[Chromey]

Since I added meth and the car seems the fastest it's ever been, I was thinking a BBK for safety make sense but then I'm not sure how much a difference it will make compared to stock. I'm not tracking so fade is not my issue just stopping distance and grab... Those who have upgraded please let me know . It just seems like a ton of money so I hope the results are crazy good.

[Antetokounmpo]

The stock 335i brakes are pretty dang good, they're designed to stop from autobahn speeds after all. That being said, after two or three hard stops, they fade easily, so since you're not tracking, you wouldn't see enough benefit to justify the cost. I'd bet from 60mph the BBK would only reduce stopping distance 2 or 3 feet at the most. IIRC, the stock 335 stops from 60 in 109 feet which is very good. It's very tire dependent too.

[techwhiz]

No real need, but it looks good.
I did the BBK upgrade on my car. Nothing like a pizza sized rotor in a 19" wheel.

[blackhawkk22]

I have 0 experience with tuning BMWs, but ideally you should upgrade from the bottom up. Tires, Brakes, exhaust, then intake and all that stuff. Before you go fast you gotta make sure you can stop. However, the 335 brakes are really good and I would say unless you're going very high speeds on a regular basis, you wouldn't see the benefit of BBK. But who knows, maybe getting a BBK will make you want to track it

[drewnel22]

BBK doesn't make a difference in stopping distance. They do however can provide a much better pedal feel and increase fade resistance. Tires are what will affect your stopping distance.

[Volasko]

Agreed, I think when it comes to the stock brakes they are designed to be more than powerful enough that the tire grip is the limiting factor in how short your stops are. A bbk is great for a track as it can take more abuse before over heating but unless you are running racing slicks, the stock brakes are strong enough to lock up your tires.

[Chromey]

Awesome thanks guys , exactly what I was thinking ... Does look good though lol.

[Blindside_137]

When it came time to replace my brakes, I might consider the BBK if I wanted one and could afford one.

[galahad05]

Originally Posted by drewnel22

BBK doesn't make a difference in stopping distance. They do however can provide a much better pedal feel and increase fade resistance. Tires are what will affect your stopping distance.

Quoted for emphasis.

THIS. Generally speaking, of course--if you're coming from tiny underpowered roters/pads from some budget car, then bigger brakes will help, but if the stock setup is already well-sized to your car, then not at all.

[hassmaschine]

the main advantage of a BBK is increased thermal capacity. If you're not tracking the car, there's no point IMO - the only sure thing is your wallet will be lighter, and your stopping distances will be the same. If you're experiencing brake fade on the street, either you don't know how to use your brakes properly, or you should be in jail for reckless driving.

all things equal, the only thing that really changes stopping distance is the tires.

[derryck]

I'm not saying they're worth $7-8k but I noticed a pretty significant improvement with a BBK kit with 6 Pistons up front.

[MrZ]

Originally Posted by drewnel22

BBK doesn't make a difference in stopping distance. They do however can provide a much better pedal feel and increase fade resistance. Tires are what will affect your stopping distance.

+1

[feuer]

Originally Posted by Heel Toe

It's very tire dependent too.

Originally Posted by drewnel22

Tires are what will affect your stopping distance.

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

all things equal, the only thing that really changes stopping distance is the tires.

+1 on tire but how about suspension primarily springs and dampers?
Which combination will yield better braking?
1)good tires with worn out suspension
2)worn out tires with good suspension
Variant 2 anyone?

Originally Posted by blackhawkk22

the 335 brakes are really good

No, they are diffidently not really good in stock form. Mediocre at the best.
Only with upgraded pads and caliper guide bushings the brakes can cope with the car HP and weight.

Originally Posted by galahad05

stock setup is already well-sized to your car, then not at all.

335i brakes could have been tad bigger. I will not compare it with other make and modes but with another BMW from the 90's. The Euro e36 M3 with 321hp (similar output to n54) came with identically sized front brakes and that car was about 200lbs lighter!

[drewnel22]

Originally Posted by feuer

+1 on tire but how about suspension primarily springs and dampers?
Which combination will yield better braking?
1)good tires with worn out suspension
2)worn out tires with good suspension
Variant 2 anyone?


No, they are diffidently not really good in stock form. Mediocre at the best.
Only with upgraded pads and caliper guide bushings the brakes can cope with the car HP and weight.


335i brakes could have been tad bigger. I will not compare it with other make and modes but with another BMW from the 90's. The Euro e36 M3 with 321hp (similar output to n54) came with identically sized front brakes and that car was about 200lbs lighter!

They don't need to be any bigger. They do fine in stock form. And having better tires makes a much bigger difference than suspension does.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by drewnel22

They don't need to be any bigger. They do fine in stock form. And having better tires makes a much bigger difference than suspension does.

Suspension geometry is designed to keep as much of the tire in contact with the road as possible.
The shocks/struts are allowing your brakes and tires to work as designed.
Worn shocks or struts can cause the wheels to bounce under braking and will engage the ABS system prematurely resulting in longer stopping distances.

But you are the expert not me

[hassmaschine]

so you're saying if your suspension is worn out, you should get a BBK to fix your stopping distance?

[feuer]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

so you're saying if your suspension is worn out, you should get a BBK to fix your stopping distance?

...just the opposite, if I need to choose between tires ans struts/shocks I would go with the later, but hey, if you can afford it nothing wrong with getting BBK while at it.

[hassmaschine]

I know you weren't, I was being facetious.

One possible advantage of a BBK that hasn't been mentioned is reduced weight, depending on components of course. The stock cast iron calipers are freaking heavy - even if you get larger/thicker rotors, that can be more than offset by significantly lighter calipers. Reduced unsprung weight is a good thing!

also, I haven't looked into E90s much yet, but sometimes race pads specific to your brand/model of car can be really expensive, but the same pad for a BBK that uses a common rotor/caliper can be way cheaper (and even easier to source). That can factory into the cost of consumables if you're doing a lot of tracking.

[feuer]

+1 on weight saving with bbk

[vasillalov]

A properly designed BBK has a lot of advantages:

1. Lower weight
2. Better heat management
3. Much easier to service: You don't need to take the calipers out to swap pads
4. Better lines
5. Consistency
6. Improved brake bias
7. Improved pedal feel: that's subjective from person to person
8. Looks.
9. Progressive braking

In other words: I love my Stoptech!

[feuer]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

In other words: I love my Stoptech!

We all would, they are great!

[Cloud9blue]

Upgrade your suspension before spending money on the brake. Stock brakes are more than enough for street use, even if you are pushing +500whp. But with stock suspension setup, there is no way you can utilize all that new power effectively and safely.