[AWBimmer]

You have arguably the best 335D in the country Mo. Very envious indeed and I bet the handling has improved massively. In for further mods and updates and BOY am I glad you have kept this!

[RajB]

Cool upgrade on the rear springs. I know you've had them sat there a while. I'm still yet to feel the need to change them yet to swifts but this is good to know if I do need to go this route.

[mob17]

Originally Posted by AWBimmer

You have arguably the best 335D in the country Mo. Very envious indeed and I bet the handling has improved massively. In for further mods and updates and BOY am I glad you have kept this!

Thats very high praise especially coming from you! Not sure about the best, there are some stunning examples on here including yours.

I too am so glad i kept it. Car feels sublime now

Originally Posted by RajB

Cool upgrade on the rear springs. I know you've had them sat there a while. I'm still yet to feel the need to change them yet to swifts but this is good to know if I do need to go this route.

Thanks Raj.

Yeah had them for ages! Still got the solid subframe bushes sat waiting, its just harder to justify the spend now with the new little Mo coming lol.

Was thinking of meth recently but going back to handling for the next few mods i think. Really want an LSD but thats going to have to wait until prices come down me thinks.

[mob17]

Thinking of going to a track taster day at Rockingham, which is only 25 miles away. They have one on the 8th Nov, 30mins for £30, seems like good value and a nice way to get into tracking. Plus my rear are at 3mm so they definitely won't last a full day

Bedford is the safest choice but they dont do any taster sessions annoyingly.

[mob17]

Am heading to Rockingham circuit this Sunday for the taster. It looks like rain is scheduled. Might get slippy especially with 3mm rears.

Can't wait though. Should get a better understanding of how good my brakes are and generally the car.

[RajB]

Originally Posted by mob17

Am heading to Rockingham circuit this Sunday for the taster. It looks like rain is scheduled. Might get slippy especially with 3mm rears.

Can't wait though. Should get a better understanding of how good my brakes are and generally the car.

Cool. If raining then yes the lesser tread depth will make it a little more twitchy for sure. However if it's dry then will make it even better LOL.

I might be doing Silverstone in December which I do really like as a circuit.

[mob17]

Originally Posted by RajB

Cool. If raining then yes the lesser tread depth will make it a little more twitchy for sure. However if it's dry then will make it even better LOL.

I might be doing Silverstone in December which I do really like as a circuit.

Yes i was hoping it would be dry, but what better way to learn on a damp track

Really wish i could join you Raj, do they do the full F1 circuit? That's my dream track day

[RajB]

Originally Posted by mob17

Yes i was hoping it would be dry, but what better way to learn on a damp track

Really wish i could join you Raj, do they do the full F1 circuit? That's my dream track day

Yes it is the full circuit and if I go you should join me.

[mob17]

Originally Posted by RajB

Yes it is the full circuit and if I go you should join me.

I really wish i could Raj, but i would like to get some experience before taking Silverstone on. It's also nearly £300, but i reckon that price will be well worth it once i've had more track time and experience. Plan is to go to a full track day at Bedford after this taster session, then perhaps Silverstone if i feel good.

[mob17]

Just came back from Rockingham. Went for a taster session, so had half an hour around the track. There were only 7 of us in the session, that that eased my nerves somewhat.

In the briefing the instructor did say it was very slippy, like someone's poured olive oil on the track. And that was right. It was so slippy. I couldn't go WOT even at 80mph in 3rd. Under heavy braking the rear was snaking around, with the traction control saving me. Exiting corners was the same, a few times the rear was let loose. I pressed the DTC button once, so not fully off.

I did manage some good laps however. Had the Ohlins at 1 click from stiff at the front, and 2 clicks from stiff at the rear, and the car was so flat around the corners. Perhaps i shouldn't have gone so stiff due to the conditions, but it just felt like the right thing to do. The brakes seemed very good too, didn't feel any fade whatsoever, and the car was slowing down fast. I did feel some judder when braking hard from 100mph+ through the steering wheel, not sure if thats normal?

Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend a taster session to anyone who is thinking about going to a track day. I think i might go to a full day sometime next spring.

[AirAndre335i]

Great Stuff! Any over heating issues?

[mob17]

Originally Posted by AirAndre335i

Great Stuff! Any over heating issues?

Not really. I was out driving for a full 20 minutes and probably did 7-10 laps (didn't count). I monitored my coolant temp and the max it read was 100 degrees, which i think is ok.

It was the brakes which were disappointing. I felt massive judder towards the end of my stint, felt like an earthquake, which is when the brake temps got too hot for the pads i was using (EBC Yellowstuff). I guess in that situation you would cool them off. But i am not happy as they are marketed as Road and Track, which they are not. Last time EBC Yellows are going on this car, but to be fair they are decent pads for the road.

I was happy with the pedal though, it never once hit the floor and was firm throughout, which in my little knowledge would say its the steel lines and ATE fluid.

I think when my EBCs run out i will be changing them to better pads for road/track use. I am also thinking about running ducting from my fog delete to the brake discs.

I just want to do one more taster session in the dry, to get a better idea whether i should do the subframe bushes and m3 arms or lsd. I'll probably have to wait until the spring knowing British weather

[AirAndre335i]

Sounds like the pads did ok!

When i get regular road pads i would feel brake fade after 3-5 corners of heavy braking and would pull in ever 3 laps to let it all cool down! So 7-10 laps is pretty damn gd mate

[AWBimmer]

Mo, time for BBK me thinks! Alcons!!!!

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by mob17

Not really. I was out driving for a full 20 minutes and probably did 7-10 laps (didn't count). I monitored my coolant temp and the max it read was 100 degrees, which i think is ok.

It was the brakes which were disappointing. I felt massive judder towards the end of my stint, felt like an earthquake, which is when the brake temps got too hot for the pads i was using (EBC Yellowstuff). I guess in that situation you would cool them off. But i am not happy as they are marketed as Road and Track, which they are not. Last time EBC Yellows are going on this car, but to be fair they are decent pads for the road.

I was happy with the pedal though, it never once hit the floor and was firm throughout, which in my little knowledge would say its the steel lines and ATE fluid.

I think when my EBCs run out i will be changing them to better pads for road/track use. I am also thinking about running ducting from my fog delete to the brake discs.

I just want to do one more taster session in the dry, to get a better idea whether i should do the subframe bushes and m3 arms or lsd. I'll probably have to wait until the spring knowing British weather

Are you still on stock discs Mo? I did yellow stuff pads, steel lines and ATE fluid with the discs that are dimpled and slotted. You can really hear them wafting like fans when you drive. I imagine there's a bit of extra cooling ability in the design alone.



Definitely like the idea of running a path for cooling the brakes but I want to keep my LED foggies

[mob17]

Originally Posted by AirAndre335i

Sounds like the pads did ok!

When i get regular road pads i would feel brake fade after 3-5 corners of heavy braking and would pull in ever 3 laps to let it all cool down! So 7-10 laps is pretty damn gd mate

Yeah you could be right, i've never used regular road pads, so maybe they weren't as bad as i thought. I mean i definitely didn't have brake fade after 3-5 corners! I can't remember what exact lap the juddering started, but i'm guessing it was around lap 5-6.

I just feel that next time i would like some more track orientated pads. been speaking to a brake pad expert who swears by Carbotech brakes... But undecided if i should get a dedicated set or not, because there will be more dust and noise...

Originally Posted by AWBimmer

Mo, time for BBK me thinks! Alcons!!!!

Haha in my dreams. They are way too expensive!

[mob17]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

Are you still on stock discs Mo? I did yellow stuff pads, steel lines and ATE fluid with the discs that are dimpled and slotted. You can really hear them wafting like fans when you drive. I imagine there's a bit of extra cooling ability in the design alone.

Definitely like the idea of running a path for cooling the brakes but I want to keep my LED foggies

No i have the EBC slotted discs, so not the turbo groove ones you posted. I also have ate fluid, reckon that's good enough for most things.

I think i have two options now. Run OEM discs and cheap ish road pad for daily, then same discs and some carbotech pads for the track. The Evo guys swear by them, rate them better than Ferodo and Pagid RS. Or run one pads for both, but that could introduce noise and dust...

Anyways get rid of those fogs and put some ducting in there

[Aragorn30d]

It could have been your rears that were overheating? Especially if its on stock rear pads.

[Ao1]

I remember the first time I boiled the brake fluid on my motocross bike. The brakes stopped working without notice. I thought it was a brake fluid leak as I could fully depress the brake levers and nothing happened. Once the fluid cooled down they worked as normal.

The weight of a car and braking forces involved on a track, without giving the disks/ pads chance to cool down are going to test any braking system.

AWSAWS – I have the same disks, but green stuff pads. I have not noticed them being noisy.

[tomwh85]

I take it mo that you won't be selling it anytime soon?

[RajB]

Glad you had fun. It can get very addictive for sure as the adrenalin kicks when you feel the back squirming lol. So when's the next venture out?

As for brakes, it's a tricky one tbh. I've tried loads of different combinations and none of them have been able to perform on both road and track combined as one will always have to be a compromise. Getting a good 7 ish laps out in one go is good for road/track pads etc.

[Aragorn30d]

His failure method of the brakes is quite unusual though.

You usually either boil the brake fluid, resulting in a mushy pedal, or overheat the pads resulting in a solid pedal and minimal retardation.

Big vibrations sounds like "warped" disks or sticking/binding calipers.


Talking of brake cooling, my 330d already has brake ducts as standard, surely yours does too? Cant see them removing the ducts from higher spec car!