Fitment was perfect and quality was on par with oem.

I drove with these rotors and stock pads for 2 weeks. There was no discernable improvement in braking with this configuration.

I replaced the front pads with Axxis Ultimate pads. These are their performance series pads. Fitment was perfect. I was happy to find that the pads also provide provisions for the brake-wear sensors.

I used the Zeckhausen brake bed in method (8 60 to 10mph stops). There was no brake fade experienced during the bed in procedure. The next day I noticed an improvement in brake performance over stock. Over the next week the brakes continued to bed in and improve. By the end of the week I felt braking improved by about 10 to 15% over stock. Initial bite was improved, but not overly aggressive. Stopping power was linear with brake input. Full brake pressure stopped the car faster then stock pads.

Track
I drove Thunderhill with this set up. Thunderhill is a big, fast track. Per S4to335:

“Yes, there are four places where you go over 100...

1) Between T15 and T1 (hit about 126)
2) Between T8 and T9 (about 106
3) Between T9 and T10 (about 110)
4) Between T13 and T14 (about 110)”

I ran 8 20 minute sessions. I did not experience any brake fade whatsoever. The brakes performed flawlessly time and again.

Noise
The pads are about as quite as the oem pads. They did make a little noise after the end of the runs, but they where definitely hot by then. In day to day they are quite.

Dust
Don’t expect any improvement here. They dust about as bad as stock.

Overall I am very happy with this set up. Definite improvement at an affordable price.

I wanted to thank Ron at **********s. He was very helpful in getting these pads to me in great time. Call him if you are interested in trying out a set.

[Orb]

Originally Posted by Magna3

My goal was to upgrade my 335 front brakes for combined track/street use. As I have 17” track wheels a BBK would not work.

I replaced the stock rotors with DBA slotted 4000 series rotors. Fitment was perfect and quality was on par with oem.

I drove with these rotors and stock pads for 2 weeks. There was no discernable improvement in braking with this configuration.

I replaced the front pads with Axxis Ultimate pads. These are their performance series pads. Fitment was perfect. I was happy to find that the pads also provide provisions for the brake-wear sensors.

I used the Zeckhausen brake bed in method (8 60 to 10mph stops). There was no brake fade experienced during the bed in procedure. The next day I noticed an improvement in brake performance over stock. Over the next week the brakes continued to bed in and improve. By the end of the week I felt braking improved by about 10 to 15% over stock. Initial bite was improved, but not overly aggressive. Stopping power was linear with brake input. Full brake pressure stopped the car faster then stock pads.

Track
I drove Thunderhill with this set up. Thunderhill is a big, fast track. Per S4to335:

“Yes, there are four places where you go over 100...

1) Between T15 and T1 (hit about 126)
2) Between T8 and T9 (about 106
3) Between T9 and T10 (about 110)
4) Between T13 and T14 (about 110)”

I ran 8 20 minute sessions. I did not experience any brake fade whatsoever. The brakes performed flawlessly time and again.

Noise
The pads are about as quite as the oem pads. They did make a little noise after the end of the runs, but they where definitely hot by then. In day to day they are quite.

Dust
Don’t expect any improvement here. They dust about as bad as stock.

Overall I am very happy with this set up. Definite improvement at an affordable price.

I wanted to thank Ron at **********s. He was very helpful in getting these pads to me in great time. Call him if you are interested in trying out a set.

Nice review! I have been debating about the 5000 series for the front. At least the paint of the hubs will not rust which you might not get down south.

It doesn't sound like the Axxis front pads made any real difference in the biasing from front to rear. In fact, it sounds like a improvement with the same modulation.

BTW, how is the car as package on the track now?

Orb

[leftcoastman]

How much were those rotors?

FWIW - when I ran Porterfield R4 pads up front and stockers in the rear, I got some serious rear end wagging under 10/10ths braking. Those R4 pads were so aggressive that the biasing went to all hell.

But damn, I could dive bomb those pesky Z06s like none other.

[Orb]

Originally Posted by leftcoastman

How much were those rotors?

FWIW - when I ran Porterfield R4 pads up front and stockers in the rear, I got some serious rear end wagging under 10/10ths braking. Those R4 pads were so aggressive that the biasing went to all hell.

But damn, I could dive bomb those pesky Z06s like none other.

I working with one of the vendor to help get that Porterfield full brake PAD tempelate for sensor ect done for front and rear at the engineering documentatiuon level. I want the R4S so let hope the rear get done ASAP.

Orb

[uberschnell]

The rotors are actually very reasonable. Contact edzilla re price, but I got them for sub $350 out the door (tax and ship).

The improvement is not so great that it shifted the bias, you get the same great balance. The big benefit was in the lack of fade and constant bite, even after repeated late breaking abuse. A very confidence inspiring set up for both street and track.

[ToddPhilly]

Did you find that brake compound build-up on the rotor was a problem?

I just got back from a weekend at VIR, and I had REALLY BAD brake issues. Fade was terrible. After about 15 minutes of hot laps, my brake pedal was going to the floor and the car was taking just about all of the braking zone to get down to a reasonable entry speed for the upcoming turns. Keep in mind end of front straight i'm hitting speeds of around 130mph and braking down to about 40mph for the entry of an initially sharp increasing radius turn. End of back straight hitting close to 135-140 then down to about 75. Fade was much worse at end of front straight.

Looking at the rotors, I see what appears to be A LOT of pad compound that has built up on the rotor. I think it's causing the brakes to grind when stopping. There's plenty of pad material left, but the brakes are feeling terrible now and making a lot of noise and vibration. Tech shop recommended I get brake cleaner and scrub the rotors.

FYI: Hawk is supposedly making a HP Plus compound pad for the 335i, but no word on when it will be available.

[leftcoastman]

Originally Posted by ToddPhilly

Did you find that brake compound build-up on the rotor was a problem?

I just got back from a weekend at VIR, and I had REALLY BAD brake issues. Fade was terrible. After about 15 minutes of hot laps, my brake pedal was going to the floor and the car was taking just about all of the braking zone to get down to a reasonable entry speed for the upcoming turns. Keep in mind end of front straight i'm hitting speeds of around 130mph and braking down to about 40mph for the entry of an initially sharp increasing radius turn. End of back straight hitting close to 135-140 then down to about 75. Fade was much worse at end of front straight.

Looking at the rotors, I see what appears to be A LOT of pad compound that has built up on the rotor. I think it's causing the brakes to grind when stopping. There's plenty of pad material left, but the brakes are feeling terrible now and making a lot of noise and vibration. Tech shop recommended I get brake cleaner and scrub the rotors.

FYI: Hawk is supposedly making a HP Plus compound pad for the 335i, but no word on when it will be available.

If your pedal is going to the floor, it's the fluid that's boiling. Changing pads won't help you there.

My issue with stock pads is that the pedal is nice and firm, it's just the pads heatup so much that they don't bite much anymore after 15mins.

I literally bleed after every two sessions.

[uberschnell]

yeah, that sounds like something more then pads. On stock I would sense some fade, but never as bad as you describe. I'm still using the BMW dot 4 fluid, but I flush it after each event.

[itsbrokeagain]

ATe Superblue fluid is awesome..I use it in my car, but I havent had the chance to track it yet.

[leftcoastman]

Originally Posted by Magna3

yeah, that sounds like something more then pads. On stock I would sense some fade, but never as bad as you describe. I'm still using the BMW dot 4 fluid, but I flush it after each event.

Full flush?

Or just bleed?

[ToddPhilly]

Originally Posted by leftcoastman

If your pedal is going to the floor, it's the fluid that's boiling. Changing pads won't help you there.

My issue with stock pads is that the pedal is nice and firm, it's just the pads heatup so much that they don't bite much anymore after 15mins.

I literally bleed after every two sessions.

That's what I figured. I had the brakes flushed 3 days before the event. The shop recommended I stay with standard bmw fluid rather than superblue. He said the superblue stains the brake reservoir and he didn't want BMW to give me any warranty issues for using non-OEM brake fluid.

BTW, found out that my pads are all in good shape. However, there are now grooves in my rotors and they make a terrible grinding noise when stopping. Going to post a separate topic on the forum about that...

[uberschnell]

Light flush/heavy bleed. I'll run 24oz total of dot 4 fluid through the system from all 4 brakes. I use the Motive power bleeder. Works great.

http://www.motiveproducts.com/02bleeders.html

might be overkill but it's easy.

[S4to335]

Originally Posted by leftcoastman

I literally bleed after every two sessions.

wow..really?

I use to bleed brakes on my race car...every other race. I bled my brakes once since installing the Alcon's on my 335..with the RBF600 fluid.

[S4to335]

Originally Posted by itsbrokeagain

ATe Superblue fluid is awesome..I use it in my car, but I havent had the chance to track it yet.

I had issues with Super blue on two of my past audis..where it degraded the diaphrams on my brake slave cylinder. I have stayed away from superblue ATE ever since. My favorite is Motul RBF600

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by S4to335

I had issues with Super blue on two of my past audis..where it degraded the diaphrams on my brake slave cylinder. I have stayed away from superblue ATE ever since. My favorite is Motul RBF600

Use the same brake fluid here, but flush just before each track event.

[M3to335]

Originally Posted by ToddPhilly

Did you find that brake compound build-up on the rotor was a problem?

I just got back from a weekend at VIR, and I had REALLY BAD brake issues. Fade was terrible. After about 15 minutes of hot laps, my brake pedal was going to the floor and the car was taking just about all of the braking zone to get down to a reasonable entry speed for the upcoming turns. Keep in mind end of front straight i'm hitting speeds of around 130mph and braking down to about 40mph for the entry of an initially sharp increasing radius turn. End of back straight hitting close to 135-140 then down to about 75. Fade was much worse at end of front straight.

Looking at the rotors, I see what appears to be A LOT of pad compound that has built up on the rotor. I think it's causing the brakes to grind when stopping. There's plenty of pad material left, but the brakes are feeling terrible now and making a lot of noise and vibration. Tech shop recommended I get brake cleaner and scrub the rotors.

FYI: Hawk is supposedly making a HP Plus compound pad for the 335i, but no word on when it will be available.

Todd, whens the next time your heading to VIR? Have you seen me out there before? I havent seen you.

So, were you running stock pads on Full course? Ive run 3 or 4 events there with 0 issues with the stock pads. Both Full course and North in varying classes. I've run the same stock pads since day one. On both straights Im hitting 145+ with my setup and braking hard (almost into ABS) without any issues to report. Shoot, I did 6 back to back sessions in one day with the Porsche guys without a problem.

I want a new setup, but at the same time, dont fix it if it aint broken

[flukey]

wow nice review! i've been waiting for something like this.

THANK YOU

[ToddPhilly]

Originally Posted by M3to335

Todd, whens the next time your heading to VIR? Have you seen me out there before? I havent seen you.

So, were you running stock pads on Full course? Ive run 3 or 4 events there with 0 issues with the stock pads. Both Full course and North in varying classes. I've run the same stock pads since day one. On both straights Im hitting 145+ with my setup and braking hard (almost into ABS) without any issues to report. Shoot, I did 6 back to back sessions in one day with the Porsche guys without a problem.

I want a new setup, but at the same time, dont fix it if it aint broken

I probably won't get back down to VIR until next spring It's about an 8 hour drive for me, so more than once a year is a bit rough. What a fantastic course though! I just wish it were closer.

We ran the full course. What I found was that after about 15-20 min into my session, brakes started to fade really bad. In fact, I thought I was toast at one point coming over the crest at the top of the back straight. 2 cars in front of me went over the crest and broke EXTREMLY early. I came over the crest and wasn't expecting them to have slowed down so much. Luckly, the brakes had just enough in them to stop me safely.

I was hitting about 140 at the end of the back straight and around 130 (i think) at the end of the front. I'm sure you are hitting higher speeds than me if you're running procede. At no point did I have confidence in my car's ability to stop at that speed. This may be because I did my last 2 events in my father-in-law's full track prep 911 C4S. The brakes on that car are simply amazing, and I never questioned them. I just didn't feel that with my car.

In either case, the worst part was after the event when I started to drive home. The brakes were grinding like no other. It felt like my pads were completely gone and the plates were grinding into the rotors. I knew this wasn't the case because I checked pads when I took my track wheels off for the drive home. After driving the car for 2 months, the grinding went away. My mechanic said I most likely developed grooves in the rotors and it was just a matter of time until I wore them smooth again.

That was my 1st event in the stock 335 (minus the track wheels/tires). When I look at how much a 3-day track weekend cost me, I just can't see going back out on stock brakes. If simple pads and SS brake lines improve the braking to a point where I'm happy (and more comfortable), then I can't afford not to do it.

[fast_lap28]

I plan on upgrading the pads, lines and fluid for my track events (RA coming up in July)...

1. What is a highly tested and recommended street/track pad?
2. Where can I get a hold of decent SS lines? (goodrich, stoptech)
3. Is Motul RBF600 as stated the better of fluids out there for street/track?