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- San Antonio, Texas
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- '15 CX-5 Miata AWD
Hmm, I haven't looked at the brakes on the Mirage.
Big Brake Conversion
- Thread starter mazstyle
- Start date
Do you have a custom set up for caster adjustment? (popcorn)
Perhaps if I can get permission from these other experts on the forums who still haven't shown us their build threads to adjust the caster then I might have something built if I cant buy something to allow adjustment 
Mind you I don't often need to drive at 115mph + (ughdance)
Mind you I don't often need to drive at 115mph + (ughdance)
Perhaps if I can get permission from these other experts on the forums who still haven't shown us their build threads to adjust the caster then I might have something built if I cant buy something to allow adjustment
Mind you I don't often need to drive at 115mph + (ughdance)
Since our chassis/suspensions don't have a longitudinal strut rod/arm connecting to the lower control arm, the only other custom options are an eccentric lower ball joint, offset control arm bushings, or a 4 slotted holes in the upper strut tower. The former two would be difficult to manufacture but the last one would not be too hard to do. Some vehicles come that way already. Remove the 4 nuts holding the macPherson strut to the tower, elongate the holes about 3" towards the firewall (for positive caster) and reinstall the strut and re align the vehicle. Or... you could drive slower (lol2). But that would defeat your build intentions
You can see it here:
http://img2.findthebest.com/sites/d...lander_GT_4dr_SUV_AWD_30L_6cyl_6A_3486468.jpg
So, what is the difference with the new brakes?
http://img2.findthebest.com/sites/d...lander_GT_4dr_SUV_AWD_30L_6cyl_6A_3486468.jpg
So, what is the difference with the new brakes?
Stops good , wasn't bad before , but you can keep doing it and no issues with fade , not that I drive like that anyhow
Squeeks at low speed with minor brake action and lots of brake dust are the only gripes I have
There's NO WAY a 1st gen Tundra brakes will fit on a CX-5! (lol2) j/k. I can possible see CX-9 brakes fitted onto a CX-5, but have not heard or seen it done. Want to be the first and report?! The CX-5's rotors are 297mm while the CX-9's are 320mm. Of course, calipers, brackets, and hardware will be required, also. Maybe even the master cylinder...
I got Knight Sports 356mm front 6 pot brakes from Japan. I also changed the rear stock pads to aftermarket.
They brake really well but theres a bit of squealing when brakes are warmed up. I will try different pads after these kit ones wear out.
http://www.knightsports.co.jp/product/sports-brake-kit/
Thanks for the pic and review.
Knight Sports kit seems ok but its quite expensive for a 4 pot system. I remember there was a Brembo kit on a Mazda show CX-5, does anyone know if that kit is available on the market?
Edit: whoops i didn't see that the kit was a 6 pot, ok price seems more reasonable
Knight Sports kit seems ok but its quite expensive for a 4 pot system. I remember there was a Brembo kit on a Mazda show CX-5, does anyone know if that kit is available on the market?
Edit: whoops i didn't see that the kit was a 6 pot, ok price seems more reasonable
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You would have to be on a track (or driving like you were on a track) for this to be relevant. I love good brakes and, for the intended usage, the CX-5 brakes are excellent. I'm currently renting a 2015 Ford Focus with 7000 miles and am completely unimpressed with it. Pretty much everything about it. Of course the sound system is better than the CX-5 Bose system but that is small consolation when the car drives like a worn out bucket of bolts!
The brakes on the Focus are horrendous (super sensitive on initial pressure, wooden and vague at threshold braking and fade is noticeable on a single stop from 70 mph). Not progressive at all. Personally, I think the OEM Mazda brakes are so good I would be concerned with messing something up by installing brakes with different specs in there. The balance of dynamic stability controls or braking distribution might be upset. This could actually lengthen stopping distances even if the "upgraded" brakes were more powerful.
The brakes are good. Stainless steel brake lines would be an excellent compliment to the oem system.
I wouldn't say that the performance gains are limited to track, the kit comes with slightly more aggressive pads, I'm assuming a bigger disk/rotor and stainless steel braided lines with new fluid. All of which have an effect on stopping distance, be in direct or indirect.
As far as brake balance, lets look at the details of what drives those figures: Size of rotor, caliper piston diameter, pad coefficient of friction and tire, for the purposes of this discussion we can assume tire will stay the same and eliminate that from our list.
Most BBK will use a larger rotor than stock and to offset that increased torque, smaller caliper pistons are used to reduce clamping force (Pressure = Force/Area therefore, Force = Pressure * Area). We know that the 6 Pot system uses much smaller diameter pistons than the stock caliper, and it would make sense to me that the combined area of the 3 pistons (on one side) is at least the same as the area of the stock piston, so the effect of the bbk to brake bias should be minimal, especially since the brake line pressure will always be the same. If the bias is noticeably higher in front, you can compensate by using a more aggressive pad in the rear calipers, which is recommended practice.
All that being said, nothing wrong with stock brakes, but I like my brakes to feel and look more aggressive and BBK is an option for people like me.
As far as brake balance, lets look at the details of what drives those figures: Size of rotor, caliper piston diameter, pad coefficient of friction and tire, for the purposes of this discussion we can assume tire will stay the same and eliminate that from our list.
Most BBK will use a larger rotor than stock and to offset that increased torque, smaller caliper pistons are used to reduce clamping force (Pressure = Force/Area therefore, Force = Pressure * Area). We know that the 6 Pot system uses much smaller diameter pistons than the stock caliper, and it would make sense to me that the combined area of the 3 pistons (on one side) is at least the same as the area of the stock piston, so the effect of the bbk to brake bias should be minimal, especially since the brake line pressure will always be the same. If the bias is noticeably higher in front, you can compensate by using a more aggressive pad in the rear calipers, which is recommended practice.
All that being said, nothing wrong with stock brakes, but I like my brakes to feel and look more aggressive and BBK is an option for people like me.
Bigger discs and more powerful calipers can not shorten braking distances because the OEM brakes are capable of bringing the tires to the limits of adhesion quite easily and continuously from 125 mph to zero.
Right, but wouldn't you agree that bigger discs and more powerful calipers would bring the tires to the limits of adhesion faster than stock equipment? You'd be at the limit sooner therefore minimizing time below threshold of tire grip. Also, brake discs are essentially heat sinks that convert kinetic energy into thermal energy, larger discs will can absorb and disperse more thermal energy therefore more resistant to fade than smaller discs. 125mph to 0 continuous stops will definitely pull brake fade into the equation.
Edit: For the sake of not derailing this thread; lets assume I don't really have performance gains at the top of my priorities, simply looks. Can we just focus on finding nice BBK that are out on the market? One member with a Mazda 6 put on some Ceika calipers on his car and it looked great!
Edit: For the sake of not derailing this thread; lets assume I don't really have performance gains at the top of my priorities, simply looks. Can we just focus on finding nice BBK that are out on the market? One member with a Mazda 6 put on some Ceika calipers on his car and it looked great!
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When I had my 2007 Honda Odyssey with 16" wheels, due to crappy fronts some people installed Honda Pilot front brakes.
CX-5 brakes are excellent in comparison.
