help figuring out what brakes are on my na6 mx5

[laurie]

Hello everyone,

I am after some help figuring out what brakes are on the front of my na6 mx5. I have owned the car for about a year and they were put on by one of the previous owners at some stage. This being my first mx5 I really have no idea what they are or what they are off. They are obviously bigger than standard. They have pbr callipers. I have tried doing a bit of searching but can't find much info. I don't get a chance to drive it much so I haven't been to worried about it till now.

The problem is the disks seem to move on the studs, when you brake they clunk which feels horrible. I have had the wheels off and you can move them by hand.

The car came with 16" wheels which clear the callipers but I recently bought some 15's which don't.


Not sure if these will be much use:





Thanks for any help.

[NitroDann]

The disks are supposed to move on the studs.

The clunk will be the pads moving because they are missing their anti rattle clips.

Dann

[laurie]

Ok thanks Dann

[Boyracer]

They are Commodore calipers sometimes called Corvette calipers, Race Brakes at wetherill park used to do a bolt on conversion.
What colour is your car?

[laurie]

marina blue, I bought it of a guy near Gosford. I think I'm going to struggle to fit 15's over them.

[Boyracer]

Pretty sure your car was owned by Mazboy who used to be on the forum, he had the brakes fitted probably 10 years ago.

[laurie]

Interesting. All i really know about its history is its been around the Sydney and central coast area, at some stage it was in the New South Wales mx5 club because it still has the sticker on the window. Thanks for the info.

[Okibi]

Lou you're a wealth of information.

I seem to remember reading Tyrone had the same on his MX5 race car.

Many others running these?

[Boyracer]

Not many people use these Dave, they are big and heavy, way too much brake for a MX5, I've never had any problems on track, I just use stock NA8 brakes with good pads.

[Mr Morlock]

if you had gone to a brake specialist they would have been able to tell you. Consider brake guys are repairing, renovating brakes every day year in year out. I would also be taking advice ( ike others have suggested) as to whether it is wise to be using a non standard brake esp a brake for a car weighing about 1600Kg compared to a NA at around 1000KG.

[laurie]

Yep that was the next step if I couldn't get any info from the friendly people on here.
Out of interest, what sort of problems could arise from have brakes that are too big?

[Boyracer]

Those brakes have been on the car for a long time so they must be doing ok, potentially the only problem could be a bit more wear on the wheel bearings.

[laurie]

Other then the missing anti rattle clips they feel great, I can't believe how quick they pull you up.

[Mr Morlock]

just because something is fitted to a car does not make it appropriate.
Some ideas about the brakes from an amateur diy
* Brakes are designed specifically for a certain vehicle as a package
* are the replacement brakes a good well designed and low maintenance replacement - ie not all brakes are the same- some are high maintenance and others just keep performing
* these brakes may simply be far too powerful ie too much everything for the weight of the car
* brakes may not perform as well as the standard products in feel , wear on discs, wear performance on pads, disc wear, vibration etc etc
* brakes are almost certainly illegal ie non standard brakes - engineering certificate?
* brakes may affect ABS is fitted ie compatibility?
If you are shooting rabbits then a 22 cal is fine but using an elephant gun is not the right tool.
I would talk to someone in the brake industry who can provide a professionals overview.

[Mr Morlock]

PS the opening post already identified shortcomings- personally I would get rid of them but take some advice from a pro.