Baby BMW Forum banner

130i - inexpensive pads for road and track?

3K views 30 replies 6 participants last post by  markhurley 
#1 ·
Can anyone help with recommendations for brake pads for my 130i?

I've got a Nurburgring/Spa trip coming up, so they need to be suited to road and track use, with minimal fade. Ideally they won't break the bank, either.

Any first hand experience gratefully appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Carbotech Xp8's job done ! Typ200 fluid or rbf 600

Such a good pad 0 fade and relentless on track , they also work great on the rd but can be a bit noisy.

Speak to THETYRANT on here and he will sort you out :wink:
 
#3 ·
EBC were great on my 130i and are not too expensive either :)

Better than oem cold, but once hot they hauled the car down amazingly well, when the oem pads would have given up ages ago.

I drove the Nordschleife and the GP track.

I know they don't suit all applications, but they work well on the 130i :)
 
#4 ·
markhurley said:
Carbotech Xp8's job done ! Typ200 fluid or rbf 600

Such a good pad 0 fade and relentless on track , they also work great on the rd but can be a bit noisy.
According to their website: "Carbotech™ does NOT recommended XP8™ as a daily driven street pad due to elevated levels of dust and noise."

Probably not for me then!

Red5 said:
EBC were great on my 130i and are not too expensive either :)

Better than oem cold, but once hot they hauled the car down amazingly well, when the oem pads would have given up ages ago.

I drove the Nordschleife and the GP track.

I know they don't suit all applications, but they work well on the 130i :)
Which EBC pads were they? They have quite a big range.
 
#5 ·
Ds2500's will probably see you right. One of our members has done an 8.39 on them in the bmwp calipers so they are up to the job. The ring isn't hard on brakes, but spa could be and that's where the 2500's could start to be shown up. They won't handle much on a typical uk track, but are ok.

I use the xp8's and they are brilliant.

If you do find the unicorn of a track capable pad that doesn't do noise or dust please let us know. I hate cleaning wheels [emoji23][emoji23]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
Ds2500's will probably see you right. One of our members has done an 8.39 on them (bmwp calipers) so they are up to the job. The ring isn't hard on brakes, but spa could be and that's where the 2500's could start to be shown up. They won't handle much pain on a typical uk track, but are ok as a hybrid pad.

I use the xp8's and they are brilliant.

If you do find the unicorn of a track capable pad that doesn't do noise or dust please let us know. I hate cleaning wheels [emoji23][emoji23]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#7 ·
Red5 said:
EBC were great on my 130i and are not too expensive either :)

Better than oem cold, but once hot they hauled the car down amazingly well, when the oem pads would have given up ages ago.

I drove the Nordschleife and the GP track.

I know they don't suit all applications, but they work well on the 130i :)
I used ebc yellow stuff and to be fair they were pretty decent but nothing like a proper track pad ... like rustle said ds2500 are pretty good and would probably suit your needs.

Or do what I do just keep a set of pads for track work then just sling your standard pads in when pottering around .
 
#8 ·
Synchromesh said:
markhurley said:
Carbotech Xp8's job done ! Typ200 fluid or rbf 600

Such a good pad 0 fade and relentless on track , they also work great on the rd but can be a bit noisy.
According to their website: "Carbotech™ does NOT recommended XP8™ as a daily driven street pad due to elevated levels of dust and noise."

Probably not for me then!

Red5 said:
EBC were great on my 130i and are not too expensive either :)

Better than oem cold, but once hot they hauled the car down amazingly well, when the oem pads would have given up ages ago.

I drove the Nordschleife and the GP track.

I know they don't suit all applications, but they work well on the 130i :)
Which EBC pads were they? They have quite a big range.
Sorry :redface:

They were yellow stuff. Very little extra noise and 75% less dust than oem pads.
I'm just an occasional track / sometimes speedy road driver though. I never made them fade and they never squeaked or squeezed.

Some other here have seen lots of track action though, so I guess it depends on what camp you feel you'll be in.
 
#10 ·
Just thought I'd give a little update on this:

In the end I decided to try EuroCarParts' finest Brembo (i.e. not Brembo Brembo, but some promise of quality) discs and pads. Took them for a single track session at the end of the day at Bedford, and they went - completely - within a lap!

Oh well, let's give them another go. Took the car to Croft and they were absolutely fine. Until I got through the rear pads by mid-afternoon...

Next track day was at Llandow, so bunged a set of ECP's cheapest (Eicher?) on the rear. Some friends were driving my car and taking it quite easy, but we still managed finish off the fronts, and get a good way through the rears.

Proper pads were in order, then, and settled on Performance Friction Z-rated, the pads we used on the E36 me and a friend raced last year. I've only used them on the road so far and and the pedal feels quite long. We've bled the brakes a few times and it's made no difference, so it's definitely the pads. Hoping they come in to their own at Spa next week, but shall report back.

On the plus side the discs have barely worn.
 
#11 ·
PFs are very good pads ......... but I cant see how a pad would make a pedal go long, that doesnt make any sense.

Id be looking at your brake fluid cylinders, the brake caliper pistons and even the brake lines themselves, its not going to be the incompressable block of carbon thats doing it.

@Rustle Ive had Pagid RS29's on two cars with no noise and no more dust than a DS2500, might be worth a look :)
 
#12 ·
Buy cheap buy twice....or even three times :lol2: still at least you know track capable pads are not just the same as cheapo ECP version :).... hopefully the PF pads do ok but the Z-rated version are just fast road spec really so don't try and go too long on track between cool downs, should be ok if you manage heat ok though and don't try and stay out or 30+mins every time.

Long pedal is maybe just pads needing to wear to shape of worn disc, have a look both inner and outer faces make sure pad is full contact, if some unswept area that will be causing long pedal and should come right with more use/bedding in etc. Check all Hydraulics for leaks etc as mentioned above to be safe.
Also make sure you have a track capable fluid in there, if pedal goes long with heat on track fluid is shot and needs replacing/upgrading to something like Motul RBF600 etc.

Rear pad life is short due to DTC using rear brakes, switching it fully off (long press) on pre-facelift 130i will help a lot improve pad life, however on facelift cars this switches the on E-LSD (not on pre-fl) which then uses rear brakes hard to stop wheel spin.

Basically try and drive smooth easing on the power and it will help a lot with rear pad life, Spa is nice flowing track and only place you might be working rear hard is chicane onto start finish.

Enjoy :D
 
#13 ·
docwra said:
PFs are very good pads ......... but I cant see how a pad would make a pedal go long, that doesnt make any sense.

Id be looking at your brake fluid cylinders, the brake caliper pistons and even the brake lines themselves, its not going to be the incompressable block of carbon thats doing it.
Maybe I didn't describe it well. They feel sort of wooden, with some dead travel at the top. I noticed the change at the exact point the pads were changed. Like the pad compound is harder and needs more pressure (bearing in mind this is in road use so they're cold).

THETYRANT said:
Buy cheap buy twice....or even three times :lol2: still at least you know track capable pads are not just the same as cheapo ECP version :).... hopefully the PF pads do ok but the Z-rated version are just fast road spec really so don't try and go too long on track between cool downs, should be ok if you manage heat ok though and don't try and stay out or 30+mins every time.
To be honest, in previous cars I've found OEM-spec pads fine, so it was worth a go.

THETYRANT said:
Also make sure you have a track capable fluid in there, if pedal goes long with heat on track fluid is shot and needs replacing/upgrading to something like Motul RBF600 etc.
Had it flushed with Type200 when the Brembos were put on.

THETYRANT said:
Rear pad life is short due to DTC using rear brakes, switching it fully off (long press) on pre-facelift 130i will help a lot improve pad life, however on facelift cars this switches the on E-LSD (not on pre-fl) which then uses rear brakes hard to stop wheel spin.
On the Croft day when I got through the rear pads by mid afternoon I had DSC fully off. I wonder if it's because they don't have enough cooling?

THETYRANT said:
Basically try and drive smooth easing on the power and it will help a lot with rear pad life, Spa is nice flowing track and only place you might be working rear hard is chicane onto start finish.

Enjoy :D
Thanks mate. True that Spa isn't too hard on the brakes, with some nice long straights to cool them down. Going into La Source is a bit of a stop, as well as the 'bus stop'.
 
#16 ·
Just realised I said I'd report back but never did.

First hard use on the Performance Friction Z-rated pads was at the Nurburgring. I've only done about half a dozen laps before so not the most committed driver there (did around a 9.30 BTG) but was getting sporadic incidences of fade (most memorably at Aremberg where I thought I was going to go into the gravel; I didn't).

On to Spa. This was two consecutive days; four tanks of petrol. I didn't count track miles, but must've been 300+ Happy to report that there was no braking issues here. I think - like my experience with the Brembo pads - the first track session on them (at the 'Ring) served to bed them in. They felt really good once up to temp, although they still feel wooden in road use, occasionally squealy too.

Good to meet a fellow BabyBMW member out there in an identical 130i (when I say identical I mean even down to tyres!).

I let him through at 3.40, if you want to see us having a bit of a play:

 
#17 ·
Looks like you had fun ! What other bits have you done to the car ?
 
#18 ·
Well, I've taken my calipers off after an excellent day at Brands gp. Got the calipers out and measured the pads properly - I've still got 7.5-8mm on all four pads. I'm telling you it seems that I can't wear these XP8's out. That's 2 years, over 12000 miles, 2 ring trips and god knows how many track days (4 this year).

My fluid is in really good condition but I've been getting random spongy pedal on both my warm track days this year. Clearly the calipers and pads are handling heat ok ish or else I would be getting more wear, so I'm thinking it's time to try some cooling ducts perhaps for that last little bit. I'm still amazed by the pads. Using ate 200.

I am considering doing the f20 caliper upgrade as its easier to change and check pads, plus you get the wider 30mm discs that must also help.

Thoughts ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#19 ·
Good to hear on the pads Rustle they do last well :)

Fluid wise when you say its in good condition have you tested it for moisture content ? also if so did you test what is in the caliper itself by bleeding little out ?, this is usually problem with getting spongy pedal so I would say you need to either change it (how long since last done?) or use a better fluid probably in this case , the ATE 200 is ok for price but dry boiling point is only 280c compared to 316c on Motul RBF600 for example, also just as important the wet boiling point of the ATE is only 198c compared to 216c on the RBF600, so once its been in awhile and started to absorb moisture it does drop off, both have nothing the Castrol SRF which while only 310c dry boiling but its wet boiling point is 280c! which means longevity is much better.
 
#20 ·
THETYRANT said:
Good to hear on the pads Rustle they do last well :)

Fluid wise when you say its in good condition have you tested it for moisture content ? also if so did you test what is in the caliper itself by bleeding little out ?, this is the usually problem with getting spongy pedal so I would say you need to change (how long since last done?) or a better fluid probably in this case , the ATE 200 is ok for price but dry boiling point is only 280c compared to 316c on Motul RBF600 for example, also just as important the wet boiling point of the ATE is only 198c compared to 216c on the RBF600, but both have nothing the Castrol SRF which while only 310c dry its wet boiling point is 280c! which means longevity is much better.
Based on visual inspection only. Nice and clear, no discolouration etc. Did a full change at the beginning of this year and two minor top ups since. It's virtually all come out of the system since I took the calipers off so I'll try one of the other two and do a full refresh.

Out of interest, how do you test fro moisture?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#21 ·
Ah ok you cant really go on the visual colour for the moisture content, at least not until its so bad it looks like water! which i had on my mates old Audi when he asked me to look at brakes, literally was like water what came out and no wonder pedal was so bad!

You can buy a tester to check moisture content like below but ive not tried that one just came up with quick google, personally i just change it regular and bleed a good bit through before every or every other track event to keep piston contact fluid fresh.

Fluid tester -
 
#22 ·
Rustle said:
My fluid is in really good condition but I've been getting random spongy pedal on both my warm track days this year. Clearly the calipers and pads are handling heat ok ish or else I would be getting more wear, so I'm thinking it's time to try some cooling ducts perhaps for that last little bit. I'm still amazed by the pads. Using ate 200.

I am considering doing the f20 caliper upgrade as its easier to change and check pads, plus you get the wider 30mm discs that must also help.

Thoughts ?
I managed to set mine on fire again the other day ........ but still didnt get any fade :lol2:
I dont think an F20 upgrade is necessary or will solve your problem, theres nothing wrong with the way mine stops anyway.

I do have a performance bumper with air ducts but I still think that its something else on yours and if theres dead travel it could be air in the lines, Id be getting them bled and changing fluid anyway.

FWIW Im on CL6 front and DS2500 rear pads, braided hoses, RBF660 fluid, standard disks and calipers but stainless pistons in front.
 
#23 ·
Thanks for input. Ordered 2l of RBF660 today along with a moisture tester. Will have a poke and a prod and see what all that does. Due at Thruxton on 1st October so a test isn't too far away.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
docwra said:
Rustle said:
My fluid is in really good condition but I've been getting random spongy pedal on both my warm track days this year. Clearly the calipers and pads are handling heat ok ish or else I would be getting more wear, so I'm thinking it's time to try some cooling ducts perhaps for that last little bit. I'm still amazed by the pads. Using ate 200.

I am considering doing the f20 caliper upgrade as its easier to change and check pads, plus you get the wider 30mm discs that must also help.

Thoughts ?
I managed to set mine on fire again the other day ........ but still didnt get any fade :lol2:
I dont think an F20 upgrade is necessary or will solve your problem, theres nothing wrong with the way mine stops anyway.

I do have a performance bumper with air ducts but I still think that its something else on yours and if theres dead travel it could be air in the lines, Id be getting them bled and changing fluid anyway.

FWIW Im on CL6 front and DS2500 rear pads, braided hoses, RBF660 fluid, standard disks and calipers but stainless pistons in front.
Where did you get those pistons? Assume they are the racing brake ones?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#25 ·
Rustle said:
Where did you get those pistons? Assume they are the racing brake ones?

Id found that 3 of my old pistons were melted and seized so this was the obvious thing to do. Not cheap but brake feel is definitely better and with any luck they wont melt again :lol2:

Also underlines my feeling that a BBK isnt necessary unless youre actually racing, it wouldnt have cost much more after new pads and fitting but I cant fault the braking performance now :)
 
#26 ·
Nice kit those stainless pistons and good for longterm durability :) also to add for those looking for new pistons for the 6pots on a tighter budget you can get new Budweg oe spec alloy ones for just under £200 the lot from
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top