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      04-13-2017, 02:33 PM   #1
LastToy
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E46 M3 brakes vs. M3 w/ ZCP package...

Question on the difference. I've done many searches but I don't have the answers I am looking for. Other than the semi-float, larger front diameter, different rear caliper (larger piston), and different caliper bracket, is there a difference on the spindle and/or upright? StopTech offers two different brake kits for regular E46 M3 and E46 M3 with ZCP package. If there is no difference in the spindle/upright, why would they offer two difference products? Also, AP Racing sells two different brake kits for an E46 M3 and a Z4 M Coupe. I own a Z4M and am trying to figure out why an Essex AP Racing brake kit for a M3 will or won't fit my car. I already called and asked Essex and Bimmerworld and they don't know the answer.

Thank you.
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      04-13-2017, 06:54 PM   #2
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They're interchangeable.
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      04-13-2017, 10:10 PM   #3
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I have Stoptech kits F&R for my car, both were for the M3 w/ZCP. Fronts are plug and play with our cars, as are the rears. The ONLY difference is the Z4M has longer rear brake lines and you need to source those from Stoptech. They sell those however, so it's no issue.
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      04-17-2017, 07:47 PM   #4
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Are the piston diameters / areas the same on the OEM E46 ZCP M3 calipers and on the Z4M ones?

Stoptech claims to tune their kits for each application based on optimal F/R brake force distribution, so I wonder if this is why a separate and distinct Z4M kit exists.

Beyond that you could adjust the actual F/R brake torque to your liking by running different pads F/R.
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      04-17-2017, 08:58 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CTMP4me View Post
Are the piston diameters / areas the same on the OEM E46 ZCP M3 calipers and on the Z4M ones?
Yes.
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      04-18-2017, 03:21 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CTMP4me View Post
Are the piston diameters / areas the same on the OEM E46 ZCP M3 calipers and on the Z4M ones?

Stoptech claims to tune their kits for each application based on optimal F/R brake force distribution, so I wonder if this is why a separate and distinct Z4M kit exists.

Beyond that you could adjust the actual F/R brake torque to your liking by running different pads F/R.
The Z4M front kit and e46 M3 ZCP kit is the same.
The rear has a different part number just because of the brake lines being longer on Z4M than on e46 M3 ZCP.

If you need more information on stoptech kit for Z4M, please post here so that i can provide it or attempt to.
I have the trophy 4 piston front kit with stock rears.
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      04-18-2017, 01:41 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tikamak View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by CTMP4me View Post
Are the piston diameters / areas the same on the OEM E46 ZCP M3 calipers and on the Z4M ones?

Stoptech claims to tune their kits for each application based on optimal F/R brake force distribution, so I wonder if this is why a separate and distinct Z4M kit exists.

Beyond that you could adjust the actual F/R brake torque to your liking by running different pads F/R.
The Z4M front kit and e46 M3 ZCP kit is the same.
The rear has a different part number just because of the brake lines being longer on Z4M than on e46 M3 ZCP.

If you need more information on stoptech kit for Z4M, please post here so that i can provide it or attempt to.
I have the trophy 4 piston front kit with stock rears.
Any word on how much longer the brake lines need to be? I'm considering a wilwood brake kit for an e46 m3 and I may be able to ask the vendor for longer brake lines
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      04-19-2017, 06:35 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tikamak View Post
The Z4M front kit and e46 M3 ZCP kit is the same.
The rear has a different part number just because of the brake lines being longer on Z4M than on e46 M3 ZCP.

If you need more information on stoptech kit for Z4M, please post here so that i can provide it or attempt to.
I have the trophy 4 piston front kit with stock rears.
How do you like this setup? Have you been able to compare to other kits for reference?
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      04-20-2017, 11:55 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CJW2OO4 View Post
Any word on how much longer the brake lines need to be? I'm considering a wilwood brake kit for an e46 m3 and I may be able to ask the vendor for longer brake lines
The Z4 rear brake line comes in two sections. You can get away with only replacing one section.
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      04-21-2017, 08:50 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CJW2OO4 View Post
Any word on how much longer the brake lines need to be? I'm considering a wilwood brake kit for an e46 m3 and I may be able to ask the vendor for longer brake lines
I can't compare it to other kits but i can say that it's a pretty nice kit, the stopping power is great and it can overpower semislicks easily.

My kit makes a lot of noise though, i got the race rotors which are fully floating to eliminate knockback (they don't have the cupped washers on the attachment bolts so the rotor is actually floating in the air and when the wheel turns the rotor clunks around on each of the attachement points)
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      12-18-2018, 11:52 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NickyC View Post
I have Stoptech kits F&R for my car, both were for the M3 w/ZCP. Fronts are plug and play with our cars, as are the rears. The ONLY difference is the Z4M has longer rear brake lines and you need to source those from Stoptech. They sell those however, so it's no issue.
are all stainless steel brake lines compatible on the ends regardless of which brand calipers you go with? Brembo, Stoptech, PFC, etc?
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      12-19-2018, 11:18 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rueyme View Post
are all stainless steel brake lines compatible on the ends regardless of which brand calipers you go with? Brembo, Stoptech, PFC, etc?
Yes, no and MAYBE.

BMW calipers use a screw-in type line fitting, where the line terminates in a threaded tip that goes into the caliper. Some OE fixed Brembo calipers use the same design.

MOST aftermarket and the majority of Brembo's OE fixed calipers use a banjo bolt type fitting to the caliper, so the fitting on the caliper end is universal. Changes are pretty damn good that the caliper end fitting for the brake lines are the same. Probably 95% certainty that the banjo bolt fittings are the same between AFTERMARKET solutions like StopTECH, Brembo Aftermarket, Wilwood, AP Racing, Performance Friction, RacingBrake...etc. The hard-line connection (from the flexible brake line to the hard line on the body side of the car) may be different from car to car, but the majority I've seen uses the same threaded collar. The only difference in application is, obviously, the length of the flexible line.
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      04-03-2019, 11:04 AM   #13
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Garage List
Apologies for bumping an old thread but I came across this site with some amazing brake bias data for the E46 M3 that is 100% applicable to the Z4M. Hopefully it's helpful for anyone searching for similar info:

https://thebuildjournal.com/tech-gui...-chart-e46-m3/
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      04-03-2019, 06:41 PM   #14
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Good find!

Interesting how many of the brake kits make the front bias worse.
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