MX5 brake upgrade

Bob Anderson · Post by **Bob Anderson** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:16 am

I'm completely rebuilding my 1990 MX5 brakes.

Is anybody aware of any snags with replacing the seals in the master
cylinder?

I'm looking at using Green EBC pads from the agents in Newmarket. Front set
will be $175+ & rear $147+. I hope to get a discount. Much more expensive
than standard Bendix ex John Andrews parts at $41 & $32. Anyone used the
EBC's? The chappie says they are kevlar. Easy on discs he says.

Also has anyone upgraded their brake hoses to stainless steel braided?
Worthwhile? Cost & source in AK? I've done this on motorcycle rebuilds with
benefits of a much firmer brake feel.

Dr Bob
65531

Rex Johnston · Post by **Rex Johnston** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 12:38 pm

Bob Anderson wrote:

I'm looking at using Green EBC pads from the agents in Newmarket.
Front set will be $175+ & rear $147+. I hope to get a discount. Much more

Ouch. Good luck with the discount.

expensive than standard Bendix ex John Andrews parts at $41 & $32.
Anyone used the EBC's? The chappie says they are kevlar. Easy on discs
he says.

Also has anyone upgraded their brake hoses to stainless steel braided?
Worthwhile? Cost & source in AK? I've done this on motorcycle rebuilds
with benefits of a much firmer brake feel.

Make sure they are DOT approved, or you'll not get a warrant (even if
they are race car spec).

Dr Bob
65531

2^16-5?

Cheers, Rex

John Forsyth · Post by **John Forsyth** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 1:06 pm

EBC pads are crap. I ran them on a Legacy GT and had to reskim front discs
every 10K. Also piles of crap over the wheels each week.
JohnF
BCG191

my m5emails · Post by **my m5emails** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 4:29 pm

Bob,

I use the Cobalt Friction GT-sport pads I got from here
http://www.adrenalineracing.com/catalog ... cts_id/343

There are some great reviews on the Miata fourm.

They are excellent, however i did apply anti squeel stuff to them.

I had standard 1600 disks and pads and hard braking from 100kph would lock
the brakes about 40kph. I put on 1800 rotors, calipers and standard pads and
they then locked up at about 60kph.

I now have the cobalts and can lock up the wheels at 100kph if i want.

The car is used both on the track and street, I have no squeel on the road
(clean the dust off every few weeks) and no fade on the track even after a
stint of about twenty hot laps in a row. The car often has two drivers at a
track day so the brakes do get worked and the wear seems fine.

The cost to get the pads from the US was not that high and they arrived in
days. I think in total $360 ish for the four sets and freight.

Mike

[...]

EricW · Post by **EricW** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 5:09 pm

Amen to that!
EBC pads on the BMW when I bought it, result, stuffed rear rotors and filthy
wheels, went back to the original genuine part. Better braking and clean
wheels. Never again

Eric

Graeme H · Post by **Graeme H** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:51 am

No experience of greenstuff, but I've heard similar reports.
Try the UK owners club forum at http://www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/ you're bound to find some more stuff written up on there.

Good luck
Graeme H

[...]

Lou Girardin · Post by **Lou Girardin** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:32 pm

Try Bendix Ultimates, very popular in the US under the Axxis brand, they're
reputed to cope well in wet conditions. Don't bother with braided hoses, the
standard hoses have teflon inners just like braided, you won't notice much
difference if any. Fabricate and fit a master cylinder brace instead, much
more noticeable results.

Bob Anderson · Post by **Bob Anderson** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:30 am

Can anyone provide details of the master cylinder brace mentioned by Lou?

I've gone ahead & purchased Green EBC pads after speaking to the suppliers.
If they do dust up badly or score my rotors I said I would be back to haunt
them. Cost was $300 with GST for the complete set.

Dr Bob

Ian Chapman · Post by **Ian Chapman** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:49 am

Dr Bob

Have a look here for one example: (second photo)

http://miata.cardomain.com/member_pages ... 711&page=5

I think that some people have mounted one off the shock mount a well.

Ian

poison · Post by **poison** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 11:58 pm

I used to have some braking problems with an early 5Litre Commodore. I put on
the hard fibre disks and wow it could stop really fast from 100Km/hr but at
30Km/hr or less was awful. That's the trade off, too hard is great for high
speed and needs to get hot to work so is useless for everyday round town
driving. For hard out hooning is great. Where a softer pad will be awesome for
under 50Km/hr but will get too hot and glaze up when driven hard at 100km/hr.

Hard or soft, there is a trade off, my experience is mid range ever time.
Better than one way or the other. just a thought...

Gazza

"PO1SON"

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