Brake pads and rotors for dual duty Miata: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Sept. 1, 2011 1:10 p.m. mtn SuperDork
99 Miata is the car in question. First, my rotors are pretty badly pitted. I should definitely get new ones, right? Which ones? Stock? Autozone? NAPA? Something else?

I searched google but couldn't find any results that had what I was looking for, and I don't have my stash of GRM's here at school. So the brake pads: What kind should I get? I run about 10-20 autocrosses a year, but it is also my year round daily driver and I am far from competitive. I don't drive that often--I think I've put 20 miles on the car in the last two weeks. I am a broke college student, so cost and longevity is very important here (i.e. the most important part). Oh, and I hate brake dust.

Cliff notes:
- Pitted rotors means I need new ones, right?
- What kind of rotors if I do need some?
- What kind of brake pads that serve dual duty autocross/dd?
Sept. 1, 2011 1:16 p.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

I'd get some stock disks or at least good known brand OEM-equivalent.

On my last dual-duty (semi-DD and track car) Miata I ran Hawk HP+ and was generally very happy with them.
Sept. 1, 2011 1:17 p.m. Tom Heath Web Manager

I had a very similar need, and I solved mine with THIS KIT.

It's not exactly budget friendly, but it's a good value. I'm ~3 seasons in and very happy with them; this includes many test sessions and a handful of track days, plus about 15k street miles with lots of pad and rotor left. They dust a little, but not nearly as much as the WRX.

If I were really pinching pennies, I'd get rotors from RockAuto.com, but still use those pads. They are pretty awesome for a dual duty solution.
Sept. 1, 2011 1:19 p.m. DaveEstey HalfDork

I recently bought 4 rotors for my Miata for $45 total from a Carquest.

I treat rotors as disposable and spend the money on pads. For dual use I like the Hawk HPS.
Sept. 1, 2011 1:19 p.m. mtn SuperDork

Oh, I suppose I should mention that it is a 99.
Sept. 1, 2011 1:35 p.m. Matt B Dork

I really like Centric Premium rotors. Seem to be just as good as the Brembo blanks at a reasonable price. As a bonus, the top hats and vent/sides are powdercoated or painted, so they don't rust up.

For pads, I'm a fan of the Axxis Ultimates. Great initial bite, kinda a lot of dust, cheaper than the Hawk & Porterfield stuff in my experience.
Sept. 1, 2011 1:49 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

Matt B wrote:

I really like Centric Premium rotors. Seem to be just as good as the Brembo blanks at a reasonable price. As a bonus, the top hats and vent/sides are powdercoated or painted, so they don't rust up.

For pads, I'm a fan of the Axxis Ultimates. Great initial bite, kinda a lot of dust, cheaper than the Hawk & Porterfield stuff in my experience.

+1 for both.
Sept. 1, 2011 2:14 p.m. SpeedTheory Reader

On track? Street tires? Hawk Blacks up front w/HP+ rear. Order from Mazdaspeed. They're fine on the street. If you're okay with a ton of dust, PFC97.

EDIT: Autocross? If you're running stock brake bias, you're really prone to lock fronts up at an autocross. On my ES car, OEM pads up front, HP+ rear. If you aren't a "drop the berkeleying anchor" type, which you should be, others run HPS fronts and HP+ rear. Don't do that on track.
Sept. 1, 2011 8:40 p.m. wlkelley3 Dork

Did the brakes on my 99 last year. I went a bit overboard though. Did some shopping around and at the time NAPA had the best priced stock rotors. Heard there are cheaper places now, like RockAuto. Wasn't at the time I did mine though. I went with CarboTech pad - not cheap. I used AX6 in front and 1521 rear. Which is the overboard part. Yes it stops a lot quicker but it is easier to lock up the wheels, front first but all of them will lock. For the dd and autocross my car sees, using 1521s front and rear would work. But I think Hawk HP & HP+ would be cheaper and still be satisfied. Have Hawk HP+ on my RX8 and they work well but nothing like the CarboTechs. But the CarboTechs are more aggressive pads.
Sept. 2, 2011 8:01 a.m. Woody SuperDork

Last time I bought rotors locally, NAPA had the best price. You may find them cheaper online, but they're right down the road and I had them the same day.

I don't see why anyone even bothers turning rotors anymore, unless they're on something rare or pricey.
Sept. 2, 2011 11:47 a.m. DWNSHFT Reader

For my NA Spec Miata I bought Brembo rotors at Pep Boys for $16 a corner. Can't beat that.

David