SHW BFR42502 Right Front Cross-Drilled Lightweight Rotor 395x36 2018-2021 M5

Vehicle Fitment

• 2018-2021 BMW M5 (F90) - 4.4L S63 twin-turbo V8, all configurations
• 2018-2021 BMW M5 Competition (F90) - 4.4L S63 twin-turbo V8

Fitment Notes

• Right front (passenger side) only - the BFR42502 is the right front rotor; the matching left front rotor is SHW BFL42501 (OE# 34117991101); a complete front axle replacement requires one of each
• Sold individually - one rotor per order; purchase BFL42501 separately for the left front
• OE replacement specification - replaces BMW OE part number 34117991102; SHW is the OEM supplier of this rotor to BMW for the F90 M5's standard non-ceramic front brake system
• Standard iron brake system only - the F90 M5 was also available with the optional carbon-ceramic M Compound brakes (MCCB); the BFR42502 is for the standard iron brake specification; verify your vehicle's brake system before ordering
• F90 M5 and M5 Competition share the same front brake rotor specification - both use the 395mm x 36mm cross-drilled composite front rotor; this part fits both variants

Features

• True OEM-source rotor - SHW (Schwabische Huttenwerke) is the direct OEM supplier of this specific rotor to BMW for the F90 M5's standard front brake system; the BFR42502 is not an aftermarket approximation engineered to match OEM dimensions - it is the same part, manufactured in the same facility, to the same specification, as the rotor installed on the F90 M5 in production; SHW Performance makes this OEM part available to consumers directly, eliminating the dealer price premium while maintaining identical specification
• SHW Pin-Drive two-piece composite construction - the BFR42502 uses SHW's patented Pin-Drive system, which connects the cast iron friction ring to an aluminum rotor bell/hat using stainless steel pins that are cast directly into the friction ring during the foundry process; this two-piece design decouples the friction ring from the hat so the ring can expand and contract thermally without transmitting stress to the hat or wheel hub; this thermal isolation prevents the hat distortion and rotor face waviness that occur in one-piece rotors subjected to repeated high-heat cycles - a critical advantage in the M5's intended use where sustained high-speed braking generates significant rotor heat
• Offset pin connection for superior cooling - SHW's patented Pin-Drive design positions the stainless steel pin connection points at the outer edge of the aluminum bell rather than at the center; by offsetting the pins outward, the central internal cooling channels of the rotor remain fully open and unobstructed; air flowing centrifugally through the rotor's internal vane structure exits at the outer edge without interference from centrally-mounted pins; SHW claims up to 50% greater cooling airflow efficiency compared to traditional two-piece rotor designs where central pin placement restricts the cooling channel exits
• Aluminum rotor bell for weight reduction - the aluminum hat/bell component is substantially lighter than an equivalent cast iron one-piece rotor; the F90 M5's 395mm x 36mm front rotor specification is large and would be heavy in a full-iron monobloc design; the aluminum bell reduces unsprung rotational mass at the front axle, which contributes to steering response, suspension control, and ride quality; reducing rotating unsprung mass also reduces the gyroscopic forces that affect handling during cornering and direction changes
• Cross-drilled friction surface - the BFR42502 uses the cross-drilled surface specification that is the factory standard for the F90 M5 front brakes; the drilled holes provide outgassing channels for brake pad gases and debris under hard braking, maintain consistent friction surface temperature distribution by exposing hot pad material to fresh contact surface with each rotation, and contribute to the M5's characteristic brake aesthetic; the holes are cast into the friction ring during foundry production rather than drilled into a finished rotor, maintaining the metallurgical integrity of the material around each hole
• 395mm x 36mm ventilated disc - the 395mm diameter is among the largest standard iron front brake specifications in the BMW M lineup; the 36mm thickness indicates the internal vane height between the two friction faces; larger diameter and thicker rotors provide greater thermal mass (more material to absorb and store heat before the friction surface temperature rises to a level that causes fade), and larger swept area for more consistent heat distribution across the pad contact surface
• SHW quality standards and manufacturing - SHW operates an integrated facility encompassing raw material foundry, automated machining, and R&D, controlling every production step in-house; this vertical integration is what allows SHW to meet BMW's exacting OEM supply specifications for dimensional accuracy, metallurgical composition, surface finish, and balance

Specifications

• Part Number: BFR42502
• Brand: SHW Performance (Schwabische Huttenwerke, Germany)
• Product: Cross-Drilled Lightweight Composite (Pin-Drive) Ventilated Brake Rotor
• Position: Right Front (Passenger Side)
• Rotor Diameter: 395mm
• Rotor Thickness: 36mm (ventilated)
• Surface: Cross-Drilled
• Construction: Two-piece composite - cast iron friction ring + aluminum bell, SHW Pin-Drive stainless steel pin connection
• Application: 2018-2021 BMW M5 / M5 Competition (F90) - 4.4L S63 twin-turbo V8, standard iron brakes
• OE Part Number: 34117991102 (also 34-11-7-991-102)
• Matching Left Rotor: SHW BFL42501 (OE# 34117991101)
• Quantity: Sold individually (1 rotor per order)

Included Components

• 1x SHW BFR42502 Right Front Cross-Drilled Lightweight Composite Brake Rotor

Product Description

The SHW BFR42502 is the right front cross-drilled lightweight composite brake rotor for the 2018-2021 BMW M5 and M5 Competition (F90) - measuring 395mm in diameter and 36mm in thickness. SHW (Schwabische Huttenwerke) is the direct OEM supplier of this rotor to BMW as factory-installed equipment on the F90 M5's standard (non-ceramic) front brake system. The SHW Performance consumer product line makes the identical OEM-specification part available to consumers directly, replacing the dealer supply chain while maintaining exact factory specification.

The BFR42502 uses SHW's patented Pin-Drive two-piece composite design, which is the factory specification for the F90 M5 front brake system. In the Pin-Drive design, the cast iron friction ring is connected to an aluminum rotor bell by stainless steel pins that are cast directly into the friction ring during foundry production - not threaded or bolted after the fact. The two-piece floating connection allows the friction ring to expand and contract thermally without transmitting stress to the aluminum bell or wheel hub, eliminating the thermal distortion and face waviness that one-piece rotors develop during repeated high-heat braking cycles. SHW's specific innovation is the offset pin placement: by positioning the stainless steel pins at the outer edge of the bell rather than centrally, the internal cooling channel exits remain fully open, which SHW quantifies as providing up to 50% greater cooling efficiency compared to competing two-piece designs.

The cross-drilled surface is the factory specification for this application. The 395mm diameter represents one of the largest standard iron front brake dimensions in the BMW M lineup, providing the thermal mass and swept area required for the M5's performance and track use demands. The aluminum bell substantially reduces unsprung rotational mass compared to an equivalent monobloc iron rotor at this size. Right front position; the matching left front rotor is BFL42501. Replaces BMW OE part 34117991102. Sold individually; one rotor per order. For vehicles equipped with the optional M Carbon Ceramic Brakes, a different rotor specification applies.