Hello Folks:
I recently upgraded my 330Ci from Powerslot rotors using Ultimate pads to the new BMW Performance cross-drilled rotors using a new set of Ultimates.
Honestly, I was 100% satisfied with the Powerslot/Ultimate combination. The only reason I did the upgrade was to spend some money and put some new fangled accessory on the car.
The Powerslot/Ultimate combination had exactly 32,254 miles on it (I keep meticulous, FAA worthy records and receipts in a 3-ring binder).
I gave my old brake kit away to a fellow E46Fanatics member. When I took the old kit off, the pads seemed to have a surprising amount of thickness left compared to the new pads - about 70%...(I'd would have measured them today for an exact number but the new pads are already installed and the Textar website is not clear whether the backing plate is included in the thickness measurement).
Curiousity got the better of me and I went out and bought a micrometer so I could measure the thickness of the rotors. Here's what I found:
LF = 24.4mm
RF = 24.4mm
LR = 21.7mm
RR = 21.6mm
The minimum thickness for the fronts is 23mm (new they are 25mm), minimum thickness for the rears is 20.4mm (new they are 22mm).
My calculations tell me that the fronts still have 70% of their recommended life left, figured as follows; 2.0 millimeters is the maximum wear allowed, 0.6mm is tha actual wear measured, divide 0.6 by 2.0 = 0.3, or 30%. 30% is the actual wear as a percentage of the maximum allowed. Therefore, 100% minus 30% = 70%. 70% is the useful life that remains in the front rotors.
For the rears I figured they have 75% of the useful life left (I figured this from the more worn RR which was 21.6mm).
So, why am I telling you all this?
Everyone has their favorite pad, my own experience with the Ultimates being very favorable. However, there has been occassional mention about rotor and pad compatibilty with respect to wear. This has been in the context of a hard pad lasting longer than the rotor, and the wear sensor not indicating the brakes need replacing (because there is still pad left, though the rotors are gone).
My experience with the Powerslot/Ultimate combo tells me that the combination is highly compatible. Based on my calculations, the rotors and pads will wear out at roughly the same time.
This is a good thing; perhaps my experience will add a little "science" to the pad choices people make in the future.
In summary, the Ultimate pads seem to be a good match to OEM BMW rotors (which I am 99% sure that Powerslot used in my case).
FWIW,
Scott
I recently upgraded my 330Ci from Powerslot rotors using Ultimate pads to the new BMW Performance cross-drilled rotors using a new set of Ultimates.
Honestly, I was 100% satisfied with the Powerslot/Ultimate combination. The only reason I did the upgrade was to spend some money and put some new fangled accessory on the car.
The Powerslot/Ultimate combination had exactly 32,254 miles on it (I keep meticulous, FAA worthy records and receipts in a 3-ring binder).
I gave my old brake kit away to a fellow E46Fanatics member. When I took the old kit off, the pads seemed to have a surprising amount of thickness left compared to the new pads - about 70%...(I'd would have measured them today for an exact number but the new pads are already installed and the Textar website is not clear whether the backing plate is included in the thickness measurement).
Curiousity got the better of me and I went out and bought a micrometer so I could measure the thickness of the rotors. Here's what I found:
LF = 24.4mm
RF = 24.4mm
LR = 21.7mm
RR = 21.6mm
The minimum thickness for the fronts is 23mm (new they are 25mm), minimum thickness for the rears is 20.4mm (new they are 22mm).
My calculations tell me that the fronts still have 70% of their recommended life left, figured as follows; 2.0 millimeters is the maximum wear allowed, 0.6mm is tha actual wear measured, divide 0.6 by 2.0 = 0.3, or 30%. 30% is the actual wear as a percentage of the maximum allowed. Therefore, 100% minus 30% = 70%. 70% is the useful life that remains in the front rotors.
For the rears I figured they have 75% of the useful life left (I figured this from the more worn RR which was 21.6mm).
So, why am I telling you all this?
Everyone has their favorite pad, my own experience with the Ultimates being very favorable. However, there has been occassional mention about rotor and pad compatibilty with respect to wear. This has been in the context of a hard pad lasting longer than the rotor, and the wear sensor not indicating the brakes need replacing (because there is still pad left, though the rotors are gone).
My experience with the Powerslot/Ultimate combo tells me that the combination is highly compatible. Based on my calculations, the rotors and pads will wear out at roughly the same time.
This is a good thing; perhaps my experience will add a little "science" to the pad choices people make in the future.
In summary, the Ultimate pads seem to be a good match to OEM BMW rotors (which I am 99% sure that Powerslot used in my case).
FWIW,
Scott