Hi all,

Looking to upgrade my brakes, both front and rear. Primarily street/backroads fun but some occasional track day (fun oriented, not competitive). I'd like to stick with the stock 15x6 BBS wheels that came with my 95M and was thus looking at the FM Little Big Brake Kit with 11" front and 10" rear rotors. A few questions:
.

• Will I need spacers if I was to stick with the stock wheels?
• If I get spacers, do I need to get new hub studs?
• Are there alternatives to the FM LBBK that will work with the stock wheels?
• What minimum wheel width should I look at for a BBK if stock wheels is not feasible?

Thanks!

 

Have you reached out to FM to confirm fitment? They should be able to tell you what you need pretty quickly. Based on your similar thread on M.net you don't want to hear this but I'm going to say it anyway: your stock brakes are fine with the right pads and fluid. From what I understand, the Powerlite calipers are not much of an improvement over stock UNLESS you are a competitive autocrosser and are looking to shed weight wherever you can. Better to step up to the Dynalite or Dynapro calipers if you are going to spend that kind of money, but then you'll probably run into wheel fitment issues.

 

No offense meant but the tires that will fit on a stock wheel aren't really gonna be capable of generating enough grip to really warrant a BBK. I understand wanting it for aesthetic reasons, but with the pad selection, decent fluid, and minimal ducting the 1.8 brakes should be more than capable of slowing a car on <205 tires. Especially a car built around fun, and not outright pace. If you are set on a BBK I'd certainly skip the rear, the miata rear brakes are biased way down because the back end gets so light on heavy braking, bigger brakes would just trend towards locking up. Many *****-out racecars still run factory rear brakes for this reason, unless they have pretty serious rear aero-loading.

That said, the high offset of stock wheels means you almost definitely will need spacers to clear the stock wheels, probably something in the neighborhood of 25mm+ so the bolt-on style spacers will be your only real option, which do not require extended studs.

 

Really have to decide if your doing it for looks or performance?

Then look at how well a spec Miata stops with good pads, fluid and cooling on slicks.

Tires stop a car, brakes slow the tires. Stock brakes work perfectly unless your on track or racing down Pikes Peak.

Tires and usage heat range determine the pad to use.

 

I run an old M-tuned Corrado rotor kit. Uses the stock calipers and brackets with an 11" rotor from a VW Corrado. Needed a 5mm spacer to clear the calipers with the 95M BBS wheels.

Even running just Stoptech Sport pads, the 195 DZ102s lock ip if I sneeze....

 

Thanks guys - I've been thinking more about it and honestly, I think I can indeed forego a BBK for now and instead get a good set of rotors, pads and fluids. And considering I want to avoid using spacers, I think I'll combine a BBK with new wheels if/when I decide it's time to do so.

Cheers!

 

If you have 1.8 brakes, get a set of PFC 11 pads, front and rear. OG Racing usually has them in stock.

 

Thanks - being I have a 95M, I indeed have 1.8 brakes