whats needed for the NA6 - NA8 front brake upgrade

garettb16 · Postby **garettb16** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:03 am

ive been looking at the packages sometimes available on here and on ebay for uprading my brakes to na8..

if i get the na8 mounting bracket do i just get na8 rotors and pads and use my calliper?

when i do it ill want new rotors and pads just for piece of mind so whats the list of parts needed..

im not really interested in doing the back.. dont think it would be worth while

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:51 am

garettb16 wrote:ive been looking at the packages sometimes available on here and on ebay for uprading my brakes to na8..

if i get the na8 mounting bracket do i just get na8 rotors and pads and use my calliper?

Yes. If you keep your old calipers you will have to do the left-right swap thing.

(If you were to get new calpers you leave them on the marked side)

when i do it ill want new rotors and pads just for piece of mind so whats the list of parts needed..

brackets, L&R
set of pads. (Get an OEM set first as they will come with the backing shims and springs and squealers, none of which can be swapped from the 1.6 pads. Or find a friend with some old parts)
2 rotors.

im not really interested in doing the back.. dont think it would be worth while

Disagree. On a 1.6 it is very important to get the F-R bias right, they already have too much front bias to begin with, and you are going to make it worse.

I did what you did, and upgrading the rears later made a very noticeable difference. Then I upgraded the prop valve to an NB one, more difference (improvement) again (even the wife could tell).

If I did it again the FIRST thing I'd do would be to get an adjustable proportioning valve.

garettb16 · Postby **garettb16** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:14 am

what do you mean by swap sides with the callipers. i would have to put the left calliper on the right side etc??

and with the back is it the same idea? i just need the different brackets rotors and pads and that will do the job??

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:01 am

garettb16 wrote:what do you mean by swap sides with the callipers. i would have to put the left calliper on the right side etc??

The brackets are marked L and R (I think? anyway, compare them to the 1.6 brackets). If you leave the 1.6 calipers in place, use the L bracket on the right, and the R bracket on the left of the car.
You don't need to swap the calipers themselves.

If you ever get 1.8 calipers, put the brackets back to their proper side and use the calipers on the correct side also.

See the miata.net writeup.

and with the back is it the same idea?

No. everything stays on the correct side on the rear.

i just need the different brackets rotors and pads and that will do the job??

that's what I said.

garettb16 · Postby **garettb16** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:29 pm

cool thanks matty your a champ!

and i like your happy tree friend

mr_rotary · Postby **mr_rotary** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:14 am

Matty wrote:I did what you did, and upgrading the rears later made a very noticeable difference. Then I upgraded the prop valve to an NB one, more difference (improvement) again (even the wife could tell).

I have only done the fronts and yes, it is very front biasing. You really have to watch yourself in the wet, that's combined with crap tyres.

Now, to do the rear, what do you need?

garettb16 · Postby **garettb16** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:40 am

just after the front and rear brackets so i can use my callipers.. ill be buying new rotors and pads.

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:05 pm

mr_rotary wrote:Now, to do the rear, what do you need?

same stuff as the front, but no issues about L/R swapping. Brackets, rotors and pads (ideally pads with shims and springs or the rattles will send you insane!)

The handbrake mechanism hooks straight up no worries.

Oh, and in both cases you need to bend or cut the shields to clear the bigger rotors. No problem if you have a big hammer.