I found those Zimmerman Drilled rotors:
Front for $152.00
Rear for $154.00


Pagid Pads (OEM):

Front for $65.95
Rear for $70.95



What you guys think?


http://69.0.158.19/live/N1010152205PAG.JPG


http://69.0.158.19/live/N1000239763ZXD.JPG







Here is the web site:

http://catalog.alloembmwparts.com/?year=1997&make=BM&search_button23.x=26&search_button23.y=13

Here is the inventory:

http://catalog.alloembmwparts.com/?year=1997&make=BM&search_button23.x=26&search_button23.y=13


http://catalog.alloembmwparts.com/?year=1997&make=BM&search_button23.x=26&search_button23.y=13





Maybe I can find something cheaper/better?

Not feeling the drilled rotors.

autopartswarehouse.com

Front per rotor - $79.95
Back per rotor $75.95

Pads
PBR Deluxe front - $59.95
PBR Deluxe back - $33.95

You might need to get sensors as well. I defenetly needed too because when I took out the sensor off the worn brake bad, it broke. SO i got sensors for front and back from the BMW dealership close to my house for $48 bucks.

Non drilled rotors FTW!

I just did my rears.

Brembo rotors = 140.00 Pair

Mintex Pads = 70.00 Set

Brake pad sensor = 12.00

Make sure to bed them in properly.

I heard this combination is the best.

Pagid + Zimmerman drilled.



How's braking with Brembos?

Get some Akebono pads and lose the dust.

+1 on the PBRs for less dust and good performance. Highly doubt you will feel any difference between drilled and plain rotors, unless you intend to race. They're primarily a cosmetic upgrade and maybe some better cooling. I have Zimmerman undrilled rotors and they're fine.

Get some Akebono pads and lose the dust.
Ceramic?


Right now I have drilled and to be honest, they're too bad. No brake force, noise when hot, pedal goes to the metal when braking....

Ceramic?


Right now I have drilled and to be honest, they're too bad. No brake force, noise when hot, pedal goes to the metal when braking....

really? I put the drilled on my car with the PBR's and brakes like a dream.

No one in street driving will notice the difference between drilled and normal rotors. Maybe between warped old, thin rotors and drilled rotors. Maybe between worn out or cheap pads and good pads. And not many people on the track use them -- if anything, they tend to use slotted.

I found those Zimmerman Drilled rotors:
Front for $152.00
Rear for $154.00


Pagid Pads (OEM):

Front for $65.95
Rear for $70.95



What you guys think?


http://69.0.158.19/live/N1010152205PAG.JPG


http://69.0.158.19/live/N1000239763ZXD.JPG







Here is the web site:

http://catalog.alloembmwparts.com/?year=1997&make=BM&search_button23.x=26&search_button23.y=13



I have that combination in the rear, the fronts were changed to Ceramic, that is a great combo, but my guy sells the Rotors Pads and Sensor for like $200, maybe less

I'd go with this combination from Tirerack:
214629

214630

Rotors at 80$ and pads at 85$ (front). The plus is no more dust....

Ceramic?


Right now I have drilled and to be honest, they're too bad. No brake force, noise when hot, pedal goes to the metal when braking....

Do you mean that you have drilled rotors and that the Akebono ceramic pads don't work well on the drilled rotors?

I've been using Akebono ProACT pads on the front of my 530 for a couple of years. I'm using these pads with the original rotors, and I've been very pleased with the performance of the pads.

Maybe the difference is the larger rotors on the 530?

No one in street driving will notice the difference between drilled and normal rotors. Maybe between warped old, thin rotors and drilled rotors. Maybe between worn out or cheap pads and good pads. And not many people on the track use them -- if anything, they tend to use slotted.

never said it brakes faster than OEM. Most likely it brake distance from 100-0 stayed the same. However the feel of how the car stops, i like better than OEM.

Hence why i said brakes like a dream.

How my rotor look like:


http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/7610/be7vw0.jpg



....and what I did to them:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9102/slika771sq7.jpg

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/2355/slika772de2.jpg

Do you mean that you have drilled rotors and that the Akebono ceramic pads don't work well on the drilled rotors?

I've been using Akebono ProACT pads on the front of my 530 for a couple of years. I'm using these pads with the original rotors, and I've been very pleased with the performance of the pads.

Maybe the difference is the larger rotors on the 530?



I don't know from which company my pads are but I can say - they're tooooooooo bad.

OK, what you guys think, to buy plain rotors because I see there no difference on normal braking?

I just found this combination:

http://brakeperformance.com/site/brake_rotors.php?&vtype=1&vmake=1245&vmodel=1663&vyear=1667&vdetail=1668&cPath=1_1245_1663_1667_1668_1669&ad=google


or.

http://www.bmw-parts-direct.com/epc-items.asp

http://www.bmw-parts-direct.com/epc-items.asp

I just found this combination:

http://brakeperformance.com/site/brake_rotors.php?&vtype=1&vmake=1245&vmodel=1663&vyear=1667&vdetail=1668&cPath=1_1245_1663_1667_1668_1669&ad=google


or.

http://www.bmw-parts-direct.com/epc-items.asp

http://www.bmw-parts-direct.com/epc-items.asp

I plan on using Brembo or Zimmerman when I replace my rotors. The first link is to a brand I've never heard of. The second and third links don't work.

OK, what you guys think, to buy plain rotors because I see there no difference on normal braking?

If you remember, the friction generated by the pads against the rotors is a function of the contact area of the pads and the rotor. The drilled holes or slots decrease the area, and therefore decrease the friction. They're there to allow gases to escape when the pads get really hot. Hot enough to literally volatilize the brake compound.

It's unlikely that your pads will ever get hot enough to out-gas like a race car. So if you decide to buy drilled or slotted rotors it will be for appearance, not performance. I, too, like the way drilled rotors look, but I plan to buy pain rotors when I need new rotors.

From what I've read here, most people buy Zimmerman or Brembo rotors. Of course the BMW rotors are good, too. I've used Brembo rotors for years, so I'll probably stick with them.

The stock pads are Jurid. Pagid pads are pretty much the same pad from what I've read. Both are ECE compliant organic pads that stop well, but generate a lot of dust. Alternatively, you can go with ceramic pads like Akebono (Euro or ProACT) or AXXIS (PBR) ULT pads which don't generate much dust. Some people claim the ceramic pads don't work as well as the organic pads. I like the Akebono pads a lot.

Hope that helps.

Hope that helps.


Thanx a lot.

I like to hear everybody's opinion but like I said, plain rotors will be OK because I drive slow.

And I don't really care for dust.

Thanx a lot.

I like to hear everybody's opinion but like I said, plain rotors will be OK because I drive slow.

And I don't really care for dust.

Then you want plain rotors and ceramic pads since you don't car for dust. BTW, that's my choice, too.:)

how about these rotors :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magnum-drilled-rotors-BMW-E39-525i-528i-525-528-F-R_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33564QQihZ013QQitemZ2 30193716456QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I never heard for Magnum rotors. I don't know how they are.

how about these rotors :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magnum-drilled-rotors-BMW-E39-525i-528i-525-528-F-R_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33564QQihZ013QQitemZ2 30193716456QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I'm not sure I'm ready for that good of a deal. 4 rotors for $120 sort of scares me.

Not being able to go is one thing, but not being able to stop is a serious problem.

I'd go with this combination from Tirerack:
214629

214630

Rotors at 80$ and pads at 85$ (front). The plus is no more dust....


So, which rear pads would you use for a 1999 540iT? Would you use the same front pads and rotors?