Dual Duty Miata - Better Rear Caliper?

I've come to hate swapping the rear brakes on my NA. Does anyone know of any self adjusting drop ins?

I'm currently using DTC60s in the front and DTC30s in the rear. Is the solution to go to a light duty track/heavy duty road pad?

I keep reading the title of this thread as "Dually Miata..." My brain hurts.

failuer wrote: I've come to hate swapping the rear brakes on my NA. Does anyone know of any self adjusting drop ins? I'm currently using DTC60s in the front and DTC30s in the rear. Is the solution to go to a light duty track/heavy duty road pad?

I'm not entirely sure what your asking.

Are you looking for something like this?

http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=5688&parentid=0&stocknumber=14-16650%2010IN

I think he doesn't like the hex adjustment screw on the caliper.

At least that is what I gathered from the post.

I dunno, I only have to use that once per pad change.

Some clarification from the OP would be nice.

Better link for Z31: http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=5688&parentid=0&stocknumber=14-16650

If he's changing pads upon arrival at the track, I can see what he's talking about. I think that the FM solution above takes care of this issue (having to adjust the hex).

You can easily drive the track on those pads and then change at your leisure at home.

Yup. Pad changes are just like other Wilwoods: pull the retainer pin, pull the pads out, push the pistons in (if needed), drop the pads in, insert pin.

SOOOO cool. Does the kit (both little front and this rear) clear daisies? Wasn't totally clear on the FM website. Been waiting for stock rotor/wilwood caliper setup for a long time. You guys really do rock.

Fitment depends on the rotor diameter. None of them will fit the 1990-93 wheels without a spacer, though.

EvanB wrote: I think he doesn't like the hex adjustment screw on the caliper. At least that is what I gathered from the post.

That screw is the bane of my existence.

But yes - I was wondering if there was a drop in replacement (maybe from an NB or something) that was a bit easier to swap pads.

I'm familiar with the Big Brake kits but was looking for something a bit more achievable for one on a ahem grassroots budget.

Well, there's only one brake kit that will put a Wilwood caliper on the rear, so familiarization with the others doesn't really help. And I think the price is actually pretty darn good.

But if you want something cheaper, stick with what you have. There's nothing better available for less. Just live with the screw. If it's the bane of your existence, you have a pretty good life.

I have to agree with Señor Tanner, $500ish dollars for a custom bracket, lines, pads and aluminum calipers.......pretty good price.

The top spec miata guys run rear calipers with the internal actuators for the parking brake removed. Apparently frees up some extra power at the wheels. This will eliminate the need for that adjusting screw and they will work like the fronts, IIRC. Does totally eliminate the ebrake though.

http://mazdaracers.com/topic/1069-rear-caliper-adjuster-disabling/

http://mazdaracers.com/topic/872-rear-brake-question/?p=7746&hl=+emergency%20+brake&fromsearch=1#entry7746

http://www.miata.net/garage/ebrake/index.htmlhttp://www.miata.net/garage/ebrake/index.html

http://specmiataclassifieds.com/SMF/index.php?topic=1779.0

http://treasurecoastmiata.com/i-10298424-mazda-miata-blueprinted-rear-brake-calipers.html

At one point there was a kit available to use FC Rx-7 rear calipers on the back of the Miata, I think it was from a guy who made kits for Ford 5.0 conversions. Supposedly those calipers work with the Miata parking brake cables, but offered more room underneath for a vented rear rotor.

The downside is that the calipers are NLA and need to be scrounged out of junkyards. I've never seen one, but I suspect they probably also have the same basic retractor screw mechanism. That setup is also going to be heavier than stock, not lighter like the FM parts.

The FM rear kit is very nice -- I have one sitting in a box in my garage waiting to be installed. :)

Thanks, Johnny. Those Spec guys are nuts.

Keith Tanner wrote: Thanks, Johnny. Those Spec guys are nuts.

Yes, we are. :)

I run the stock adjuster and e-brake. Never really had a problem adjusting it to do pads.

If the FM kit is too much your options are:

1. Try light-duty track pads on the street. If they're good enough for track use and you can stand having weak brakes on the first few stops, then great.

2. Do the Spec Miata-style handbrake mechanism removal, and then build a custom drifting-style setup where you have a separate motorcycle/lightweight drag racing caliper on the same disc with super-bitey pads just for the handbrake. I hear a lot of recent supercars have this setup even though it carries the disadvantage of a big increase in unsprung weight. Now you'll probably have no choice but to run hydraulic actuation with this setup, so check if that's street-legal where you are. This probably won't be a whole lot cheaper than the FM kit even if you junkyard-source wherever possible, but you'll have a very serious handbrake rather than a jokey one.

Thanks Johnny, that's great info.

Keith, you're right - the price is more than fair - but this is just a minor annoyance (perhaps I should have used sarcasm tags) and dropping $500 to solve it seems like overkill. Plus I would think one would want to upgrade the front brakes first/as well...

If your goal is braking performance, then you'd definitely pay attention to proportioning and front brakes. But if you're just annoyed at the little screw, well, you need to address it directly

Keith - how does the parking brake work with that real caliper setup? I've never seen an aluminum fixed piston caliper with a parking brake.

It's basically the same as a cantilever brake for a bike. Two levers squeeze the pads on to the rotor. It's not as effective as the standard parking brake, but it's good enough to pass tech for SCCA autocross.

Cool!

Does it carry a custom FM part number? Or could I purchase it for another application from Wilwood?