Yes. We need hard data. Get to it, Joe!




Well, to be honest, most designers are lazy. I'd say that goes for the ones in Japan as well. So it's a pretty good bet that the spacing of the pins is a nice round metric number. Ought to be able to get it pretty damn close with just a HF caliper.

If you go this route, V8R has the rear brackets for $95 (not listed on their website tho)

It does need to be really damn close, but it shouldn't be too hard to measure quite precisely whether the existing holes are concentric.

Brake gurus: I seek your opinion.



Observe this product listing: https://www.gomiata.com/mazda-mx-5-m...-calipers.html


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...864cb7457e.png

"These are brand NEW aftermarket brake calipers, for less money than OEM Mazda rebuilt calipers!"


It claims to fit '94-'01 cars (with '00-'01 being only the non-sport model.)

$90 each. I am MORE than willing to spend this level of money to make this problem go away.


The Mazda OEM Collision Parts guide says that non-sport '02-'04 models used the same caliper as '94-'01 cars. Though, oddly, it also states that what was considered to be the "right side" caliper in earlier years is used on both sides of the '01+ cars.


NA guide:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9a81a1977a.png



NB guide:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ad224992b6.png



I just went down and inspected my car, and confirmed that the caliper is mounted on the front-side of the rotor on both right and left, and that the bleeder screw is at the top on both sides, so I fail to see how they can both be the same part.

Consequently, I am suspicious of this information. (These are both official Mazda publications.)



Obviously, I have "sport" brakes, and thus also the wrong rotors and support brackets. Judging by the photos, the support brackets appear to be included with the calipers, and obviously rotors are cheap.


Whaddya think?

Not sure why that says part numbers are same left/right. They are not.

You can just bolt on "1.8" stuff. The caliper piston area is different. Will result in bias and possible pedal feel changes.

Also: Friends don't let friends purchase from GoMiata.

Understood. This isn't a track car, it's a city driver which rarely exceeds 30 MPH. (Yes, I'm serious. Average speed is more like 15-20 on my daily commute.)




Normally I'd agree with you. Which is why it took me this long to check their listings. They are the ONLY place I've found thus far offering a new, non-reman rear caliper which isn't a part of some expensive big-brake kit.

To say that i'm highly skeptical of their claims as to their product being brand new and not remanufactured, would be a gross understatement.

This is also an option: https://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazd...t/61-2190.html

It is, and is an easy button, but you can save many dollars getting the equivalent stuff from Rockauto.

They say they are Centric calipers... gotta be able to find them somewhere for cheaper if u can find the part #...

Also, you stated "If I drag the hand-brake lightly while going over bumps, the noise vanishes completely. As soon as I release the brake, it comes right back. This proves to me that the calipers are at fault, and not anything in the suspension / exhaust / etc."
--Have you tried taking off the 14mm bolt and adjusting the caliper tension? I know on the non-sport calipers this can be done, not 100% sure on the sports. I turn that adjuster in till the rotor stops moving, then back off maybe 3/4 of a turn and I don't seem to get any audible rattle, and I can can even "wobble" the caliper by hand when no brake/parking brake is applied.

Vteckiller2000 was telling me this weekend that his Sport rear calipers need to be adjusted for the ebrake engagement a bit more often than his old 1.8 stuff. I haven't had the same experiences, but i do have some rattles that i previously attributed to my coilover sliders, and my brakes are freshly adjusted.

and they are different part #'s as opposed to a '99

non sport caliper's from Centric

Wow, their pictures are even correct... surprising.

Left rear sport Caliper


Left rear non-sport Caliper

I was already going down this line.

Found this vendor site: http://www.stylintrucks.com/parts/ce...ENBR7041.aspx#

Claims that they are remanufactured.



Yes. See below.



I adjusted the e-brake screws very carefully after replacing the pads & pins last year. Made the exact same rattle on the first drive afterwards as before.

They're all remans. If you're not getting NOS from Mazda, it's a reman.

That looks like a winner to me... loaded and ready to go. Can't beat that for $90.

And if you are going to do rotors, these Centric Premium's are nice and painted, . I ordered a pair last week and installed them yesterday.

That's what puzzles me. GoMiata specifically claims that theirs are new aftermarket, not remans.

They might by lying, I don't know. But truthfully, I'm extremely weary of reman rear NB sport calipers at this point, given all the different threads I've seen with people having this exact same problem. For $90 a side, loaded, I find it difficult to believe that they're drilling out the slider holes and re-bushing them.