F15 X5 M Performance brake upgrade. Stops you in your tracks.

[iCARMIX]

For those of you with an X5 or X6 with brakes a bit too sluggish for your liking, considering to make a change, maybe this is it!
This customer came to us to get something better on his wheels, namely an M Performance retrofit brake kit, 4 Pot front and 1 Pot rear, as genuine as the car.
The kit uses larger discs, 395mm and 385mm, so better have at least 19" or plan ahead for them.
The installation lasts anywhere between 2-3 hours, up to a whole day even, depending on how many people work on it haha!
Here's how it looks like:

[blue dragon]

Lulz. Lets install outdated calipers from the E70 X5M with heavy steel rotors and call that an upgrade. There is an entire thread on how to install 6 POT calipers with rotors from F15 X5M or F10 M5 with aluminum hats for better performance

https://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...bo+on+a+budget

[tfunk88]

The M Sport Brake kit is a fine upgrade that’s not that expensive. Not as flashy as 6 piston calipers but certainly not “outdated”

[blue dragon]

Originally Posted by tfunk88

The M Sport Brake kit is a fine upgrade that’s not that expensive. Not as flashy as 6 piston calipers but certainly not “outdated”

The calipers are exactly the same as the E70 X5M from 2010. BMW themselves upgraded to a lighter 6 piston caliper for the F15 generation of X5M. Why would you go back?

FWIW, I've run both of these, I ran the 4 pots on my E70, and the 6 pots on my F15. Brake feel is better with the 6 pots

[tfunk88]

In my experience I’ve found 4 piston to generally have better modulation and release characteristics vs 6 piston. Brembo, Alcon, and Stoptech kits. And PFC 4 piston individual pad calipers are without equal in terms of feel to me.

But to each their own. And if someone prefers to spend $2400 on 4 piston vs $3500 or whatever on 6 piston I don’t have an issue with that

I have 6 piston calipers from the F85 on my F15, but because I got them for a good deal on a used set. Otherwise I would’ve bought the M Sport kit or built my own from used M Sport or E70 calipers.

[blue dragon]

Originally Posted by tfunk88

In my experience I’ve found 4 piston to generally have better modulation and release characteristics vs 6 piston. Brembo, Alcon, and Stoptech kits. And PFC 4 piston individual pad calipers are without equal in terms of feel to me.

But to each their own. And if someone prefers to spend $2400 on 4 piston vs $3500 or whatever on 6 piston I don’t have an issue with that

I have 6 piston calipers from the F85 on my F15, but because I got them for a good deal on a used set. Otherwise I would’ve bought the M Sport kit or built my own from used M Sport or E70 calipers.

You are extrapolating from the comparison between the brembo 4 pot and 6 pot and referencing other manufacturers. Hard to compare the 4 pot stoptech on my E46 M3 to the 6 pots on my F15, different vehicle, pads, and use. Lets face it, apart from Sukh on here, no one is tracking the X5 non M. My experience relates directly to towing my 6k lbs boat with two generation of X5, I towed for 10 years with the E70, and barely 1 with the F15, but the difference in brake feel with 6k lbs of boat and trailer behind you was noticeably better with the 6 pots. This might be different from track use, I don't know, never used them for that application.





I also didn't bring up cost, I said the 4 pots are outdated, they are older, heavier. You opted for used 6 pots, same as myself because they are better.

[dentprotony@gmail.com]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[tfunk88]

Originally Posted by blue dragon

You are extrapolating from the comparison between the brembo 4 pot and 6 pot and referencing other manufacturers. Hard to compare the 4 pot stoptech on my E46 M3 to the 6 pots on my F15, different vehicle, pads, and use. Lets face it, apart from Sukh on here, no one is tracking the X5 non M. My experience relates directly to towing my 6k lbs boat with two generation of X5, I towed for 10 years with the E70, and barely 1 with the F15, but the difference in brake feel with 6k lbs of boat and trailer behind you was noticeably better with the 6 pots. This might be different from track use, I don't know, never used them for that application.

I also didn't bring up cost, I said the 4 pots are outdated, they are older, heavier. You opted for used 6 pots, same as myself because they are better.

I’m going based on my experience with 4 piston vs 6 piston kits of several manufacturers I’ve tried on the same car. E46 M3 as well. And I bought the 6 piston vs M Sport kit because I got front calipers, rear calipers, and brand new OEM F85 fr and rr 2 piece rotors for $2k, a good bit less than the cost of the M Sport kit which has solid rotors.

Anyway, like I said, to each their own 👍

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by blue dragon

You are extrapolating from the comparison between the brembo 4 pot and 6 pot and referencing other manufacturers. Hard to compare the 4 pot stoptech on my E46 M3 to the 6 pots on my F15, different vehicle, pads, and use. Lets face it, apart from Sukh on here, no one is tracking the X5 non M. My experience relates directly to towing my 6k lbs boat with two generation of X5, I towed for 10 years with the E70, and barely 1 with the F15, but the difference in brake feel with 6k lbs of boat and trailer behind you was noticeably better with the 6 pots. This might be different from track use, I don't know, never used them for that application.

Attachment 3313774

Attachment 3313775

I also didn't bring up cost, I said the 4 pots are outdated, they are older, heavier. You opted for used 6 pots, same as myself because they are better.

But you’re comparing them on two different cars. Are the master cylinders the same? If not…

[blue dragon]

Originally Posted by tlow98

But you’re comparing them on two different cars. Are the master cylinders the same? If not…

They are the same

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...&q=34336772930

[Brent Dalton]

Thanks for sharing! Always good to see someone installing these.

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by blue dragon

Lulz. Lets install outdated calipers from the E70 X5M with heavy steel rotors and call that an upgrade. There is an entire thread on how to install 6 POT calipers with rotors from F15 X5M or F10 M5 with aluminum hats for better performance

https://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...bo+on+a+budget

Technically those are aluminum hats as well. Only difference is they’re not drilled.
I’d be more incined to go with the 4pot due to the notorious squeak the M5 and X5M calipers/rotors generatored. Don’t really hear of that at all with those who went 4pot.

[tfunk88]

The M Performance brake kit doesn’t come with two piece rotors, it comes with one piece all heavy rotors

[dentprotony@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by tfunk88

The M Performance brake kit doesn’t come with two piece rotors, it comes with one piece all heavy rotors

Mkit has two piece rotors (alum hub and steel friction surface)

[tfunk88]

Originally Posted by dentprotony@gmail.com

Mkit has two piece rotors (alum hub and steel friction surface)

Your kit does, but the M Kit, as supplied by BMW, comes with solid rotors. If you want 2 piece rotors you have to buy them separately, which is why I pieced my kit together from used listings.

[dentprotony@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by tfunk88

Your kit does, but the M Kit, as supplied by BMW, comes with solid rotors. If you want 2 piece rotors you have to buy them separately, which is why I pieced my kit together from used listings.

So you dont get same solid looking rotor like in their picture? Bmw doesnt have a full cast rotor for these (no separate part number or anything) . E70 x5m always had aluminum center. It was heavy a f and would look solid, but if you look at the pictures it has *rivets* all around the hub that connects outer and inner materials. I wont argue with you but several of my customers went with these first and then switched to my kits, and they are actually two piece even though appear to be full cast. Look for dimples all around the hub area youll see what i mean. And then later on f85 got a lighter and better looking rotor that definitely looks like a two piece.

[shimmy23]

jiggz installed the MBPK this past summer and it came with 2 piece rotors per Tony's comment; aluminum hub with steel disc. Its not the same design at the M discs.

[tfunk88]

Originally Posted by dentprotony@gmail.com

So you dont get same solid looking rotor like in their picture? Bmw doesnt have a full cast rotor for these (no separate part number or anything) . E70 x5m always had aluminum center. It was heavy a f and would look solid, but if you look at the pictures it has *rivets* all around the hub that connects outer and inner materials. I wont argue with you but several of my customers went with these first and then switched to my kits, and they are actually two piece even though appear to be full cast. Look for dimples all around the hub area youll see what i mean. And then later on f85 got a lighter and better looking rotor that definitely looks like a two piece.

Interesting…if it is a 2 piece rotor then I stand corrected! I was going by what I was told by the parts salesman at BMW of Sterling. It did intrigue me that the hat portion looked so shiny compared to the rotor lol

[FCX5]

The M Performance brakes were easily the best upgrade to my X5. It does make it easier to drive in stop and go traffic. It stops faster and does the job. As you can tell from my 19 inch rims, I don’t track it. I think they look cool as well…

[dentprotony@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by FCX5

The M Performance brakes were easily the best upgrade to my X5. It does make it easier to drive in stop and go traffic. It stops faster and does the job. As you can tell from my 19 inch rims, I don’t track it. I think they look cool as well…

Looking sharp! Let me know When you’re ready for your rear 4 piston upgrade to match the front calipers !