EBC discs and pads

[Pondy]

Hello,

As my recently purchased N20 has issues with corrosion around the wheels and brakes, I thought while I am refurbing the wheels, hubs, calipers and changing the stud bolts I may as well change the discs and pads aswell.

As I am planning on having the standard 156bhp remapped shortly to circa 260bhp, I think it prudent to "upgrade" the brakes.

I have been looking online at the many options available and come up with EBC new grooved (front) discs and Greenstuff pads all around. My thinking is this is a braking performance increase without going too far or too costly. £420 for all four corners from EBC direct.

I'm not going to up the size of the front discs, as this will mean new calipers and increase costs too much.

My question is: does the above sound like a good idea?
I only picked EBC because I know of them and the costs seem (fairly) reasonable.

 

[Busterboo]

Are EBC one of BMW's Original Equipment Manufacturers?

If they are, fine and well. If they're not, find out who are.

 

[enuff_zed]

Upgrading brakes is never a bad idea, especially if they need changing anyway.
You will see many people on the forum talking about bigger brakes and if nothing else they do look good under the alloys.
However, I had my N20-engined E89 remapped a few months back, and before all the lockdown malarkey started I was able to give it a few stern tests. I have to say that the standard brakes never once felt as though they were struggling.
So I think you'll find the simple upgrade you are planning will be more than adequate.
I have no experience of the grooved EBC discs, and I am aware that technology as advanced somewhat, but my only experience with grooved Tarox discs on my old 2.8i Capri showed them to make a bit more noise. No squeals, but a kind of loud hum.

 

[Pondy]

Are EBC one of BMW's Original Equipment Manufacturers?

If they are, fine and well. If they're not, find out who are.

Why does that matter, as long as they fit? The car isn't under warranty anymore.

 

[brillomaster]

EBC wouldnt be a BMW OEM supplier, that'll most likely be Pagid or ATE. maybe Brembo.

but that said, EBC would still be fine. though at 260bhp i'd perhaps up the spec of the pads to Redstuff pads.

personally, i wouldnt bother with grooved discs over standard ones. for road use, the grooves are likely to be purely cosmetic, the disc itself may be weaker than a non drilled/grooved one.

 

[john-e89]

Really you won’t get any increase in performance from those discs Pondrew, pads possibly. Tbh I find all these grooved and dimpled discs a bit of a boy racer fad, the grooves soon clog up with dust, same for dimples, and in reality they don’t offer any increased performance over standard discs, I guess you could argue the grooves let some hot gas escape when pushing on but to get to that stage you’re being a nutter, and as I say they fill with dust very quickly from making a very very light clean of the pad when the groove edge passes the pad but you don’t notice any difference to stock. You need to increase disc size or pad contact patch for any real benefit which is from multipot calipers. Change the fluid, make sure the hoses are in good nick, fit stock discs, green pads and avoid the rather silly ‘Becuase race car’ pretend look with standard calipers, which are pretty small on your car. I’ve got grooved and dimpled discs on my 35i with M4 calipers and I feel a right tit tbh, they came with the car, I’m swapping them out for plain discs or fully through drilled for some track use so the gasses escape properly as soon as I get around to it.

Just imho obvs, each to their own and I’ll no doubt get a kicking for this but maybe have a think how grooved or dimpled will look on standard calipers...along with no performance benefit....

 

[Smartbear]

The standard car can reach around 150mph and bmw have given it brakes that are capable of slowing it down from that speed very quickly, unless you’re planning on exceeding that speed or taking to the track the original brakes should be more than up to the task imho.
Rob

 

[enuff_zed]

Really you won’t get any increase in performance from those discs Pondrew, pads possibly. Tbh I find all these grooved and dimpled discs a bit of a boy racer fad, the grooves soon clog up with dust, same for dimples, and in reality they don’t offer any increased performance over standard discs, I guess you could argue the grooves let some hot gas escape when pushing on but to get to that stage you’re being a nutter, and as I say they fill with dust very quickly from making a very very light clean of the pad when the groove edge passes the pad but you don’t notice any difference to stock. You need to increase disc size or pad contact patch for any real benefit which is from multipot calipers. Change the fluid, make sure the hoses are in good nick, fit stock discs, green pads and avoid the rather silly ‘Becuase race car’ pretend look with standard calipers, which are pretty small on your car. I’ve got grooved and dimpled discs on my 35i with M4 calipers and I feel a right tit tbh, they came with the car, I’m swapping them out for plain discs or fully through drilled for some track use so the gasses escape properly as soon as I get around to it.

Just imho obvs, each to their own and I’ll no doubt get a kicking for this but maybe have a think how grooved or dimpled will look on standard calipers...along with no performance benefit....

All of which basically echoes my findings too.

All I would be interested in is replacement pads which work just as well (without all this 'you need to get them hot first' faffing) but without as much dust as the standard ones seem to generate.

 

[john-e89]

I have no experience of the grooved EBC discs, and I am aware that technology as advanced somewhat, but my only experience with grooved Tarox discs on my old 2.8i Capri showed them to make a bit more noise. No squeals, but a kind of loud hum.

Yep been there Enuff...22 yrs old, 12 grooved Tarox on my Xr3i...they lasted about a year before warping and sounded like a race car running over the corner rumble strip....damn awful things.... :lol:

 

[enuff_zed]

I have no experience of the grooved EBC discs, and I am aware that technology as advanced somewhat, but my only experience with grooved Tarox discs on my old 2.8i Capri showed them to make a bit more noise. No squeals, but a kind of loud hum.

Yep been there Enuff...22 yrs old, 12 grooved Tarox on my Xr3i...they lasted about a year before warping and sounded like a race car running over the corner rumble strip....damn awful things.... :lol:

I went back to standard discs but fitted the Austin Princess 4-pot callipers: a straight-forward bolt on exercise a lot of Capri and Escort people did. Gave much bigger pad contact area and actually did make a difference!

 

[john-e89]

I have no experience of the grooved EBC discs, and I am aware that technology as advanced somewhat, but my only experience with grooved Tarox discs on my old 2.8i Capri showed them to make a bit more noise. No squeals, but a kind of loud hum.

Yep been there Enuff...22 yrs old, 12 grooved Tarox on my Xr3i...they lasted about a year before warping and sounded like a race car running over the corner rumble strip....damn awful things.... :lol:

I went back to standard discs but fitted the Austin Princess 4-pot callipers: a straight-forward bolt on exercise a lot of Capri and Escort people did. Gave much bigger pad contact area and actually did make a difference!

Ahhh yes the old ‘Austin Printing press’ conversion, they worked well didn’t they. At the time girlfriends mums boyfriend ran ShockTactics tuning place in Batley, he found me some Brembo 4 pots cheap for it....I almost wet myself when they turned up.. :lol: !

Off topic...again..! Apologies OP....

 

[Pondy]

Off topic...again..! Apologies OP....

That's OK dude. Reminiscing is all good fun for us "ole timers". I had an MK3 XR3i when I was a kid. I had serious brake fade once after tanking it for an hour around the mountains in Mid Wales. I nearly sh*t myself. One of the best cars I ever had, though. It would do 35mpg average. That was 1987! Actually I think that was the first and last car I changed discs and pads on. I have some remembering to do.

 

[flybobbie]

I'm no speed demon but i fitted slotted drilled discs 6 years ago. Two things i notice with green stuff pads , hardly any dust and the disc seem to last for ever hardly any wear and no scoring in 40k miles.

 

[Busterboo]

Are EBC one of BMW's Original Equipment Manufacturers?
If they are, fine and well. If they're not, find out who are.

Why does that matter, as long as they fit? The car isn't under warranty anymore.

It's not a matter of warranty. You asked about choice. So, choose one of the OEMs that BMW use and then buy the OEM yourself.

After all, it's what good indies do all the time.

 

[enuff_zed]

I'm no speed demon but i fitted slotted drilled discs 6 years ago. Two things i notice with green stuff pads , hardly any dust and the disc seem to last for ever hardly any wear and no scoring in 40k miles.

So there's the answer to my question is it?
For less dust, go green stuff pads?
Any downside to that selection? Are they ok for standard road use?

Won't they clash terribly with my orange paint?

 

[mcbutler]

The standard car can reach around 150mph and bmw have given it brakes that are capable of slowing it down from that speed very quickly, unless you’re planning on exceeding that speed or taking to the track the original brakes should be more than up to the task imho.
Rob

Very good point SB, a lot of people spend a lot of time and money on this and similar 'upgrades' bigger wheels/tyres etc when the gains are marginal. I am as guilty as the rest of us of course.
I upgraded my discs/pads to EBC redstuff, part ceramic, excellent progression/feel/bite/zero fade and also almost zero dust so cleaner wheels, which is probably the biggest ACTUAL gain lol.
I bought DBS 4000 series T3 slotted rotors - choice made from reputation - 'kangaroo paw' slot design, better cooling/les warping than slots - slotted because I could not find one brake supplier or specialist that thinks drilled are anything but cosmetic!! Surprised by that to be honest but if a pro tells me I listen... And they look amazing.

 

[Boltz]

OP you will be having a map that takes you into 28i territory, the 28i has from factory bigger calipers and discs than the 18i but to upgrade to 28i kit is not a massive expense if you go down getting refurbished calipers.