View Full Version : FYI BMW performance front rotors
Sockethead
03-09-2013, 06:32 PM
Looks like Turner has a few of these left...
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-1516-e46-330ici-front-genuine-bmw-performance-cross-drilled-floating-rotors-pair.aspx
danewilson77
03-09-2013, 06:40 PM
Nice find.
Sent from the HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA and USA
Sockethead
03-09-2013, 06:50 PM
Yea, I was browsing for spacers and came across them in the clearance section... I wish I couls find some rears... I've had a spare set of fronts chillin in the basement for like, two years
danewilson77
03-09-2013, 07:18 PM
Yea, I was browsing for spacers and came across them in the clearance section... I wish I couls find some rears... I've had a spare set of fronts chillin in the basement for like, two years
Did you just say you were trying to get rid of them?
Sent from the HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA and USA
Sockethead
03-09-2013, 07:45 PM
Did you just say you were trying to get rid of them?
Sent from the HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA and USA
Heh, I asked you a while ago if you wanted to buy them... IDK now... My existing performance rotors are at the wear limits...if I can find a pair of rears I'll probably keep them
terraphantm
03-09-2013, 10:34 PM
Yea, I was browsing for spacers and came across them in the clearance section... I wish I couls find some rears... I've had a spare set of fronts chillin in the basement for like, two years
The rears aren't special like the fronts. Just get a set of drilled rotors from any reputable brand. Or if you don't care about the holes, just get blanks.
Hermes
03-10-2013, 03:07 AM
The rears aren't special like the fronts. Just get a set of drilled rotors from any reputable brand. Or if you don't care about the holes, just get blanks.
+1
M0nk3y
03-10-2013, 04:24 AM
The rears aren't special like the fronts. Just get a set of drilled rotors from any reputable brand. Or if you don't care about the holes, just get blanks.
Blanks over drilled if you want better lifespan
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terraphantm
03-10-2013, 05:51 AM
Blanks over drilled if you want better lifespan
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Right. But he might want the holes for aesthetic purposes (drilled fronts and blank rears might look odd to some people. Though I do believe a few cars came stock like that)
JupiterBMW
03-10-2013, 06:02 AM
The rears aren't special like the fronts. Just get a set of drilled rotors from any reputable brand. Or if you don't care about the holes, just get blanks.
I beg to differ on this comment... After my recent research and experiences with drilled rotors, I believe the BMW rear rotors are actually more special now... The holes (as we all know are aesthetic) on many aftermarket drilled rotors are directional, just like the fronts. Well, BMW no longer provides for two different part numbers for the rear rotors, so aftermarket manufacturers (take StopTech for instance) have followed suit. So, now, when ordering rear rotors, you'll get two left rotors. This is fine if you're buying blanks. If you get aftermarket drilled rotors, one side will have the holes going the opposite way...
"So what?" you say.... Well, the OEM BMW performance rotors do not have directional holes in the rears. They are radial (that is, they come out in straight lines from the center), therefore they are essentially good for either side.
So, if you're buying cross drilled rotors for the aesthetics, then I would assume you'd want them to all match, at least look uniform... That being said, I feel the BMW performance rotors are more preferable... BUT, I still can't justify the extra cost for these over the aftermarket ones available...
That all being said, anyone care to tell what makes the fronts SO special over aftermarket brands?
Hermes
03-10-2013, 07:14 AM
semi floating... that's the difference
(and they have BMW stamped on them)
M0nk3y
03-10-2013, 07:27 AM
semi floating... that's the difference
(and they have BMW stamped on them)
If BMW was smart they would start going to 2-piece rotors for performance oriented cars
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Sockethead
03-10-2013, 08:14 AM
Yea I already have a pair of OEM rear rotors that have been sitting in the basement for a long time too. As others said, I'd rather have them all drilled or all blank
johnrando
03-10-2013, 08:19 AM
How long do a pair of front rotors like these typically last as DDs (no tracking, assume 12K miles/year)? I know YMMV, but just looking for general numbers. What's a typical # in years or miles?
terraphantm
03-10-2013, 08:21 AM
I beg to differ on this comment... After my recent research and experiences with drilled rotors, I believe the BMW rear rotors are actually more special now... The holes (as we all know are aesthetic) on many aftermarket drilled rotors are directional, just like the fronts. Well, BMW no longer provides for two different part numbers for the rear rotors, so aftermarket manufacturers (take StopTech for instance) have followed suit. So, now, when ordering rear rotors, you'll get two left rotors. This is fine if you're buying blanks. If you get aftermarket drilled rotors, one side will have the holes going the opposite way...
"So what?" you say.... Well, the OEM BMW performance rotors do not have directional holes in the rears. They are radial (that is, they come out in straight lines from the center), therefore they are essentially good for either side.
So, if you're buying cross drilled rotors for the aesthetics, then I would assume you'd want them to all match, at least look uniform... That being said, I feel the BMW performance rotors are more preferable... BUT, I still can't justify the extra cost for these over the aftermarket ones available...
That all being said, anyone care to tell what makes the fronts SO special over aftermarket brands?
I still would like to see some evidence that they were directional. Even in old versions of the ETK (I think the oldest version I have is from february 2004), BMW only listed one rear part number. And the rotors that came off my 03 330i were non-directional. Besides a couple of your posts here, not a single reference online mentions the 330 having drilled rootrs -- I think there would be some old posts on bimmerfest or roadly that mention their directional nature.
Many companies do sell two "left" rotors, even for the front 330 rotors, which never were directional (except for much after the fact with these performance rotors). These for example: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/ES1892428/ (and the vanes don't even look directional, though I can't be certain from those angles). And these 325/328 rotors (http://hartford.craigslist.org/pts/3667519734.html) are also "right" drilled, even though they were always non-directional from the factory.
Centric may very well have offered "directional" rotors (the vanes were probably still non directional), but ultimately decided that the extra cost wasn't worth it. BMW never did.
Brembo's drilled rotors for the E46 are non directionally drilled (non-BBK obviously). ECS' house brand rotors are directionally drilled, and they sell both sides.
danewilson77
03-10-2013, 08:48 AM
How long do a pair of front rotors like these typically last as DDs (no tracking, assume 12K miles/year)? I know YMMV, but just looking for general numbers. What's a typical # in years or miles?
I have 60k miles (about 2 years) on mine, and they are nearing End of Life (EOL).
M0nk3y
03-10-2013, 08:59 AM
How long do a pair of front rotors like these typically last as DDs (no tracking, assume 12K miles/year)? I know YMMV, but just looking for general numbers. What's a typical # in years or miles?
Truly it falls to driving style, but 40k-60k should be acceptable.
I'm on about 15k on my rotors (fresh pads because I went to an aggressive compound) and when I mic'd them I still had plenty of life, when them starting to shoulder off on the edge.
9k of those miles I'd say were hard driven miles. Total of 15k on the rotors.
Johal E32
03-10-2013, 10:22 AM
I have 60k miles (about 2 years) on mine, and they are nearing End of Life (EOL).
Sounds about right.
My uncle had his E46 M3 checked out by the dealer one last time before his 50k maintenance plan was up, and they said his original brakes were still at 90+%!! :jawdrop
danewilson77
03-10-2013, 10:24 AM
Sounds about right.
My uncle had his E46 M3 checked out by the dealer one last time before his 50k maintenance plan was up, and they said his original brakes were still at 90+%!! :jawdrop
Ton of highway miles albeit.
derbo
03-10-2013, 11:11 AM
If BMW was smart they would start going to 2-piece rotors for performance oriented cars
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In fairness, the bmw performance rotors are at least semi-floating rotors. (front ones at least for non-m E46.)
MrMaico
03-10-2013, 11:11 AM
I knew I should have bought a spare set when Tischer clearanced them out for $80 a set with free shipping. Another thing "special" about the Performance front rotors was the hat is aluminum. Less weight like Vas mentioned and also better cooling.
kayger12
03-10-2013, 11:16 AM
I knew I should have bought a spare set when Tischer clearanced them out for $80 a set with free shipping. Another thing "special" about the Performance front rotors was the hat is aluminum. Less weight like Vas mentioned and also better cooling.
+1
JupiterBMW
03-10-2013, 11:34 AM
I still would like to see some evidence that they were directional. Even in old versions of the ETK (I think the oldest version I have is from february 2004), BMW only listed one rear part number. And the rotors that came off my 03 330i were non-directional. Besides a couple of your posts here, not a single reference online mentions the 330 having drilled rootrs -- I think there would be some old posts on bimmerfest or roadly that mention their directional nature.
Many companies do sell two "left" rotors, even for the front 330 rotors, which never were directional (except for much after the fact with these performance rotors). These for example: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/ES1892428/ (and the vanes don't even look directional, though I can't be certain from those angles). And these 325/328 rotors (http://hartford.craigslist.org/pts/3667519734.html) are also "right" drilled, even though they were always non-directional from the factory.
Centric may very well have offered "directional" rotors (the vanes were probably still non directional), but ultimately decided that the extra cost wasn't worth it. BMW never did.
Brembo's drilled rotors for the E46 are non directionally drilled (non-BBK obviously). ECS' house brand rotors are directionally drilled, and they sell both sides.
Ok, let me rephrase a bit... The holes do not make a rotor directional, but seeing as how the holes are aesthetics only, you'd want them to match, therefore making the desire for a left and/or right depending on what direction you want them to face... In other words, you'd want them to curve the same on all 4 corners, whether it be outward going aft or outward going forward... Aside from that, the cooling vanes on the front rotors in the centers are radial (straight out from the center) and therefore no difference. This is same whether it be OEM or aftermarket drilled rotors. Of course, this is excluding big brake setups...
That all being said, the OEM rear rotors as well as the aftermarket (Stoptech) rotors I put on my last ZHP were directional. By this I am referring to the cooling vanes. This therefore makes the rotor directional, as the cooling vanes should always curve counterclockwise from the inner to the outer radius (when viewing the vanes at the 12 o'clock position, the vanes should curve towards the back of the car on the outside edge).
I do not know about the cooling vanes in the OEM performance rotors as I've never seen a set, but the Stoptech rotors I put on were two identical LEFT rotors for the rear. Therefore, the rear passenger side had the cooling vanes going backwards... Stoptech had no offering of a right rear rotor. The OEM rotors that I removed from the car were directional, both rear rotors had the correct cooling vane orientation.
So, yes, rotors can be and sometimes are directional. This is of course referring to the vanes. If the cooling vanes are radial (straight, like the fronts on our cars) then they are not side specific. As for the holes, that is purely aesthetic, but that being said, wouldn't you want them to match? Therefore, the OEM rear rotors are a bit more special as they do NOT use a curved drill pattern... Once again, making them not side specific. This of course means that no matter which side they're on, they'll look the same...
Oh look, a dead horse! Let's beat it!! :biggrin
Sockethead
03-10-2013, 11:41 AM
The last set of pads I had ate the rotors. The pads were only at 50% but the rotors are at their wear limits..after cutting. I switched to Hawk HP
illirep
03-12-2013, 01:15 PM
ordering a set now
ordering a set now
I am thinking about it as well. Add some hawk hps pads and it will be great.
Hermes
03-12-2013, 03:22 PM
I am thinking about it as well. Add some hawk hps pads and it will be great.
^ my exact setup...
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c288/jhermes/zhp%20projects/DSC_1272.jpg
Johal E32
03-12-2013, 03:34 PM
Ton of highway miles albeit.
Mostly highway, it was his DD though so it saw some around town.
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