handgrenade 189 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 The car is a daily driven E36 M3 with factory floating rotors. It sometimes (I suppose rather often) sees some spirited driving. The USA market never got floating rotors as an option in their E36 M3s and therefore to find aftermarket floating rotors, you have to go to the UK. I'm ordering from the states .. Can anyone provide any advice about whether there is a real world difference between floating and non-floating brake rotors in the particular case of a road car??? I'm sure some difference would be noticeable in a race car or something seeing hard braking consistently, but a 99% road car with short spurts of spirited driving on a cruise or something .. is it really worth staying with the floating rotors???? Thanks all Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hybrid 1043 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 Un-sprung weight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoKer 58 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 (edited) can we get some sweet msPaint images to illustrate the difference please? trying hard t o visualise this arrangement (I'm a wood worker not an engineer) brakes are always unsprung weight no?? Edited July 1, 2014 by JoKer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 609 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 Floating Non floating 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
handgrenade 189 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 I think it is something like 3lbs per corner?? That being said, the additional weight does mean more thermal capacity of the rotors. The split 2 piece floating design is best utilised with aftermarket brake kits where you can replace the outer friction ring separately from the centre hub. means less cost with highly tracked cars where even brembo rotors etc will only last 10-12 track days at the most .. (we are talking real high powered race cars) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 609 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 Yea don't see me requiring them. Slotted will look better behind the new wheels haha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
handgrenade 189 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 yeah those plated rotors look beautiful .. and the UUC description about the tech involved behind the plated slotted rotors is quite impressive! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30-323ti 66 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 You can't replace the friction rings on the BMW floating Rotors anyway... Plenty of full-time track cars in the US run the fixed rotors or 'blanks' as they call them (usually 'Brembo'). The Average-joe isn't going to notice the difference for 95% of the driving you/we do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 609 Report post Posted July 1, 2014 Yea wouldn't of thought I'd notice a difference. Well actually, with all new rotors, pads, ss braided lines and fluid I'm sure to notice a difference! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie 66 Report post Posted July 3, 2014 On road car no to the full floating, they are just not needed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
handgrenade 189 Report post Posted July 3, 2014 Yay my purchase of single piece replacements won't be too bad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yng_750 247 Report post Posted July 3, 2014 Pads will make a bigger difference. Agree. Last time i did pads for a toyota that gets some hard driving i got ferodo ds2500 pads from race brakes. Holy crap they are good. Excellent with track and good when cold. Only downside compared to the $45 bendix at supercheap is that the ferodos retail at almost $450 a set Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites