Re: E36 Big Brake Kits (long)

["Greg Koenig" <gregk@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Well, we finally got the 95 M3 for a track car, now we are working on
>getting it prepped for the upcoming season of events.  One of the mods we
>are going to do is a big brake kit.
<<clipped>>

>Please realize that this car is to be shared between two drivers (my pops
>and me) and as such we feel that the added security of these brakes on a
>car that is driven twice as hard as our last individual cars is worth the
>cost.

Brad,
This is a very good reason to get a big brake kit for the E36 M3.  The
binders on the M3 stop the car VERY well (look at the back of Road and Trac=
k
and notice the Dinan M3 that only has larger tires and suspension mods is
the best 70-0 car in the world!).  However, they do have one major fault,
they do not dissipate heat very well.  They stop just fine with proper pads
and stock ducting for a good driving school session, but if your going to b=
e
using the car for back to back sessions, a big brake kit makes a VERY good
idea.

<My personal vote for the Porsche/Turner/SteveD kit follows, if you don't
want to read it, skip down>

Anyhow, when it comes to big brake kits, the Porsche kit from Turner/SteveD
is the hands down winner.  For a couple of hundred dollars more, you get
calipers held together with heavier duty bolts, much higher quality cross
cased rotors (compared to cross drilled rotors), better dust caps for the
pistons and higher quality stainless steel brake lines.
Since the SteveD/Turner kit uses Porsche stuff, getting pads and rotors is
easy since every Porsche dealer and mail order house can get them for you.
Also, since these brakes are found on a high performance production car (th=
e
993TT), you have a selection of high performance pads for everything from
dustless Metal Masters to high performance Pagid Oranges (and I think Will
is going to have his Cool Willy pads made for the Porsche also).  With
Brembo, your forced to buy the rotors directly through them or there
retailers and you don't have the choice of pads from different
manufacturers.
Also, track junkys will appreciate exactly how easy it is to do a pad and
rotor change with the SteveD/Turner kit.  Once you get the wheels off, it i=
s
a 1 minute job to get the pads changed, and it only requires a good set of
pliers and perhaps a long screwdriver to push the pistons back.  I found ou=
t
that Porsche Motorsports even sells a tool for doing rapid Le Mans style pa=
d
changes (this big aluminum tool for pushing the pistons back in about 10
seconds that any Le Mans junky saw used this year on the GT1).
As far as support goes, I have been a pain in the ass for Steve D and Will
Turner, but they have ALWAYS been there for me (even thought most of the
=B3problems=B2 I had were my own fault) and have been willing to help me the
entire way through.  EVERYTHING about this kit is first class, and they
truly are the Ultimate Big Brake Kit for the street or track!

Greg Koenig
Der Dinanstein Pilot
San Francisco Street Terror

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