E85 Z4 Brakes
E85 Z4 Brakes
For some strange reason BMW seem to want to fit desperately crap brakes to all their cars and this is most evident on the E85 Z4. Take any BMW car out on circuit and within 2 laps we guarantee you that your brakes will be cooked and that includes the E46 CSL.....why do you think you rarely see E85 Z4 on circuit?
Its important to realise however that brakes (and their relative performance) are subject to different driving styles, what may work for one person maybe overkill or not enough for another. Its best to contact us and discuss your requirements before making any decisons. Brake upgrades come under three different areas - pad upgrades, ancillary upgrades (hoses, fluid) and full system upgrades (calipers, disks etc).
Brake upgrades (regardless of model) come under three categories: road, road and track and regular track/race.
Thorney Motorsport E85 Z4 Brake Upgrades - Pads
Normally a simple pad change is sufficient to make a dramatic improvement in braking performance on the road. We tend to recommend the Pagid range for the more extreme end of road performance or Ferodo or Mintex for more user friendly options. All will improve performance dramatically. For the E85 Z4 we recommend the Pagid RS421 as a good fast road pad whch can still perform well on track. It is still a road pad so doesn't suffer from brake squeal when hot and doesn't need any warming up to reach full operational level.
Pagid RS421 Pads - Front £163 supplied £240 fitted
Pagid RS421 Pads - Rear £153 supplied £225 fitted
For more track orientated work we recommend the Pagid RS29 (which can be upgraded on the AP brake kits)
Pagid RS29 Pads - Front £205 supplied £280 fitted
Pagid RS29 Pads - Rear £170 supplied £250 fitted
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We can also supply and fit brake pads from all the major suppliers from MIntex to PFC, give us a call with any requirements you might have.
Thorney Motorsport BMW E85 Z4 Brake Upgrades - Hoses/Fluid
Changing brake fluid to a decent 5.1 rating (we only use AP Racing fluid) and fitting braided hoses also improves performance with limited downsides. The M3 is a relatively heavy car (even in CSL form) and it is likely that you'll suffer some form of brake fade on the road. Changing the fluid to a decent quality Dot 5.1 or ideally a Dot 4 level will resist boiling fluid, and moving to a good quality Goodridge braided hose allows less deformation in the line, improving brake feel.
Goodridge Braided Hoses - Front £35 supplied £ 200 fitted
Goodridge Braided hoses - Rear £25 supplied £ 195 fitted
AP Racing Dot 5.1 fluid - £11.00
AP PRF Racing Dot 4 racing fluid - £30
Changing hoses and fluid is not about increasing braking power its about improving feel and control - beneficial for both road and track.
Thorney Motorsport BMW E85 Z4 Brake Upgrades - Brake Kits
Driving cars on track is normally the fastest way to show up poor brakes and with most of the BMW range the weight of the vehicle means that regular track work needs more than just pads and fluid.
We're pretty consistent in our brake kit recommendation - AP Racing. We've worked exclusively with AP in the past to develop brake kits and the fact is they know their business better than anyone. For this reason we tend to recommend their brake kits for the entire range of BMWs we tune. As with all brake upgrades pad choice, rear kits and choice of set up is crucial so again its best to contact us directly and we can go thorugh the options.
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Cast 6 pot calipers, ali belled, 365mm grooved disk, braided hoses and Dot 5.1 AP fluid.
AP Racing Brake kit (front) - £1999 supplied £2250 fitted
AP Racing Brake kit (rear) - £720 supplied £875 fitted (plus £360 for rear AP Racing uprated grooved disk)
We've fitted these to numerous cars all with great effect, AP is quickly becoming the only brake kit to consider for performance BMWs. There are various upgrades to these kits ranging from Pagid RS19 pads all round to upgraded AP disks on the back to complement the front kits, call for the various options.
Brake Upgrades - Track/Race
Racing application is a complete different kettle of fish and normally means the car is a lot less useful on the road. The top spec AP Racing front and rear kits with upgraded Pagid RS19 pads, Dot 4 PRF racing fluid and braided hoses should cope quite well with racing but it does depend on the type of racing, the application and style. We can work with you for any of your requirements for racing set ups, best to give us a call.
ALL PRICES INCLUDE VAT AND FITTING WHERE INDICATED
