# Brembo Slotted Rotors



## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

avionics12 said:


> Yeah lookout :yikes: The next thing you know he'll be hawking Eurodash installation instructions for a fee, modifying CDV's at sky high prices, and charging for directions to Panevino's for lunch. :loco:
> 
> It's anarchy I tell ya, pure anarchy............... :wailing:


Speaking of which, I am doing some installations this morning and then we're heading to Panevino around noon. Anybody else is more than welcome to join us. Give me a call at 973-761-5054 and I can give you directions ... for a fee!


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## DSPTurtle (Oct 4, 2003)

*Slotted Rotors*

I too was a little dissappointed in the braking performance of my 1998 540i6 when I got it two months ago. Especailly since I found out AFTER I paid for it that it needed new brakes. Dealer want about $2k for new pads and rotors.
I went with the slotted rotors when mine needed replacing. I got Brembo's from Performancerotors.com (cheapest out there after tons of research... exact same as what Tire Rack offers)
In addition, I went with the StopTech S/S brakelines from none other than... DaveZ (who by the way spent 30 minutes on the phone regarding my install issues!!! at no charge I might add)
I also went with ATE Superblue fluid and Porterfield R4S pads.
Did it make a difference??? HELL YES!! Was it cheap? Hell no. 
However, you can save a ton of cash by doing this relatively straightforward job yourself. Oh yeah, someguy out there hosts a website that gives an awesome tutorial with pictures for no charge. I forgot his name but there is a Z in there somewhere
Summary:
Slotted Brembos
S/S Brakelines
ATE Superblue Fluid
Porterfield R4S pads
Self-Install
$750 for all four corners.
Not cheap but brakes are THE most important part of the car!!!
By the way, they look really cool behind the wheels!!! :bigpimp: 
JB (RF Convert)

PS. the rotor in the pic is mounted backwards... it is all fixed now.


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## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

DSPTurtle said:


> I too was a little dissappointed in the braking performance of my 1998 540i6 when I got it two months ago. Especailly since I found out AFTER I paid for it that it needed new brakes. Dealer want about $2k for new pads and rotors.
> I went with the slotted rotors when mine needed replacing. I got Brembo's from Performancerotors.com (cheapest out there after tons of research... exact same as what Tire Rack offers)
> In addition, I went with the StopTech S/S brakelines from none other than... DaveZ (who by the way spent 30 minutes on the phone regarding my install issues!!! at no charge I might add)
> I also went with ATE Superblue fluid and Porterfield R4S pads.
> ...


The dealer was going to charge $2,000 for changing your pads and rotors? That's about double what I've seen around here at most dealers. Wow!!

You could have dropped your cost to about $511 if you had opted for plain rotors ($70 front/$55 rear each) and Axxis Ultimate pads. I'm not a big fan of the Porterfield R4S pad. They are OK, but they really trade on the excellent performance and history of the porterfield R4 club race pad and they are completely unrelated to that pad. When the R4S pad first came out, some overzealous Porterfield salesperson once talked me into trying the R4S for a light-braking track event and they were fading after just three laps. This was almost 9 years ago and I still hear from the occasional unhappy racer who makes the same mistake. It's just like Bridgestone having huge success with the Potenza S02 performance tire, and now almost every tire they make has the word "Potenza" in its name, including some all season versions. All it does is confuse the customer.

Bottom line - Two thumbs up for the R4, two thumbs down for the R4S.

Note: Although the Axxis Ultimate is a better street pad than the R4S, neither pad should ever be used on the track unless it is your very FIRST track event and you are using street tires.


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## DSPTurtle (Oct 4, 2003)

Yes, Dave and I had that conversation while I was on the phone with him... R4S pads are good in my opinion but not in his. :freakdanc However, these are certainly not track pads. I have talked with Poterfield at length after speaking with Dave and they agree with him... these are not for the track! I use them on the street and for occasional autocross. As far as street use, I have them on two cars now... my 540i6 and my 914 and plan to put them on my wifes ML430 as soon as it needs brakes. These nice thing about these pads is that they leave very little brake dust. I wash my wheels once per week but they really don't need it compared to the OE pads that were on there before. With the OE pads I had to wash the wheels every two to three days... with the R4S I can get away with two weeks. It is too bad these pads don't work on the track but then again, I bet even DaveZ woudl agree that street and track driving pretty much always require different pads. I am not knocking the Axxis pads as I have not tried them but I am giving real live actual experience with the R4S as a street only pad. I have had this setup on my 540i6 for about 2000 miles now and I love it! They are not cheap... the pads alone will run over $250 bucks for all four corners.
Oh by the way, the dealer only wanted $1k to change all four corners with stock stuff...I could not figure out how to edit my message  
JB


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## DZeckhausen (Mar 11, 2003)

DSPTurtle said:


> Yes, Dave and I had that conversation while I was on the phone with him... R4S pads are good in my opinion but not in his. :freakdanc However, these are certainly not track pads. I have talked with Poterfield at length after speaking with Dave and they agree with him... these are not for the track! I use them on the street and for occasional autocross. As far as street use, I have them on two cars now... my 540i6 and my 914 and plan to put them on my wifes ML430 as soon as it needs brakes. These nice thing about these pads is that they leave very little brake dust. I wash my wheels once per week but they really don't need it compared to the OE pads that were on there before. With the OE pads I had to wash the wheels every two to three days... with the R4S I can get away with two weeks. It is too bad these pads don't work on the track but then again, I bet even DaveZ woudl agree that street and track driving pretty much always require different pads. I am not knocking the Axxis pads as I have not tried them but I am giving real live actual experience with the R4S as a street only pad. I have had this setup on my 540i6 for about 2000 miles now and I love it! They are not cheap... the pads alone will run over $250 bucks for all four corners.
> Oh by the way, the dealer only wanted $1k to change all four corners with stock stuff...I could not figure out how to edit my message
> JB


I probably harbor a grudge against the R4S pads because they ruined a race weekend for me. And some of the Porterfield reps are STILL pushing that pad for "light duty track events", although the person you spoke to seemed to be a bit more realistic in his description of the pad's capabilities and limitations.

I would agree that you are better off with R4S pads than factory pads. But for $94, you can get a complete set of front and rear Axxis Deluxe Plus pads with even less dust for the 530i/540i and only $74 for the 528i. $250 is a lot of money for street pads.


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## DSPTurtle (Oct 4, 2003)

Hmm... I bet we can figure out a good empirical way to put this to bed once and for all. How bout you send me a set of the Axxis pads to try out. If they are better than the R4S pads I will sing the praises and pay the bill. If the are not better, I will send them back to you.  
By the way, Porterfield recommends against "bedding in" their pads. This is a nice feature since some folks have a hard time finding a place to take their Bimmer balls to the wall in order to get the most from their pads.
JB


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## mcody (Sep 25, 2003)

*DSPTurtle - where the Brembo's the same size as stock?*

Just wondering if your improved braking perfomance was from better quality (but equally sized) components, or if you went for a big brake install.


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## DSPTurtle (Oct 4, 2003)

Everything was stock size as far as I know. The rotors and pads were definitely stock. DaveZ sold me the sweet stainless braided brakeline so he might be able to say whether or not the diameter of the lines was the same as stock or slightly different. Upgraded components make a huge difference. The brake fluid alone is a great upgrade.
JB


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