RX7 Brake Caliper review
 

Ok , I did this conversion about 2 years ago, I have seen a conversion done, where they cut the lugs off', and use the main caliper camping bolts to mount a bracket too, I did not like this idea so this is what a came up with.
To mount the caliper, I use a simple dog bone mount, Caliper design and mounting holes depict a minimum disc diameter of 290mm. To fit the calipers inside 15'' wheels, you will have to machine the out side ends of the calipers to fit in the radius of the wheels approximately 1/4'' of material will need to be removed .
Brake hat spacing can't be changed much from std, as you are limited by the tie rod end mount . I used some 300mm rotors from a Ford Focus 127kw, Machined down to 290mm , the spacing was close to std miata., stud pattern re drilled
Fitted M-tune rear mounts and sports rotors, removed the std proportioning valve and fitted an adjustable unit.
The Brakes work very well, but here are the issues
the calipers are very bulky, as a result, they stick out into the wheel spokes approximately 45mm past the wheel mounting face, ( wilwood calipers are 21mm ). You need a 1'' + spacer to fit 6UL's. I machined the mazda logo down but you can't go very far as the fluid port is there.
The wheels (ALT) I have, happened to have allot of clearance, but I have not found any others.
If it was a cost effective conversion, I would make up some alloy hats and custom rotors, the one's I used are to heavy.

In short, its cheaper , and more user friendly, to buy one of the kits available, I know, I will when these pads and rotors wear out. ( I need 15x9's)


previously only tried 7 1/2 6UL's, today borrowed some 9", they are different in the spoke design, 1/2'' spacer is all that is required . smiles

Seems like all that machining would cost more that a $600 Wilwood kit.

That's probably why he said:

Nice tie-rod end boot.

Oops missed that.

Cool they say mazda

Bob

Very nice i have had FC calipers that i have been thinking of putting on my miata. Got them new for free a long with VW G60 rotors.

yes, if I had to pay for machine work, it would be more expensive. As it was , buying S/H calipers, overhauling, new pads, rotors, braided lines + extras, it was more then haft the cost of a kit.

There is a very fast (runs some GT class and lap times with GT3RS`s and shit like that) turbo NA that runs locally and has been running FC calipers for years. Not ideal but for some reason they like them. This is a high end fabrication shop too that has been building championship winning racecars for a long time. They shaved the front of the caliper down a bit to fit wheels easier. I don`t know why they don`t go to something different but it seems to be working for them...

http://www.specialtyengineering.ca/

[IMG]http://i468.photobucket.com/albums/r.../specialty.jpg[/IMG]

The Focus rotors I see had a 24mm thickness, opposed to the 22mm of the Miata/RX7.
Did you add an spacer between the two halves of the RX7 calipers?

Thanx.
Ben.

yes added a spacer between the caliper halfs, pretty simple, just time consuming. Had to cut a resess in the caliper to take an O-ring to seal the fluid cross over port to the spacer.

I heard the corrado rotors work well in the front but they just require a redrill.

I have front and Rear FC calipers that I plan to fit onto the car. The rears are a pretty straight forward fit but the more I look at the Fronts the more challenge I see. I'll probably modify the knuckle a little bit to put it in a better place.

This is good for ideas though, I want to see this work easily

Corrado has a 4x100 pattern, so no need for redrill just a centering ring as the hole is 63mm and miata one is 55mm.

The problem with the Corrado is that the height is lower and you need a wheel spacer to move the wheel away from the rotor and caliper. Also the Corrado rotors are "only" 280mm

Thanx Brett!

Does anybody tried a Mini S works 294mm rotors? :idea:

Nice work! I've been thinking of doing this myself!