Best prices on Floating rotors and rear OEM rotors?

[Dragon3]

I'm doing my brakes soon and am going to replace the rotors with the mentioned parts.

[Volf]

I take it you'll want the same floating rotors as the LTW?

I see the purpose behind them, as far as less weight to spin at the wheels, but do they stop any better?

[Rennmeister M3]

I take it you'll want the same floating rotors as the LTW?

I see the purpose behind them, as far as less weight to spin at the wheels, but do they stop any better?

Yes, less rotational weight requires less braking torque to stop so you are reducing a braking loss. It'd be the same as reducing the weight of the wheel.

[Nova1]

Save your money. There are some great group buys going on standard rotors. I bought my floating rotors through Turner.

[kennethm3]

Ebay

[Volf]

Don't put this mod on the list of ones that you can feel. But if you have the extra $150 and want to save 4 lbs and possibly have cooler brakes, it can't hurt and all these little things can add up to an overall improvement that you can feel.

Philip Bradley


4lbs a wheel? Thats not bad at all. That'd be worth it for somebody running 18's to counter the weight being moved further outward. Can you run floating rotors on all 4 wheels? I'd assume so, but after looking briefly I only can find rears.

[Nova1]

There are only front floaters. 4lbs lighter per rotor? I'm not sure about this. I'm replacing my floaters this weekend with Zimmerman blanks, I'll weigh the two to see the difference.

[K2sfc]

I got my car with them. I would buy them again cause of the weight savings/ cooling.I also like how they say ///M On them :alright

[Volf]

So what about a floating rotor makes it work on fronts, but not on rears, and I'm trying to find the floating rotors for the rears i was just talking about...but are they bogus?

[K2sfc]

Never seen any for the rears

[Volf]

Never seen any for the rears

I'm still trying to find it. Maybe I'm an idiot and can't read. :dunno

I just found a set of OEM LTW floaters on ebay for about $300 shipped. Is this a good price?

[K2sfc]

I'm still trying to find it. Maybe I'm an idiot and can't read. :dunno

I just found a set of OEM LTW floaters on ebay for about $300 shipped. Is this a good price?

I would get them at 140$ each at the dealership. so i guess thats a good price cause i worked there at the time

[m3buzz]

I'm still trying to find it. Maybe I'm an idiot and can't read. :dunno

I just found a set of OEM LTW floaters on ebay for about $300 shipped. Is this a good price?

not really - check pacific bmw and mention you're bmwcca, i think mine were $115 each...and yes, they only make fronts. be sure to order a leftone and a right one, the p/n's are different (the vents need to spin the right way!)

[Volf]

not really - check pacific bmw and mention you're bmwcca, i think mine were $115 each...and yes, they only make fronts. be sure to order a leftone and a right one, the p/n's are different (the vents need to spin the right way!)

I'm not BMWCCA :(

And since we're on the subject. What would be a good rotor for the rears? I was thinking slotted and cross drilled. But then, how well would that improve stopping power?

I'd think OEM rears would work just as well, and they'd match b/c the LTW floaters are solid

[K2sfc]

I'm not BMWCCA :(



:nono

I can refer you :D. Roundel magazine alone is worth the 40$

[upperguy]

I'm not BMWCCA :(


:nono

I can refer you :D. Roundel magazine alone is worth the 40$

So is the $70 one time saving here:-p not to mention the other benefits. Sign up already!

[vik]

I'm not BMWCCA :(
Become BMW CCA. Problem solved. :)

I went from OEM blanks to floating rotors up front because I got a good deal on a used set, and I noticed no difference whatsoever. However, I wasn't having a problem warping the blanks, either. They do look cooler with the wheel off, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

But since you're asking, I'd just go with blanks all around if I were you. Slotted/drilled rotors are disco and do nothing to increase braking performance, though they do look cool. :buttrock


-vik

[sausrigging]

Heres my install pics from today, I am actually not done as I found out that my calipers needed a rebuild. Dont worry the jack is just supporting the control arm.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j222/qcyacht/DSCN1898.jpg

[sausrigging]

not really - check pacific bmw and mention you're bmwcca, i think mine were $115 each...and yes, they only make fronts. be sure to order a leftone and a right one, the p/n's are different (the vents need to spin the right way!)
You want the vents raking forward correct?

Speaking of part numbers maybe you can help me, I am installing coil overs and my 96 +strut mounts dont have left or right on them, just part numbers. Can you tell me if these are side specific and what the left and right numbers are supposed to be?

thanks

[epj3]

I'm not BMWCCA :(

And since we're on the subject. What would be a good rotor for the rears? I was thinking slotted and cross drilled. But then, how well would that improve stopping power?

I'd think OEM rears would work just as well, and they'd match b/c the LTW floaters are solid
General consensus is drilled are crap and lead to cracked rotors (especially if they are drilled after the casting) and slotted help a bit but nothing huge. Definitely do NOT go with both.

I have yet to have problems with my axxis ultimates on brembo blanks, and that's with some heavy and consistent use.

[Volf]

General consensus is drilled are crap and lead to cracked rotors (especially if they are drilled after the casting) and slotted help a bit but nothing huge. Definitely do NOT go with both.

I have yet to have problems with my axxis ultimates on brembo blanks, and that's with some heavy and consistent use.

good info

[Estrl M3]

UUC Wilwood BBK FTW... :devillook

[jayhudson]

You want the vents raking forward correct?

thanks

No. The air flow is from the center of the wheel outward as the wheel rotates. His pic is of the driver's side and the vanes are correct. Facing rearward.

I can think of 2 reasons why no rear floaters. 1) The rears don't get all that hot because they don't do much braking. 2) The rear castings are like a drum because of the way the e-brake shoes work. Aluminum wouldn't work here.

Jay

[Getconnectedav]

there it is.

also,

how would one drill holes before casting?

[Dragon3]

Turner's prices are very competitive. I've had this setup for 5+yrs and it's performed admirably on the street and the track. Thanks for your replys everyone. :)

[Dragon3]

Getconnectedav, I believe you already have your answer, the holes would be cast in at the same time they make the rotor so there's no "drilling" involved.

[watkinra]

I recently replaced my rotors and went with the OEM floaters from my local dealer when he agreed to meet the price of Pacific BMW. Just take your guy the ad and let him meet the price. Otherwise, get them from Pacific. The number for Pacific is 1-800-909-PART.

I used OEM rotors for the rear as BMW doesn't make floaters for the rear.

The part number is marked on all BMW parts. If it is a left/right part, the odd P/N goes on the left and even for the right.

[Volf]

Anybody figure out how much weight savings would be had on each wheel?

[gerry_miranda]

The Euro floaters are about 2 lbs savings/wheel for the fronts...they dont exist for the rear.

Bimmerworld sells the pair for $259.....

[Jay4334]

so the only diff between floating rotors and regular rotors is a little bit of weight?

[Nova1]

I believe the floaters are also a little bit bigger and are two piece.

The question posted earlier about the front strut mounts, as far as I remember they are not side specific.

[jayhudson]

so the only diff between floating rotors and regular rotors is a little bit of weight?

The main benefit of a floating rotor is cooling/heat bulid-up. They have an aluminum hat that's not part of the same casting as the rotor. With the BMW Euro floaters, the rotor is connected to the hat by several steel pins. You can jsut see the pins in post #20. This keeps heat build-up lower and allows faster cooling. The aluminum hats weigh a little less too. AFAIK, the size of the rotor is the same as the US non-floater.

Jay

[Krank]

Can anyone post part numbers for the euro floaters? Looking on PacificBMW but their descriptions aren't very clear as to whether they're floaters or not.

[Tronix]

34 11 2 227 737 - BMW Motorsport Left Front Brake Rotor
34 11 2 227 738 - BMW Motorsport Right Front Brake Rotor

[Krank]

34 11 2 227 737 - BMW Motorsport Left Front Brake Rotor
34 11 2 227 738 - BMW Motorsport Right Front Brake Rotor

Thanks.

I don't think PacificBMW is doing their $118/rotor pricing anymore, they're listing at $184 apiece now. Even with BMWCCA 20%, if they honor that, it would be $150 and shipping. Anyone run into the same thing?

[M3 Pete]

The main benefit of a floating rotor is cooling/heat bulid-up. They have an aluminum hat that's not part of the same casting as the rotor. With the BMW Euro floaters, the rotor is connected to the hat by several steel pins. You can jsut see the pins in post #20. This keeps heat build-up lower and allows faster cooling. The aluminum hats weigh a little less too. AFAIK, the size of the rotor is the same as the US non-floater.

JayJay's info is correct, cooling is the main benefit, keeps the wheel hubs nice and cool, and reduces the chance of warping from differential heating of the rotor and the rotor hat (if made of the same material and solidly connected like the US rotors). THe rotors are the same size, and even if they were not, there would be little benefit if the pads are the same stock size.

I've never had two to weigh at the same time, but I've seen many posts that indicate the weight difference is 1.4 pounds per rotor. The weight reduction is at the hub (close to wheel center), so it's not going to make a huge difference as to the effect of rotating mass. Remember that your tire and wheel weigh 40-50 pounds, the rotor is around 17-18 pounds, and I'm not sure how much the hub weighs, so a 1.4 pound decrease is not a whole lot in the overall rotating mass.