Need upgraded brakes!
 

Wow, the car is eating the brakes. I'm using stock 1.6 diameter rotors and with the power my car's putting down now, I'm eating my brakes fast, I'm running into fade problems, and I'm worried the car can't stop fast enough. Is there a good deal on a upgrade package for bigger rotors and brakes. Is there something out there for under 1000$ that works well with the Miata? I'm using 15" rims.

I posted a thread about this! I was overrunning junctions cus my mintex 1144 pads were shod!

I went for drilled/grooved 1.8 discs, redstuff (ceramic) pads front and rear and goodridge braided brakes lines.

They are still bedding in but are a HUGE improvement over just the MINTEX 1144 pads I had with stock discs!

Just another thought, you could upgrade to 1.8 brakes. It just requires the 1.8 caliper brackets (you can use your old calipers), the larger 1.8 rotors (cheap at nopi online or local napa store), and a better set of pads. Brackets run around $50-100 on ebay (or you can buy the whole caliper bracket setup for ~$200), $100 for four brembo rotors from nopi, $100+ for upgraded pads, $15 new high temp brake fluid for a flush = anywhere from $300-$500 for "upgraded" brakes that will improve braking and fade via better pads, larger surface area for stopping/cooling. YMMV.

FWIW, I just upgraded to Axxis Ultimate pads and did a good flush and fill of my brake fluid and the brakes feel great for spirited driving, BUT I have the 1.8 caliper brackets/rotors/pads waiting on the shelf for when I use up these pads.

MiataNuTca,I sent you a PM.

Thanks for that info!

Have you guys tried upgrading pads? (at leaste before upping the rotors) THe problem is heat dissapation. You can either increase the area (bigger rotors) or incearse the temperature rating of the pad. Its cheaper and easier to just upgrade pads first. Look at Adrenaline racings Axis Ultimates, they have been my favorite for a while.

+1

best all around brake pad in my opinion, and it did very well at a road course as well, and I am pushing probably around 200hp.

I like your turbo setup...remindes me alot of how my Greddy was when I had one way back when. It put down 220whp and 227ft/lb on 13psi so I bet yours is a blast. Gotta love the on/off way the 15G feels.:bigtu:

I've got a '97 so I've already got the "1.8 brake upgrade" ;) I'm a big fan of the Axxis Ultimate pads also... they drastically improved the bite and fade problems I had before. I hear others have also liked the hawk HPS pads.

Ive driven both, hawk and Axis, no comparison, the hawks felt soft and fadey.

Does anybody have anything to say about the Cobalt Friction GT-Sport pads as seen here?

Looks like they're the smae as the Axxis Ultimates but with better heat handling.

a friend of mine had them on his 1.8 (a trial set before adrenaline starting carrying them) he loved them, but i never drove them. They are supposed to be direct competition for axxis. I would say go for them if the ultimates were fading on you, but I assume that have a high operating temp too which means on cold runs youll have to warm them up.

Thanks. Just can't wait until I'm done with the DP and IC upgrades and redyno. Can't compare to a built engine running that huge turbo I bet. :bigtu:

Like I said above, I run Axxis Ultimates now and really like them, but I figure that I'd mention that they dust a lot more than stock. Also, quite a few of the cars running pads that are more track oriented tend to squeal a bit more. Just some things to consider...

carbotech has an excellent package for the miatas. the spec miata guys i know love 'em.

Another thing that can decrease brake performance is how the driver uses them. In a performance setting, the most efficient way is to bring the pad up to temp as quickly as possible by exponential increasing pedal pressure (this is text book peformance braking). Most drivers just don't push the pedal hard enough for fear of locking brakes, but it's how you get to the maximum braking pressure that prevents lockup. The 1.8 brakes, with upgraded pad and venting are more than adequate for a 2375# Miata with a 200# driver. - rob