New Product: Front and Rear AP Racing by Essex Competition Brake Kits for BMW E36 3-Series (non-M)

New Product: Front and Rear CP8350 Standard Competition Big Brake Kits for the BMW E36 3-Series

For years, the standard E36 BMW 3-Series has been one of the best accessible yet capable German track platforms for the money. Well balanced, easy to find and simple to work on, it remains a go-to for drivers wading into HPDE, building their first dedicated track car, or stepping up into grassroots racing. Of course, as soon as you start pushing an E36 on track, the limitations of its basic and now 30+ year-old braking system become clear. The stock sliding calipers, single-piece road discs, and street-oriented pads on the regular 3-Series were never designed for repeated high-speed stops lap after lap, much less with the grip levels and downforce available today. We'd already had great success with the CP8350 Competition Brake kits across many other vehicles, including the E36 M3, so we decided to make them available for the standard 3-Series as well!

A Well-Proven Pedigree in Racing

At the heart of our Standard Competition Brake Kits is the AP Racing CP8350 4-piston caliper. Initially designed to shed speed on European R2 rally stages, it can still be found on countless tarmac and gravel-spec machines doing just that. Here at Essex, they've proven their mettle on everything from late model stock cars on a circle track to NASA championship-winning road racing Corvettes. Along the way, these forged aluminum beasts have earned a reputation for both extreme toughness and consistent performance, yet weigh less than 5 pounds each! For the E36 3-Series, we've paired them with 325mm 2-piece full-floating J Hook discs at both ends, custom anodized aluminum brackets, and all the hardware needed for a straightforward installation. The result is a bolt-on solution that vastly improves repeat stop capability and heat management, plus a confidence-inspiring firm pedal that lasts.

Key Features:

• Front kit saves about 2 lbs. of unsprung weight versus OE, while increasing disc diameter by 39mm and thickness by 10mm
• Front and rear kits use an identical pad shape and iron disc, allowing front-to-rear swaps as parts get worn and reducing needed inventory of spares
• Rear kit offers a substantial 45mm increase in diameter and 22mm increase in thickness over OE 1-piece solid rotors
• CP8350 calipers are more rigid yet lightweight than stock at 4.8 lbs. each versus 6.2 lbs. to 9.4 lbs. for OE E36 calipers
• Eliminates stock sliding calipers that are prone to twist and flex under hard braking
• Full-floating 2-piece AP Racing J Hook discs offer superior durability, cooling performance and pad knockback control
• Change pads with only a single bolt while leaving the calipers in place
• Pistons sized properly to allow for seamless integration with OEM master cylinder and ABS system
• Every component designed to resist the heat of extended track sessions
• Track-focused- rear kit eliminates OE parking brake to maximize fitment options and reduce weight
• Rear kit weighs slightly more than OE due to much larger discs (roughly 7 to 8 lbs. but can vary based on parking brake components removed)

Links:

Front - AP Racing By Essex Competition Brake Kit (Front CP8350/325mm)- BMW E36 3-Series

Rear - AP Racing By Essex Competition Brake Kit (Rear CP8350/325mm)- BMW E36 3-Series