M5 M6 brakes on Z4 --conversion?
- Thread starter Valor1
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Nictrix said:
Sorry, but that make no sense. Sdrive 35i Z4 rear brakes are 324 mm whereas M5/M6 brakes are 394 mm, nearly 20 percent larger and feature an aluminum bell. Braking is largely about leverage. Bigger disc yields greater braking leverage. Larger disc also absorbs more heat. The aluminum bell helps offset weight of a larger disc. Front discs are 399 mm whereas Z4 discs are on the 35i are 348 mm, 13 percent larger.....and six piston aluminum calipers. These brakes stop the 4300 pound M5 in the same distance as a Z4 that weighs nearly 1,000 pounds less. Just imagine the braking capability of these brakes on a Z4.
In addition, the reviews I've read show brake fade an issue on the Z4 and I have experienced this as well when running hard through canyons. I doubt there would be any fade with the M5/M6 brakes on a Z4.
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Sorry I thought you were talking about doing this from an aesthetic point of view and changing the calipers for better looking ones.
There are lots of options for the fronts but not a lot for the rears thats why I was saying there was no need to touch the rears if it was just for looks.
There are lots of options for the fronts but not a lot for the rears thats why I was saying there was no need to touch the rears if it was just for looks.
Smartbear said:
I don't think braking force applied once is the main issue, but its all about stamina. Braking full on repeatedly every 400 yards on a track for an hour for example. Or going down a steep alpine pass at ridiculous speeds :wink:
But as long as I've not once read about rotor hat offset or caliper offset, I give this very very little chance of success :roll:
The rear M5 caliper is still a clunky steel single piston one though I think :?
GuidoK said:
Agreed on the suitability for track use, for the road though i think it’s 90% cosmetic and you just wouldn’t be able to realise any potential benefit.
Probably better to just change the fluid more often and fit some high performance pads?
Rob
It all depends on how you drive on the road. :rofl:
I mean on the autobahn speeds in excess of 170mph aren't strange. Having to brake really hard from those speeds also puts some real heat into your brakes. Same goes for that steep mountain pass if you do that at high speed.
I mean on the autobahn speeds in excess of 170mph aren't strange. Having to brake really hard from those speeds also puts some real heat into your brakes. Same goes for that steep mountain pass if you do that at high speed.
GuidoK said:
In the process of setting the car up for 500 bhp. I've done BBK upgrades to two of my Ferraris, cars that already had four wheel, four piston Brembo brakes, and I can tell you as a matter of fact the bigger brakes make a dramatic difference and on my Z8 going from floater calipers to fixed Brembos was an even greater improvement, in braking and in brake feel.
It's unfortunate BMW cheaped out with the set up on these cars. Too bad BMW did not put fixed aluminum four or six piston calipers on these cars from the beginning. These brakes did not help the negative reviews of the E89.
SteveSmith
Active member
Smartbear said:
100% correct Rob, aesthetics
SteveSmith
Active member
I doubt it
I did sell a set of M5/M6 brake calipers to a chap in Belgium where he put them to use on a 1 series track car. To make them fit a set of adaptor brackets had to be made and I believe he also fitted a larger master cylinder although I don't know where that was sourced from I'm afraid.
If it's of any interest, I did fit the front calipers from an M4 to my car in conjunction with 370mm discs (repainted silver because I'm not a fan of the blue or liberal application of M logo's). Of course, they not going to be as strong as the M5 calipers but they are lighter and can be retrofitted using purely OE parts without any custom fabrication which was the big attraction for me as it means easy maintenance going forward.
Over the standard setup they are a big improvement, the brakes feel much stronger and offer far better pedal feel, very similar to Porsche's sports cars. I've not driven it hard enough yet to encounter any fading.
This was the thread I did on them;
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=110562
If it's of any interest, I did fit the front calipers from an M4 to my car in conjunction with 370mm discs (repainted silver because I'm not a fan of the blue or liberal application of M logo's). Of course, they not going to be as strong as the M5 calipers but they are lighter and can be retrofitted using purely OE parts without any custom fabrication which was the big attraction for me as it means easy maintenance going forward.
Over the standard setup they are a big improvement, the brakes feel much stronger and offer far better pedal feel, very similar to Porsche's sports cars. I've not driven it hard enough yet to encounter any fading.
This was the thread I did on them;
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=110562
tintoverano
Active member
hi, what brand did you use for the repaint? cheersPlayer 1 said:
