[kevinb21]

Hello I have a 2013 328i with the n20 engine, I did an entire m sport retrofit
Although the car is still running the stock calipers, In my opinion they seem small for a car of this nature, I wanted to get oe m sport brakes but they sell for alot of money, 1300$ for a used kit, instead I was wondering if it would fit and be a valid upgrade to use either f10 brakes or f01 brakes since the calipers and rotors seem much bigger, this paired with the m sport brake pads from Pagid means I hope it gets some good stopping power. Is this a good idea? Will it fit? Whats my best route, also for the rear brakes do those need upgrade too to stay balanced?, if so can I just put the stock front calipers in the back?

[bmwchue]

I guess I was stupid to pay $1300 for a used blue set because I love mine lol. matches my car

[zole2112]

Originally Posted by kevinb21

Hello I have a 2013 328i with the n20 engine, I did an entire m sport retrofit
Although the car is still running the stock calipers, In my opinion they seem small for a car of this nature, I wanted to get oe m sport brakes but they sell for stupid amounts of money, it's not worth 1300$ for a used kit, instead I was wondering if it would fit and be a valid upgrade to use either f10 brakes or f01 brakes since the calipers and rotors seem much bigger, this paired with the m sport brake pads from Pagid means I hope it gets some good stopping power. Is this a good idea? Will it fit? Whats my best route, also for the rear brakes do those need upgrade too to stay balanced?, if so can I just put the stock front calipers in the back?

I have a 2013 335xi and I was thinking the same thing. I'd love to get a sweet set of calipers but the cost is prohibitive for me but I would like an upgrade as well.

[blumagic]

Assuming you still have the stock single piston fronts, look for the Grey 4 piston 340mm Brembo calipers. I got front and rears from someone local for $200 off a F33.

Based on Turner's website:

Fronts upgraded from 312mm to 340mm
Rears upgraded from 300mm to 330mm

I am waiting for all the front brake parts to come in, cost for rotors, pads, fluid, lines, bleeder = $450


rear cost should only be around $250

so I should be under 1k for everything

[kevinb21]

Originally Posted by blumagic

Assuming you still have the stock single piston fronts, look for the Grey 4 piston 340mm Brembo calipers. I got front and rears from someone local for $200 off a F33.

Based on Turner's website:

Fronts upgraded from 312mm to 340mm
Rears upgraded from 300mm to 330mm

I am waiting for all the front brake parts to come in, cost for rotors, pads, fluid, lines, bleeder = $450


rear cost should only be around $250

so I should be under 1k for everything

So is it a matter of getting the calipers and the rotors with pads, or will the mounting bracket also pose issues

[kevinb21]

Originally Posted by bmwchue

I guess I was stupid to pay $1300 for a used blue set because I love mine lol. matches my car

Ok, stupid was an overstatement. If you can afford m sport brakes, all the power to you. But in my case it's out of my budget and I don't track the car so it isn't needed.

[Logicoeur]

Gray 335i, blue, yellow, red, and orange all the same caliper and pad. Only the blue, yellow, red, and orange, may be applicable to 370mm rotors. Blue calipers come in both 340 and 370. Gray only applicable to 340mm rotors.

Any of the 340mm with a good set of pads and brake fluid and you are track ready. The 370 adds a lot of weight upfront for not much more braking performance on the street.

So find some 335/340 calipers and get pads and rotors and be done. The rears will be really cheap because they are just single piston Bosch. Check ebay, the forums here, and car-part dòt com to search junkyards for really good used deals.

[blumagic]

Originally Posted by kevinb21

So is it a matter of getting the calipers and the rotors with pads, or will the mounting bracket also pose issues

its all bolt on, the only thing i can't find clarified is the dust shields. I'm not going through the trouble to pull the hub so i'll just trim if needed

it doesn't look like you are xdrive but just as a side note i read that the xdrive rear hub is larger so i'm making sure to get 330mm 328ix rear rotors. I'm buying the pads off ECS tuning spec'd to an F33 and rotors spec'd to a 328ix with the diameter i need just to be safe since there are so many brake variations.

[deepghosh]

I just upgraded my 335i to the MPBBK and am going to post my old brakes (340mm/330mm) up for sale soon. Rotors and pads will need to be replaced but let me know if you're interested in calipers (I have m performance pads I can include with the front calipers)

[johnung]

Originally Posted by kevinb21

Hello I have a 2013 328i with the n20 engine, I did an entire m sport retrofit
Although the car is still running the stock calipers, In my opinion they seem small for a car of this nature, I wanted to get oe m sport brakes but they sell for alot of money, 1300$ for a used kit, instead I was wondering if it would fit and be a valid upgrade to use either f10 brakes or f01 brakes since the calipers and rotors seem much bigger, this paired with the m sport brake pads from Pagid means I hope it gets some good stopping power. Is this a good idea? Will it fit? Whats my best route, also for the rear brakes do those need upgrade too to stay balanced?, if so can I just put the stock front calipers in the back?

I've done several F30 brake upgrades. It can be confusing due to a variety of parts and confusing marketing terms by BMW. (BMW calls several things "M Sport" that are actually different parts!) That confusion extends to website parts descriptions and to the sales people at parts suppliers. If you just read a website or call a supplier you can be getting the wrong information from them. There are already several incorrect statements in this thread.

Below is my top down view of upgrading F30 brakes. F30's are consistent with mounting points so in most cases a caliper or rotor from a higher model (i.e. 335) can bolt on to lower model (i.e. 328). There are caveats.

OPTION #1: "370/345"
Will NOT fit under 17" road wheels. 18" wheels are a minimum.

FRONT:
370mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "370/380" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came in Blue in the M Sport option (S2HNA? on original 335 build list). They also come in red, orange or yellow in the M Performance brake kit.
Note: These same calipers are on M3/M4 with 380mm rotors. NO, you can't swap in M suspension components onto an F30 just to have 380mm rotors. Causes many documented problems.

NOTE: Both 4-piston Brembo calipers, the one that uses a 370mm rotor and the one that uses a 340mm rotor, both use exactly the same size front brake. Identical! Another reason why websites and brake pad part numbers can be confusing. Plus BMW and parts houses sometimes call both of them "M Sport", so that's not always a differentiator either!

REAR:
345mm x 24mm rotors
(requires minimum 18" road wheel)

Caveat: There are two different varieties of this size rotor. The one that you need is based strictly on which size rear parking brake came on your car. Most F30's have 185mm parking brakes which sit inside what is essentially a brake drum housed inside the rotor hat. This is why people may refer to a "larger rotor hat". Some F30's have smaller 160mm parking brakes and there are the same size rotors available with "smaller hats" to fit them.
NO, it's not cost effective to swap out hubs just to change parking brake size.

2-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like a single round flat surface on the front about the size of a silver dollar. There's a second one on the back adding up to 2 pistons.
Identified by being either blue, red, yellow or orange.
"345" pads are unique and are the largest F30 rear pad.

OPTION #2: "340/345"
Requires minimum 18" road wheels because the rear brakes won't fit under 17" wheels.

This is a combination of the rear calipers and rotors from Option #1 and the front calipers and rotors from Option #3. Most often occurs when someone with 335i stock brakes wants to do a partial, less costly upgrade. It is very effective in reducing the frontend dive when braking hard. With the stronger rear brakes the car tends to squat flat in a more controlled manner. Definitely recommend it as a noticeable upgrade.

Upgrading from 340 to 370 front brakes is not as noticeable because the calipers are essentially the same, pads are the same and only rotors are larger, while swept rotor size is same. It's mostly a looks upgrade.

OPTION #3: "340/330"
These are the standard brakes on the F30 335
Fits with 17" or larger road wheels.

FRONT:
340mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "340" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came on various F30 models in either grey or blue. On an original 335 build list they are identified by code P337A. At times BMW and parts sellers also call this "M Sport" adding to confusion.

REAR:
330mm x 20mm rotors
(requires minimum 17" road wheel)

Caveat: There are two different varieties of this size rotor. The one that you need is based strictly on which size rear parking brake came on your car. Most F30's have 185mm parking brakes which sit inside what is essentially a brake drum housed inside the rotor hat. This is why people may refer to a "larger rotor hat". Some F30's have smaller 160mm parking brakes and there are the same size rotors available with "smaller hats" to fit them.
NO, it's not cost effective to swap out hubs just to change parking brake size.

1-piston Caliper made by Bosch
I have only seen them in grey as the stock rear brakes for an F30 335. I guess it's possible they could be blue in a lower level car model but I can't verify that.
These do an excellent job when paired with the 340mm front brakes.

I hope that this helps for now. I have a ton more information that I can try to post when I have time over the next couple of days about brands and types of rotors and pads. Stainless lines. Painting or powder coating. Buying used parts,etc. Ask questions if u have any and I'll try to answer in later posts.

Hope this helps!

[kevinb21]

Originally Posted by johnung

I've done several F30 brake upgrades. It can be confusing due to a variety of parts and confusing marketing terms by BMW. (BMW calls several things "M Sport" that are actually different parts!) That confusion extends to website parts descriptions and to the sales people at parts suppliers. If you just read a website or call a supplier you can be getting the wrong information from them. There are already several incorrect statements in this thread.

Below is my top down view of upgrading F30 brakes. F30's are consistent with mounting points so in most cases a caliper or rotor from a higher model (i.e. 335) can bolt on to lower model (i.e. 328). There are caveats.

OPTION #1: "370/345"
Will NOT fit under 17" road wheels. 18" wheels are a minimum.

FRONT:
370mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "370/380" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came in Blue in the M Sport option (S2HNA? on original 335 build list). They also come in red, orange or yellow in the M Performance brake kit.
Note: These same calipers are on M3/M4 with 380mm rotors. NO, you can't swap in M suspension components onto an F30 just to have 380mm rotors. Causes many documented problems.

NOTE: Both 4-piston Brembo calipers, the one that uses a 370mm rotor and the one that uses a 340mm rotor, both use exactly the same size front brake. Identical! Another reason why websites and brake pad part numbers can be confusing. Plus BMW and parts houses sometimes call both of them "M Sport", so that's not always a differentiator either!

REAR:
345mm x 24mm rotors
(requires minimum 18" road wheel)

Caveat: There are two different varieties of this size rotor. The one that you need is based strictly on which size rear parking brake came on your car. Most F30's have 185mm parking brakes which sit inside what is essentially a brake drum housed inside the rotor hat. This is why people may refer to a "larger rotor hat". Some F30's have smaller 160mm parking brakes and there are the same size rotors available with "smaller hats" to fit them.
NO, it's not cost effective to swap out hubs just to change parking brake size.

2-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like a single round flat surface on the front about the size of a silver dollar. There's a second one on the back adding up to 2 pistons.
Identified by being either blue, red, yellow or orange.
"345" pads are unique and are the largest F30 rear pad.

OPTION #2: "340/345"
Requires minimum 18" road wheels because the rear brakes won't fit under 17" wheels.

This is a combination of the rear calipers and rotors from Option #1 and the front calipers and rotors from Option #3. Most often occurs when someone with 335i stock brakes wants to do a partial, less costly upgrade. It is very effective in reducing the frontend dive when braking hard. With the stronger rear brakes the car tends to squat flat in a more controlled manner. Definitely recommend it as a noticeable upgrade.

Upgrading from 340 to 370 front brakes is not as noticeable because the calipers are essentially the same, pads are the same and only rotors are larger, while swept rotor size is same. It's mostly a looks upgrade.

OPTION #3: "340/330"
These are the standard brakes on the F30 335
Fits with 17" or larger road wheels.

FRONT:
340mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "340" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came on various F30 models in either grey or blue. On an original 335 build list they are identified by code P337A. At times BMW and parts sellers also call this "M Sport" adding to confusion.

REAR:
330mm x 20mm rotors
(requires minimum 17" road wheel)

Caveat: There are two different varieties of this size rotor. The one that you need is based strictly on which size rear parking brake came on your car. Most F30's have 185mm parking brakes which sit inside what is essentially a brake drum housed inside the rotor hat. This is why people may refer to a "larger rotor hat". Some F30's have smaller 160mm parking brakes and there are the same size rotors available with "smaller hats" to fit them.
NO, it's not cost effective to swap out hubs just to change parking brake size.

1-piston Caliper made by Bosch
I have only seen them in grey as the stock rear brakes for an F30 335. I guess it's possible they could be blue in a lower level car model but I can't verify that.
These do an excellent job when paired with the 340mm front brakes.

I hope that this helps for now. I have a ton more information that I can try to post when I have time over the next couple of days about brands and types of rotors and pads. Stainless lines. Painting or powder coating. Buying used parts,etc. Ask questions if u have any and I'll try to answer in later posts.

Hope this helps!

thanks so much for the info, it all sounds great but the main issue I have with the 335i calipers is that I have searched everywhere I can and it is physically impossible to find a set of the calipers along with their components for under 6-700 dollars, and it is pretty hard to bite a bullet that big considering how much a shop will charge me to put them on and bleed them. I don't race or track,
It's a total daily driver with the occasional spirited drive, I saw online that the stock f01 and f10 calipers are massive compared to the stock f30 calipers and they are very cheap, a set is 150 bucks, would those fit and actually be a valid upgrade? They sure look big

[johnung]

Originally Posted by blumagic

Assuming you still have the stock single piston fronts, look for the Grey 4 piston 340mm Brembo calipers. I got front and rears from someone local for $200 off a F33.

Based on Turner's website:

Fronts upgraded from 312mm to 340mm
Rears upgraded from 300mm to 330mm

I am waiting for all the front brake parts to come in, cost for rotors, pads, fluid, lines, bleeder = $450


rear cost should only be around $250

so I should be under 1k for everything

Congrats, you were extremely lucky that someone sold you those 340/330 calipers for much less than there were worth used. The front 340 are 4-piston Brembo so they are worth much more than the 330 1-piston Bosch calipers.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by kevinb21

thanks so much for the info, it all sounds great but the main issue I have with the 335i calipers is that I have searched everywhere I can and it is physically impossible to find a set of the calipers along with their components for under 6-700 dollars, and it is pretty hard to bite a bullet that big considering how much a shop will charge me to put them on and bleed them. I don't race or track,
It's a total daily driver with the occasional spirited drive, I saw online that the stock f01 and f10 calipers are massive compared to the stock f30 calipers and they are very cheap, a set is 150 bucks, would those fit and actually be a valid upgrade? They sure look big

The best thing that you can do is to educate yourself so you understand all of the components needed, part numbers, new part prices and going rates for used part prices. I did that and 2-3 months later spotted a pair of calipers with rotors that were local at a reasonable price.

(Used calipers are worth shipping. Used rotors are too heavy and too expensive to ship versus what you can buy, say, a new set of Zimmermann rotors for.)

Realoem and GetBMWParts websites and others are great resources for parts diagrams and part numbers. Most compatibility questions can be answered by looking at diagrams from different models and jotting down part numbers. Guys who don't have the patience to do that increase their risk of getting in over their heads, buying the wrong thing or overpaying. Forums can be resources for great information but they also can be sources of incorrect information with guys pushing really bad solutions that don't fit other people's goals. It's important to educate one's self to be able to recognize the difference.

Just to provide some sense of value. When purchased as a new car, a F30 335i had a $600 option to upgrade the standard 340/330 brakes to M Sport 370/345 brakes.

An aftermarket option right now for any F3x is a BMW M Performance brake kit. It costs $1,800 from GetBMWParts. Plus rear rotors are needed. Zimmermanns can be found on the market for $165/pair for plain rotors. This includes red, yellow or orange calipers in 370 Brembo 4-piston front and 345 Brembo 2-piston rear. Front rotors are dimpled & slotted. 4 sets of pads and I believe 4 stainless lines are included.

A reasonable independent BMW shop price to completely swap all four corners of calipers, rotors, pads, and stainless brake lines, and drain/fill/bleed brake fluid is $400 total.

As far as used calipers go the most valuable are a pair of front 4-piston Brembo calipers that fit over 370mm rotors. (Their casting has "370/380" in raised lettering on the back.) 370's can be found in blue "M Sport" and red, yellow, orange "M Performance". I've seen guys try to ask more for MP but your are paying for the color only. The blue 370's are exactly the same part!

Typically a pair of 370's can sell for $100 more than a pair of 340 front calipers or 345 rear calipers which sell used for about the same price. For instance if you ask a guy to split a set of 370/345 that he is asking $1,100, expect him to say 370's are $600 and 345's are $500.

Used pricing is all about condition. The paint on these used calipers chips very easily. Maybe it's from years of heat? Never put painted calipers in a box where they can bump together. Every time that they tap each other they will chip!

At the low range, I've seen a set of 370/345 calipers that were chipped up and needed all new seals, caps and bleed screws. Which is fine if the intention is to powder coat and rebuild the calipers. At the high end I've seen a set of 370/345 calipers in perfect as new condition without any imperfections for $1,300. Anything above that it would be more cost effective to buy an $1,800 MP brake kit to get the new calipers, even if you sell off the new rotors and pads that come with it (which I would do since I like other aftermarket choices better.)

So used sets of 370/345 calipers sell for $700-$1,300 depending on condition. I got a pair of used 345 rear calipers for $525 with used 345 rotors locally in pretty good condition which I thought was a good deal.

If you happen to be reading this and are gagging on the dollar amounts mentioned, you can still upgrade your brake performance and looks for less money.

The biggest bang for the buck is to upgrade the stock BMW brake pads which are average at best. I highly recommend Hawk 5.0 pads. They are an improvement over OEM pads in every category.

When you need rotors don't pay BMW rotor prices. Zimmermann is a German high quality rotor that cost much less and unlike BMW, they are zinc coated against rust. Can't get better quality!

Brake fluid should be drained and replaced every two years for safety. Brake fluid picks up moisture from the air and degrades. It's almost zero labor at the same time to have the stock brake hoses upgraded to stainless steel brake lines. This makes the mushy brake pedal feel much more solid. StopTech sells a nice set of four stainless F3x lines for $106.

The best way that I've found to make calipers look better at the least cost is G2USA Caliper Paint. (See their website.) It's a two part epoxy like paint that you can brush on your calipers without removing them from your car. The paint levels out as it dries so it appears to be sprayed on. TireRack sells standard color kits for about $50. G2USA also sells custom colors and color matched colors at a higher price. They already have the formulas for a list of BMW colors on their website.

Some quick G2 tips:
Must apply in specified air temp range or paint gets gunky and doesn't brush well.
Only have 2 hours to work with G2 after two parts have been mixed, so must have or borrow four jack stands. Or buy two $50 kits and do two calipers at a time.
A pack of 30 extra silver handled "acid" brushes can be bought at Harbor Freight for about $3.
Best way to prepare and clean calipers is to put a cheap plastic drain pan underneath, spray on some Formula 409 and scrub with soft bristle brush and old tooth brush to get into small areas. Clean all visible areas. Use a wire brush on rotor hats to remove dirt and rust. New brake cleaner sprays don't really clean as well as the old chlorinated brake cleaner. I use brake cleaner now just to wash off the Formula 409 along with the dirt and rust. When dry, tape off and/or cover with plastic bag any plastic components, bleed nipples, etc that you don't want paint on.
BMW rotors hats aren't coated so they often rust. I paint the visible sides of the rotor hats with G2 Silver paint. No more rust and they always look new. Read engineers say not to paint rotor hat surfaces where they mate with the wheel since that extra layer of material can compress and affect wheel bolt torque.

Hope this helps someone!

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by johnung

I've done several F30 brake upgrades. It can be confusing due to a variety of parts and confusing marketing terms by BMW. (BMW calls several things "M Sport" that are actually different parts!) That confusion extends to website parts descriptions and to the sales people at parts suppliers. If you just read a website or call a supplier you can be getting the wrong information from them. There are already several incorrect statements in this thread.

Below is my top down view of upgrading F30 brakes. F30's are consistent with mounting points so in most cases a caliper or rotor from a higher model (i.e. 335) can bolt on to lower model (i.e. 328). There are caveats.

OPTION #1: "370/345"
Will NOT fit under 17" road wheels. 18" wheels are a minimum.

FRONT:
370mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "370/380" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came in Blue in the M Sport option (S2HNA? on original 335 build list). They also come in red, orange or yellow in the M Performance brake kit.
Note: These same calipers are on M3/M4 with 380mm rotors. NO, you can't swap in M suspension components onto an F30 just to have 380mm rotors. Causes many documented problems.

NOTE: Both 4-piston Brembo calipers, the one that uses a 370mm rotor and the one that uses a 340mm rotor, both use exactly the same size front brake. Identical! Another reason why websites and brake pad part numbers can be confusing. Plus BMW and parts houses sometimes call both of them "M Sport", so that's not always a differentiator either!

REAR:
345mm x 24mm rotors
(requires minimum 18" road wheel)

Caveat: There are two different varieties of this size rotor. The one that you need is based strictly on which size rear parking brake came on your car. Most F30's have 185mm parking brakes which sit inside what is essentially a brake drum housed inside the rotor hat. This is why people may refer to a "larger rotor hat". Some F30's have smaller 160mm parking brakes and there are the same size rotors available with "smaller hats" to fit them.
NO, it's not cost effective to swap out hubs just to change parking brake size.

2-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like a single round flat surface on the front about the size of a silver dollar. There's a second one on the back adding up to 2 pistons.
Identified by being either blue, red, yellow or orange.
"345" pads are unique and are the largest F30 rear pad.

OPTION #2: "340/345"
Requires minimum 18" road wheels because the rear brakes won't fit under 17" wheels.

This is a combination of the rear calipers and rotors from Option #1 and the front calipers and rotors from Option #3. Most often occurs when someone with 335i stock brakes wants to do a partial, less costly upgrade. It is very effective in reducing the frontend dive when braking hard. With the stronger rear brakes the car tends to squat flat in a more controlled manner. Definitely recommend it as a noticeable upgrade.

Upgrading from 340 to 370 front brakes is not as noticeable because the calipers are essentially the same, pads are the same and only rotors are larger, while swept rotor size is same. It's mostly a looks upgrade.

OPTION #3: "340/330"
These are the standard brakes on the F30 335
Fits with 17" or larger road wheels.

FRONT:
340mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "340" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came on various F30 models in either grey or blue. On an original 335 build list they are identified by code P337A. At times BMW and parts sellers also call this "M Sport" adding to confusion.

REAR:
330mm x 20mm rotors
(requires minimum 17" road wheel)

Caveat: There are two different varieties of this size rotor. The one that you need is based strictly on which size rear parking brake came on your car. Most F30's have 185mm parking brakes which sit inside what is essentially a brake drum housed inside the rotor hat. This is why people may refer to a "larger rotor hat". Some F30's have smaller 160mm parking brakes and there are the same size rotors available with "smaller hats" to fit them.
NO, it's not cost effective to swap out hubs just to change parking brake size.

1-piston Caliper made by Bosch
I have only seen them in grey as the stock rear brakes for an F30 335. I guess it's possible they could be blue in a lower level car model but I can't verify that.
These do an excellent job when paired with the 340mm front brakes.

I hope that this helps for now. I have a ton more information that I can try to post when I have time over the next couple of days about brands and types of rotors and pads. Stainless lines. Painting or powder coating. Buying used parts,etc. Ask questions if u have any and I'll try to answer in later posts.

Hope this helps!

Perhaps the best write up on the subject from johnung.

[rambleon84]

Originally Posted by johnung

OPTION #3: "340/330"
These are the standard brakes on the F30 335
Fits with 17" or larger road wheels.

FRONT:
340mm x 30mm rotor
4-piston Brembo Caliper.
Visually looks like two round flat surfaces on the front about the size of silver dollars. There are two more on the back adding up to 4 pistons.
Identified by "340" in raised lettering on the rear of the caliper casting. Originally these front calipers came on various F30 models in either grey or blue. On an original 335 build list they are identified by code P337A. At times BMW and parts sellers also call this "M Sport" adding to confusion.

REAR:
330mm x 20mm rotors
(requires minimum 17" road wheel)

This is the route I went, found a local deal on the setup from a 335 driver that went with option 1. For my car, it was only a 10mm increase in rotor size upfront (328 gt xdrive here) but it also comes with a weight savings from the lighter caliper vs the stock cast iron unit. However, you will get a decent weight increase in the rear, the single piston Bosch is still slightly larger and heavier than my stock size and then the rotor is also heavier; going up in size makes that inevitable.

I got a steal on the calipers front and rear for $250 and then i went with Powerstops all around. pads/rotors/fluid was about $400. I was getting close to needing to service my fronts, so i figured it was a good time to upgrade.

So kevinb21 , if you are patient and opportunistic, deals sometimes do come up but you have to jump on them.

[HybridAWD]

Originally Posted by johnung

OPTION #2: "340/345"
Requires minimum 18" road wheels because the rear brakes won't fit under 17" wheels.

This is a combination of the rear calipers and rotors from Option #1 and the front calipers and rotors from Option #3. Most often occurs when someone with 335i stock brakes wants to do a partial, less costly upgrade. It is very effective in reducing the frontend dive when braking hard. With the stronger rear brakes the car tends to squat flat in a more controlled manner. Definitely recommend it as a noticeable upgrade.

This is the exact approach I want to go with so I am glad you mentioned this setup. I was a little concerned as I wasn't sure if this was really an option and if I had to change anything electronically with the sensors. I guess from what you said it's all straight forward and direct bolt on as I expected.

[Logicoeur]

As I already have a 335i I'm going to stick with the 340 and just upgrade the rear. Doesn't mAke sense to me to jump up to a 370 setup as I have 19lb wheels already. Just wish we had more than just ECS for lightweight 340mm options. They don't allow you to replace just the rotor ring.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by HybridAWD

This is the exact approach I want to go with so I am glad you mentioned this setup. I was a little concerned as I wasn't sure if this was really an option and if I had to change anything electronically with the sensors. I guess from what you said it's all straight forward and direct bolt on as I expected.

When you say "sensors", I'm not sure if you mean:
1) the front and rear brake pad wear sensors, or
2) coding the car so that the brake system is set for the proper front/rear brake bias.

Answer1) I believe that the wear sensors are the same across all of the various F3x brake options. Whenever a question like this comes up the easiest way to check is often to go on a website like realoem. Look up the part numbers for your own car using your VIN, and for a car that has the option that you intend to install. If the part numbers are the same you should be okay.

Answer2) First, I am no expert on coding. Note that the "coding" being discussed here isn't coding with BimmerCode to make driver convenience changes like folding mirrors when you park or how many times a turn signal flashes when you tap the control.

This is your car's configuration coding that tells the car what hardware options are installed so that the car's ECU/DME (computer brain) uses the correct software to control the hardware.

It's quick and easy to make a code change but only if you have the software on a laptop and know what you are doing. Dealers can do it and many forum members talk about doing it.

From a practical standpoint, I know that if you have an F30 335 with standard 340/330 (front/rear) brakes, you do not need to code the car if you upgrade the brakes. The brake coding from the factory is the same if you upgrade to 340/345, or if you upgrade to 370/345 "M Sport" or "M Performance".

If you are upgrading an F3x from stock brakes that are less than 340/330 up to one of the three options above, then you absolutely want to find someone to code the brakes on your car so it will use the correct front/rear brake bias.

I've never seen someone change a car's coding but from what some have told me it looks like a list of codes like you may have seen on your car's window sticker or on a more detailed build list that you can obtain using your VIN on a website like mdecoder. On my US F30 335 with standard 340/330 brakes that build code is "P337A". (The "A" means America). If my car had come with the M Sport 370/345 Brake Option, that code would have been "S2NHA". So I assume that re-coding after a brake upgrade would use one of those, probably "S2NHA"

Hope this helps!

[johnung]

Originally Posted by rambleon84

This is the route I went, found a local deal on the setup from a 335 driver that went with option 1. For my car, it was only a 10mm increase in rotor size upfront (328 gt xdrive here) but it also comes with a weight savings from the lighter caliper vs the stock cast iron unit. However, you will get a decent weight increase in the rear, the single piston Bosch is still slightly larger and heavier than my stock size and then the rotor is also heavier; going up in size makes that inevitable.

I got a steal on the calipers front and rear for $250 and then i went with Powerstops all around. pads/rotors/fluid was about $400. I was getting close to needing to service my fronts, so i figured it was a good time to upgrade.

So kevinb21 , if you are patient and opportunistic, deals sometimes do come up but you have to jump on them.

Wow, you got an amazing price on those four calipers. The front 4-piston 340 Brembos are worth a lot more than the the rear 1-piston Bosch.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Logicoeur

As I already have a 335i I'm going to stick with the 340 and just upgrade the rear. Doesn't mAke sense to me to jump up to a 370 setup as I have 19lb wheels already. Just wish we had more than just ECS for lightweight 340mm options. They don't allow you to replace just the rotor ring.

When I upgraded my standard 340/330 brakes to 340/345 brakes, I noticed a huge difference in brake performance. A friend who was a professional racer and also a BMW dealer, predicted that instead of nose-diving it would squat or crouch more level and controlled during heavy braking. He was right.

When another friend wanted to buy my calipers I had an opportunity to upgrade to 370/345, which I did more to have an opportunity to upgrade my rotors. There isn't a noticeable brake performance difference between 340 & 370 front brakes (Caliper & rotor). Upgrading from 340 to 370 is simply for looks, if you like to see a larger rotor.

The 340 & 370 calipers use identical 40mm brake pistons and identical brake pads. So the difference is strictly that the 370's mount the pads 15mm further away from center. There are guys I've read who claim it gives 370's an advantage. But I talked to a racing brake expert who told me that it's the opposite. In any case, BMW codes them both the same so that tells me there isn't a discernible difference.

I did find brake performance improvements by switching from stock to Hawk 5.0 brake pads. They are superior to stock pads in every category.

I also found a big improvement by upgrading to StopTech stainless steel brake lines. (Only $106/set). It made the brake pedal much more solid, not mushy.

Many who I consider knowledgeable cautioned me against slotted rotors saying that they are made for high temperatures of high rev track racing. On the street they can be noisy, tear up pads and offer only a slight bite advantage over plain rotors.

Porsche, McLaren, Mercedes and others deliver their cars with drilled-through rotors. Drilled have the best bite, plus they clear water to maintain braking during heavy rains. The knock on drilled is they wear quickly under the high heat of lap after lap on a race course, heat that is never seen on the street.

I chose StopTech 2-piece floating AeroRotors, drilled and coated in 370mm x 30mm. Part# 81.B39.9941. It was a special order with a 4-8 week wait. The list price is high but you can shop around and find discounts. I got the best price from X-PH. Please see photos. They look gold when installed, but the color immediately wears off the surface swept by the pad. It's important to pay the extra cost for coated since it prevents rust in the holes and side vanes. The remaining gold color turns more black.

I just checked. StopTech still doesn't have a 340mm version of this rotor. There is the ECS 2-piece 340mm x 30mm, combo drilled & slotted. I recall ECS telling me that they do sell the rotor rings separately, but you'd have to ask for it. Please see photo from the ECS website where they confirm that they sell the rotor rings.

Hope this helps someone.

[HybridAWD]

Originally Posted by johnung

I just checked. StopTech still doesn't have a 340mm version of this rotor. There is the ECS 2-piece 340mm x 30mm, combo drilled & slotted. I recall ECS telling me that they do sell the rotor rings separately, but you'd have to ask for it. Please see photo from the ECS website where they confirm that they sell the rotor rings.

Hope this helps someone.

Definitely some good information here. For a DD, those rotors are definitely overkill but look amazing. Basically everything you've fed in to this thread has been a huge help for me and clears up the fact that I just need to upgrade my rear calipers and be done with it. Thanks again for all the info.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by HybridAWD

Definitely some good information here. For a DD, those rotors are definitely overkill but look amazing. Basically everything you've fed in to this thread has been a huge help for me and clears up the fact that I just need to upgrade my rear calipers and be done with it. Thanks again for all the info.

You are welcome! HaHa, Please don't forget to hit that "appreciate" button to feed my ego! Good luck with your build!

I've written other posts about how to change caliper color, which is usually needed if you upgrade brake calipers. The two choices are paint or powder coat, and they are different in pretty much every way: ease, time and cost. I've done both. I need to consolidate information in a post that would probably be helpful to others.